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Austin Homeless Free for All Ordinance


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Although public lands, there's a lot of case precedent that says public college lands can be treated different lands than other state government spaces where you sort have to be an "invited guest" or "have business there" or whatever terms different states use.  Same reason they won't allow them in front of other City of Austin facilities.  Same reason Travis County cracks the fuck down on all the homeless at the old library on Guadalupe that used to wander over to the Travis County HQ across the street to piss or get some A/C or eat Luby's leftovers, etc.  

If the City of Austin and ACC were half-smart, they'd repurpose Pinnacle Building which could literally house half the homeless population in Austin and still have room for plenty of services and workers.  But they want one of these in each district.  They'll say because that's equitable, and their critics will say it's because they want homelessness in the face of every citizen in every district so we can't hide the issue.  

Here's why they're really doing it district by district:  Buying 10 properties in 10 districts over an extended period time will cost 10x as much as buying 2 or 3 densified properties in a couple of districts and being done with the real estate issue.  But this way, every council member gets a money grab.  Each one gets to be owed favors from the deal.  Each one gets to time it around re-election.  Each one gets to then demand they get additional funds for their districts to provide services to these folks, more police, more EMS, et. al.  

If DENSITY is so fucking important to this Mayor & Council, why not apply their philosophy to homelessness?  Because there's more money in it their way.  

I promise by the time these 10 facilities are done, some public official will be going to prison.  It'll be a long time from now, but it will happen.  We all took the bait, myself included, while worrying about this new facility being by schools, and how quickly Kitchen railroaded it through the neighborhood, and how we're all up in arms about tent cities and shit...the long game is to allow each member to get a moneygrab like this for themselves.  Very few people are talking about the fact that they openly admitted they'll be doing this district by district and that Kitchen is so brave for going first.  Which leads me to believe she really is the smartest one up there, much as I disagree with her---she isn't courageous.  She's just smart.  When the cops show up to a fight, whoever got the last punch in is the one who gets in trouble---no matter who started it.  The investigations in why this process is so fraudulent will crack down on the last person to try it, some other council member who doesn't know shit about real estate grease.  There's three people on that dais who know better than to offer a quick close alongside a massive CapEx, with no property revenue potential, paying close to 2.5x over market, with no demand for concessions/conditions.  She's one of them, one of the other 7 dipshits will be left holding the bag when this is all said and done.  

Fucking A, even Chicago doesn't pull shit like this anymore.  

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@RCRanger03 What do you think of the conspiracy theory floating around, that the camping/panhandling changes were pushed through to increase the amount of contact between the general public and the homeless, in order to get more support for money/projects for the homeless later on?

Edit: On second thought, that is probably not an answer you can give, given your situation.

Edited by atomheartbevo
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[mention=862]RCRanger03[/mention] What do you think of the conspiracy theory floating around, that the camping/panhandling changes were pushed through to increase the amount of contact between the general public and the homeless, in order to get more support for money/projects for the homeless later on?
Edit: On second thought, that is probably not an answer you can give, given your situation.

I can, though. The theory is paranoid fantasy and the people pushing it are loons.
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25 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:


I can, though. The theory is paranoid fantasy and the people pushing it are loons.

So then, what's the real reason they deliberately created a situation where the general public are going to come face-to-face with the homeless in numbers (and ways) that they haven't before?   Why create a situation where it's going to impact your public image when it comes to tourism and business investments?

Businesses, tourists, festival promoters, etc. aren't going to say "oh wow, how kind of Austin, what a nice thing for them to do, that's a city I want to do business with/"

The outcome is going to be either the conspiracy theory where the public says "ENOUGH!  here's some money, now go do something for the homeless and get their tents off the fucking sidewalks" or it's going to be "FUCK IT!, let's elect some people who are going to crack down on the homeless and sweep them off our sidewalks and get them out of sight!"

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On 6/28/2019 at 10:16 PM, Lobo said:

It's going to be awkward when homeless folks are given free rides to Ann Kitchen's residence to setup camp nearby.  I mean, I guess I could be nice and use RideAustin to shuttle them over to her neighborhood.  Since we don't want any un-fingerprinted drivers from Uber of Lyft.  But offering free rides to them along with a boxed lunch and beverages of their choice is going to be awfully enticing.    

I don't know the definition of irony Ann, but whatever it is...it's about to take a massive dump on your front yard.  

Probably has more to do with who is connected to the land purchase that was nearly 3x market rate, who will be awarded the renovation contacts and getting a jump on the public to make sure “it’s in the right location in my district”. 

You know it’s a shady deal when they basically surprise the city with a 10 million dollar commitment for 100 fucking beds. Did they make the decision on a whim or consciously hide this from the public for over a year?

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Well yeah, but you haven’t figured in that the public  services bureaus will split the finish out with our City and the city baked in a complete reimbursement for 2019 property taxes to owner within the offer price. 

I mean, do we know what we’re doing or do we know what we’re doing?

