Originally published at: Trouble in TX: Austin Officials to Vote on Using Vacant Hotel Rooms to Shelter the Homeless | Sean Hannity
The Austin City Council is set to vote on whether the local government should turn vacant hotel rooms into homeless shelters; a move critics say would further escalate the region’s already exploding transient population.
“The Austin City Council will vote Thursday on whether to turn area hotels into homes for the homeless,” reports Fox News. “The move is a big departure from the city’s previous plan to buy a building on the south side of the city and turn it into a shelter.”
“My understanding is it would’ve been a year or two to do those kinds of renovations on that building,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler.
“Conservatives have slammed state politicians for the growing problem and worry that Austin is heading down the path of West Coast cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle and Portland, Ore., where homelessness has gone from a containable problem to an all-out crisis in less than a decade. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has warned if that Austin hadn’t shown improvement by Nov. 1, the Texas Department of Transportation would begin clearing out encampments under the bridges of state-owned highways and roadways,” adds Fox.
Read the full report here.
Source Fox News
Original Story: November 4, 2019
Texas Governor Greg Abbott instructed state and city agencies to begin removing homeless encampments across Austin this week; responding to residents’ requests after the local government passed a law allowing public camping across the Capital.
“State agencies are moving in to clean up Austin, Texas after the capital city became a magnet for homeless vagrants, due to laws allowing people to camp out on the streets,” reports Fox News. “The project started on Monday morning as cleaning crews used leaf blowers and street sweepers to clear debris while they were guarded by state police.”
“Today is a day of action. We began posting notices that TxDOT will clean up homeless camps under highways in Austin starting Monday. Safety will improve soon. The homeless will be offered options for shelter, food, clothing & healthcare,” posted the Governor on social media.
Today is a day of action.
We began posting notices that TxDOT will clean up homeless camps under highways in Austin starting Monday.
Safety will improve soon.
The homeless will be offered options for shelter, food,
clothing & healthcare. #txlege https://t.co/ZwBahNWvep— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 29, 2019
Source: Fox News
