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Austin Homeless Free for All Ordinance


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16 minutes ago, Deej said:

I read an article this weekend that says groups are going out, rounding up the homeless, and taking them to polling stations to vote. 

Hopefully, Austinites are a bit more motivated for this election than usual.

What groups?

Are those 3,000 homeless going to suddenly turn into 15,000 or 21,000 votes?

Edited by Armybrat
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1 hour ago, crash_davis said:

Ban panhandling. That will solve some of the problem. Then start cracking down on camps which are littered with stolen shit. Those leeches didn't buy all that shit, especially all the bikes. Start with those two actions and you'll drive some of the shitheads who choose homelessness as a lifestyle out of here. Who's left are maybe people with ties to Austin. I want to help those people. I ain't helping some fucking thieving shitheads who hopped on a train from Oklahoma City down here because Adler welcomed them.

Oh yea. Fuck Adler. I hope he gets testicle cancer.

The best way to help these people is to do exactly like you said, ban the camping shit and ban panhandling. Get these fuckers out of Austin!

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12 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

How many homeless people are registered to vote?

what would they put for their address?

 

"No ma'am, I don't have a utility bill to verify my address or identity.  I'm hooked straight up to an old construction breaker off of Ben White. You should see our pinball machine."

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1 hour ago, slorch said:

There's more revenue in traffic citations and DUIs...

True, but when the DAA starts pulling campaign contributions and stops sponsoring every other half-cocked Council project...shit gets real in a hurry.  

And have so shamelessly reiterate one more time that it is criminal our City Council does not communicate to renters what their bond issuances and spending measures will mean to the average $1,000/mo. renter like they do to the average $300,000 home owner.  So many renters in this city have been lulled into thinking they don't really pay property taxes. 

But City Council conjures up this image of the evil property owner who wants to rent out his unkempt second home for over market value, and then also short-term lease it to bother neighbors during festivals and races, and use unfair market practices to maintain it, and then contend his county assessments, and exploit every federal income tax loophole to line his pockets.  But oh yeah, that same guy?  Yeah, he zeroes out his books on his rental properties each January 31st, and then just cuts the check for property taxes out of his personal account.  I know Council thinks we're all idiots, but you can't have an evil criminal landlord gouging the poor musicians and teachers of Austin who also donates their property taxes to them.  The character doesn't make any sense and would be killed off in the Second Act.  

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2 hours ago, slorch said:

There's more revenue in traffic citations and DUIs...

CSB time.  I was out on the boat tied up at Commons Ford Park on Lake Austin a few yrs back.  I always called it Pothead Park b/c about a quarter of a mile away, if the wind is right, you can smell it on the approach.  Lots of herbal Americans bring their bongs out there and just light up all free and easy like.  There's also always a bunch of dogs running around doing what dogs do when leashes get unclipped.

Well, tied up against the bulkhead in the little creek that runs off the side I sat in my boat just watching the scene while puming Floyd through the stereo.  All out there approved, of course.  As I'm sitting there looking over the big grass field that runs down to the water I see these cops crouching down behind bushes way across on the other side.  Suddenly, they spring up, kinda walk/jog out into the crowd there with clipboards.  Several people had bongs laying out in full site, some were passing joints around, and I'm thinking, "Oh shit, they're all fucked.  

Sure enough, these cops start writing tickets left and right.  I was surprised to see that the cops didn't confiscate their herbal gear and when the Heroes left I kinda filtered over by a few of them and chatted them up to see how they got so lucky.  Turns out every ticket they wrote was for dogs off leashes.  Some dude with dreads told me, "Yeah man, that's a lot bigger fine than weed."

Like I said, CSB

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Just now, Cajun said:

Yes.  Have you not been paying attention?

They'd have to be registered to vote residents of Austin. If they are, then that's fine. They are citizens and have a right to make their voice heard. I'm betting many of the homeless are neither residents of Austin or are legally registered to vote in Austin.

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Bold strategy cotton to round up homeless to vote because you'll invariably run into the eventual question, "why did so many of them NOT vote?"  
 