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So then, what's the real reason they deliberately created a situation where the general public are going to come face-to-face with the homeless in numbers (and ways) that they haven't before?   Why create a situation where it's going to impact your public image when it comes to tourism and business investments?

Austin is not SF or LA. Everything will be just like it was before because that ordinance that was repealed did jack shit other than make keep homeless outside longer.
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On 6/28/2019 at 9:00 AM, HOOKEM4 said:

I preemptively built my own tent city in my front yard just to keep them out of my yard. It wasn't hard at all. Found everything I needed on bulk pickup day.

I'm goin' with the Llewelyn Moss Method...

 

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Austin is not SF or LA. Everything will be just like it was before because that ordinance that was repealed did jack shit other than make keep homeless outside longer.
Bozo the Clown to the rescue. You are the epitome of this City Council.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

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1 hour ago, BurntEyes said:

Whoa, slow down. I clearly missed this and I'm going to need more information including, of course, pics.

It was maybe 10 years ago? and only lasted a month or 2 before the powers that be made them stop for safety reasons. A quick search didn't turn up anything, but it was real life. 

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3 hours ago, BBQ2Bayou said:

It was maybe 10 years ago? and only lasted a month or 2 before the powers that be made them stop for safety reasons. A quick search didn't turn up anything, but it was real life. 

latest?cb=20131203000806

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Guest Lobo

I can only assume somebody started a Seattle-Esque, “Austin Looks Like S**T” Facebook page to upload photos to. 

Or “Austin Looks Like K**chen”

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1 minute ago, DaysOff said:

Those are the images that end up in North Korea life in America propaganda films. Well done Austin.

It's so sad when the city councils version of "just trying to help" them is to let them continue to be druggies in the street. Makes cops jobs impossible. 

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regarding the human feces concern, here or elsewhere... serious question, if it's unavoidable (given current policies, not that they're aren't better solutions)... does it not make sense to maybe put port-o-potties in some key locations, particularly where there is a concentration of homeless? 

to be clear, current solution and policy change sucks...but i'm thinking about the reality...if it is what it is, at least for now, at least that might help keep human excrement off the public thoroughfares.

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29 minutes ago, MissingInAction said:

I just know my dog is gonna end up biting one of these cunts. 

Hope your dog has all his shots. No telling what diseases he might pick up from biting those bums. 

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Guest Lobo

it looks like a permanent two bathroom deal was setup at the bus deal under Ben white as well.  I doubt that’s for the morning commuter.  I mean, it was supposed to be but taint aids ain’t worth the risk. 

Edited by Lobo
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53 minutes ago, mchookem said:

regarding the human feces concern, here or elsewhere... serious question, if it's unavoidable (given current policies, not that they're aren't better solutions)... does it not make sense to maybe put port-o-potties in some key locations, particularly where there is a concentration of homeless? 

to be clear, current solution and policy change sucks...but i'm thinking about the reality...if it is what it is, at least for now, at least that might help keep human excrement off the public thoroughfares. 

I think the better solution is to allow the entire public to shit right around these camps. A few thousand people dropping a load around the camp would probably make the camp move. Maybe create a wall of shit around the camp. Come on Surly, you can mobilize and improve Austin.

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Guest Lobo

There's being a fucking cold-hearted asshole to the plight of the homeless, and then there's trying to help while ALSO   paying some credence to the fact that human feces in our public spaces and/or waterways (particularly during summer) is kinda dangerous).  

I can't wait until the Waller Creek Conservancy people have to craft the most deftly worded press release in Austin history in about 12 months.  The Venn Diagram on those involved is basically a lunar eclipse.  

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Guest Lobo

Why can't the tent or the shopping cart, or in the case of the guys on Ben White overpass, the 4-burner BBQ grill be the sign of a city accepting the homeless and not treating them as criminals?  Why human feces? Why is that the symbol of "We care more than you, we had to do something!"   Levity and conspiracies aside, as stated above, a few dozen tactically placed around certain parts of the city would alleviate so much dehumanization and so much illness for pennies on the dollar.  Unless the idea is drop the hammer on DAA and other similar neighborhood groups that says...you have to open up your restrooms to the local homeless.  Otherwise, you face some sort of health dept. wrath (yes, I see the irony). 

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So what I'm hearing is:

- Put them at COTA

- Put them in Williamson County (great idea, BTW)

- Put them in unincorporated east Travis County

- Put them in Ann Kitchens's front yard

- Put them in Terrytown

- Give them PB&J sammiches

All very good ideas. We should get this thing solved in no time. Good job, surly!

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4 hours ago, mchookem said:

regarding the human feces concern, here or elsewhere... serious question, if it's unavoidable (given current policies, not that they're aren't better solutions)... does it not make sense to maybe put port-o-potties in some key locations, particularly where there is a concentration of homeless? 

to be clear, current solution and policy change sucks...but i'm thinking about the reality...if it is what it is, at least for now, at least that might help keep human excrement off the public thoroughfares.

In Berlin:

 

bern-pissoir_1000.jpg

https://www.german-way.com/when-nature-calls-public-toilets-in-germany-toilette-wc/

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