Adler, "Well, 2000 of them did not vote but we are pleased that so many others did."

Non existent reporter who has critical thinking skills, "What reasons were given for the not voting bloc?  Voter intimidation?  Voter suppression?  No ballot dropoff boxes in their tent village?"
Adler, "Well, most of them aren't citizens and most of them just arrived recently so couldn't register to vote in time."
 

And why do you think so many of them just got here recently, with not enough time to register...eh, Mayor Dipshit?  

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That was actually a really good article and shows how we used to have actual good journalism.  Not a single political skew in there that I could see, at least on one read. Also interesting and sad that we’ve been discussing the same issues for almost 30 years now and done very little. That abandoned Home Depot at St. John’s seems like an obvious stop gap, but I guess that’s not happening, from what I’ve heard. 

Thats because homelessness is multifaceted and national, and less of a city issue. If Austin had the best plan, you would never know it because we would continue to attract homeless regionally.

But which homeless issue is COA gonna solve?

Evicted families
Runaways
Foster Kids/Abandoned/Termed Foster Kids
Mentally ill
Addicts
Travelers/Hobos

There’s overlap in these groups, but the perception that Austin is a haven for travelers and runaways became a growing reality when tent cities became established, tolerated, and catered to.

The result is that we have attracted more longterm homeless populations.
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22 minutes ago, GRHorn said:

They all have IDs, I guess. That’s weird. I’ve been told that’s a huge adulting step that gets in the way. 

Strange how that works, ain’t it?

i have gotten two robo calls from Save Austin Now telling me that they notice I have not voted yet, and to get out to the nearest polling place to cast my ballot.

Yeah, we have an Austin mailing address, but we do not live in the city limits up here in the unincorporated Brushy Creek MUD (Wilco).

Edited by Armybrat
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12 minutes ago, GRHorn said:

Coming soon here?

What an excellent example of govt efficiency. $2,600 per Month per homeless person for an official tent city in a parking lot. 

Probably better than what Seattle did earlier this month. 

"Hey, I've got a great idea!  There's a lot of empty land on public school properties, one of 'em a K-8, where they started plopping down!  Let's let 'em keep campin' on! Ain't no kids there now!"

"Brilliant!  But what if the kids come back?"

"Hey, I've got a great idea!  There's a lot of empty land on public school properties, one of 'em a K-8, where they started plopping down!  Let's let 'em keep campin' on! Ain't no kids there now!"

"Oh, ok, brilliant!"

As Seattle students return to class, homeless encampments at 2 schools stir concerns

by Kara Kostanich, KOMO News reporter 

Monday, April 5th 2021

SEATTLE — As students at Seattle Public Schools start to return for in-person learning following the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the district continues to grapple with the presence of two homeless encampments that have taken root on a pair of the district's campuses.

The presence of the encampments at Broadview Thomson K-8, located at 13052 Greenwood Ave., and Edmond S. Meany Middle School, located at 201 21st Ave., has stirred concern among parents and residents who live in the area. They are outraged that students will be back in class Monday and the district has not yet resolved what they describe as a dangerous problem.

Parents and residents in the area have called on School school officials to immediately remove the homeless encampments to ensure the safety of children.

Some parents gathered Sunday evening to distribute flyers to parents to alert them about the encampment at Broadveiw Thomson K-8.

“Obviously, nobody is taking the problem seriously,” said Bill Steele, who lives in the neighborhood next to Broadview Thomson K-8, where the view from the front of the school looks normal. The encampment is located at the rear of the school where up to 40 tents have been pitched. "All parents need to speak up and let the school board know that our schools are not camp grounds."

“You question the judgment of those in charge of keeping your children safe,” said Ryle Goodrich, whose 6-year-old son was set to return to the school in the Bitter Lake neighborhood Monday for in-person learning. “I am calling on the school board to allow Mayor Jenny Durkan to take care of these encampments as she has in the past, which would be to offer services and then guide campers out of the park and let children return to school.”

Several tents remained on the grounds of Meany Middle School, where special education students are to return for in-person learning Monday.

The school district said on Friday that it is trying to resolve the situation.

Goodrich said parents of some Broadview-Thomson students are reluctant to have their students back in class because of the presence of the encampments.

“I know a lot of parents who wanted to send their children back to school but are unwilling to because they don’t feel safe,” he said, adding that he is looking to pull his child from the school. “We are house shopping already – out of Seattle."
=====================
Epilogue:  The middle school camp was cleared, but the K-8 camp rolls merrily on - school board refuses to evict or have the area cleared or set for relocation (how's that for logic!).  Here, take a tour!

Oops!  Sorry!  Just gave Greg Casar a great idea!

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3 hours ago, Eskimohorn said:


Thats because homelessness is multifaceted and national, and less of a city issue. If Austin had the best plan, you would never know it because we would continue to attract homeless regionally.

But which homeless issue is COA gonna solve?

Evicted families
Runaways
Foster Kids/Abandoned/Termed Foster Kids
Mentally ill
Addicts
Travelers/Hobos

There’s overlap in these groups, but the perception that Austin is a haven for travelers and runaways became a growing reality when tent cities became established, tolerated, and catered to.

The result is that we have attracted more longterm homeless populations.

Oh, almost forgot, I snapped a couple of photos of the potheads I talked as I made out to head back to the ramp.  Thought some of you may appreciate, you know, for science --

Image 4-26-21 at 4.26 PM.jpeg

Image 4-26-21 at 4.25 PM.jpeg

Edited by Cajun
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1 hour ago, phdhorn said:

Probably better than what Seattle did earlier this month. 

"Hey, I've got a great idea!  There's a lot of empty land on public school properties, one of 'em a K-8, where they started plopping down!  Let's let 'em keep campin' on! Ain't no kids there now!"

"Brilliant!  But what if the kids come back?"

"Hey, I've got a great idea!  There's a lot of empty land on public school properties, one of 'em a K-8, where they started plopping down!  Let's let 'em keep campin' on! Ain't no kids there now!"

"Oh, ok, brilliant!"

As Seattle students return to class, homeless encampments at 2 schools stir concerns

by Kara Kostanich, KOMO News reporter 

Monday, April 5th 2021

SEATTLE — As students at Seattle Public Schools start to return for in-person learning following the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the district continues to grapple with the presence of two homeless encampments that have taken root on a pair of the district's campuses.

The presence of the encampments at Broadview Thomson K-8, located at 13052 Greenwood Ave., and Edmond S. Meany Middle School, located at 201 21st Ave., has stirred concern among parents and residents who live in the area. They are outraged that students will be back in class Monday and the district has not yet resolved what they describe as a dangerous problem.

Parents and residents in the area have called on School school officials to immediately remove the homeless encampments to ensure the safety of children.

Some parents gathered Sunday evening to distribute flyers to parents to alert them about the encampment at Broadveiw Thomson K-8.

“Obviously, nobody is taking the problem seriously,” said Bill Steele, who lives in the neighborhood next to Broadview Thomson K-8, where the view from the front of the school looks normal. The encampment is located at the rear of the school where up to 40 tents have been pitched. "All parents need to speak up and let the school board know that our schools are not camp grounds."

“You question the judgment of those in charge of keeping your children safe,” said Ryle Goodrich, whose 6-year-old son was set to return to the school in the Bitter Lake neighborhood Monday for in-person learning. “I am calling on the school board to allow Mayor Jenny Durkan to take care of these encampments as she has in the past, which would be to offer services and then guide campers out of the park and let children return to school.”

Several tents remained on the grounds of Meany Middle School, where special education students are to return for in-person learning Monday.

The school district said on Friday that it is trying to resolve the situation.

Goodrich said parents of some Broadview-Thomson students are reluctant to have their students back in class because of the presence of the encampments.

“I know a lot of parents who wanted to send their children back to school but are unwilling to because they don’t feel safe,” he said, adding that he is looking to pull his child from the school. “We are house shopping already – out of Seattle."
=====================
Epilogue:  The middle school camp was cleared, but the K-8 camp rolls merrily on - school board refuses to evict or have the area cleared or set for relocation (how's that for logic!).  Here, take a tour!

Oops!  Sorry!  Just gave Greg Casar a great idea!

this is just a learning experience/life lesson for the kids.  one of those "teachable moments" we heard so much about in the not so distant past.

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1 hour ago, Cajun said:

Oh, almost forgot, I snapped a couple of photos of the potheads I talked as I made out to head back to the ramp.  Thought some of you may appreciate, you know, for science --

Image 4-26-21 at 4.26 PM.jpeg

Image 4-26-21 at 4.25 PM.jpeg

Now that's a crack ho I could live with.

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2 hours ago, Cajun said:

Oh, almost forgot, I snapped a couple of photos of the potheads I talked as I made out to head back to the ramp.  Thought some of you may appreciate, you know, for science --

Image 4-26-21 at 4.26 PM.jpeg

Image 4-26-21 at 4.25 PM.jpeg

 

👏🍑

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10 hours ago, Eskimohorn said:


Thats because homelessness is multifaceted and national, and less of a city issue. If Austin had the best plan, you would never know it because we would continue to attract homeless regionally.

But which homeless issue is COA gonna solve?

Evicted families
Runaways
Foster Kids/Abandoned/Termed Foster Kids
Mentally ill
Addicts
Travelers/Hobos

There’s overlap in these groups, but the perception that Austin is a haven for travelers and runaways became a growing reality when tent cities became established, tolerated, and catered to.

The result is that we have attracted more longterm homeless populations.

This is how I see it. I live in San Francisco. At this point homelessness is institutionalized from a zoning/structural standpoint. Debate over the issue aside, SF and LA are now servicing a national problem with municipal resources. 
 

Also, I have not lived in Austin in quite a few years - what is the pulse on the vote? I’m surprised the camping ban was repealed in the first place. Even here in SF your average Democrat on the street is appalled at the current situation. 

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8 hours ago, Armybrat said:

Strange how that works, ain’t it?

i have gotten two robo calls from Save Austin Now telling me that they notice I have not voted yet, and to get out to the nearest polling place to cast my ballot.

Yeah, we have an Austin mailing address, but we do not live in the city limits up here in the unincorporated Brushy Creek MUD (Wilco).

Yeah I didn’t realize this was full purpose only, I don’t get why in an LTD I could vote on fire fighters arbitration (when I don’t get AFD service) or $25 campaign finance (when I pay no city taxes) but can’t vote on Prop B which is to reverse a decision by the council who I can vote on ...I guess because it’s an Austin police enforcement issue, but seems odd.

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From 1998-2005, the homeless problem in Austin was manageable/ignorable.  Lots of bums but the masses were confined to a few places (the Drag, the area near the shelter downtown) and then some random panhandlers at busy intersections.

I moved out of Austin from 2005-2007 and when I came back, the major difference was that there were now large homeless camps in many urban wooded areas.  A bigger problem but still relatively ignorable.  It gradually got worse.
 

Ever since the camping ban was removed it has been completely out of control.  If Prop B doesn’t pass, the residents of this city are truly insane.

Edited by Snake Diggity
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A great majority of ATX residents are insane irrespective of whether Prop B passes or not.

Just because an addict stops injecting horse tranqilizer into his eyeball and switches to putting in through his arm doesn't change the underlying condition.

ATX will continue to mainline stupidity and insanity for many moons to come my friend.

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Just voted at Bee Cave City Hall.  Took 2 minutes.  You had to go up 2 flights of stairs so it was pretty funny to see a bunch of fat olds pulling themselves up there.

Voted for it even though I doubt it has much of an impact at this point.  Can't keep doing nothing.

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Be real careful what you wish for Mayor Dipshit.  You have no idea how many people have turned on you in this city.  

Shoulda stuck to "the Year of Mobility."  Your grift is nearly at an end.  You'll spend the rest of your days as a mid-tier real estate attorney and political pariah.  You morally bankrupt tub of shit.  

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