Austin‘s Recent Homeless Encampment Sweep Cost Taxpayers $830,000
AUSTIN,โ TEXAS – A recent city-led sweep of homeless encampments โฃin Austin cost taxpayers $830,000, according to city โคofficials who briefed the austin City Council this week. The operation,intendedโ to addressโข concerns about public safety and neighborhood quality of life,faced criticism from advocates who argue such sweeps are ineffective andโฃ harmful.
The sweep’s high โคcost comes as the city grapples โwith ongoing challenges in addressing homelessness and follows voter rejection of Proposition Q last โคmonth, โฃwhich would have increased property taxes to fund additional homeless services. Despite the โขfinancialโข outlay and the failed proposition, city officials maintain they are obligated to โenforce Austin’s ban on public camping, reinstated by voters in โ2021.
During the council briefing, City Manager Spencer Gray acknowledged a lack of coordination as a โขchallenge during the operation. “Despite some repeat efforts, we just weren’t ever reallyโ able toโ sync up,” he said, calling for stronger cooperation with the state to reduce displacement.
Advocates with VOCAL-TX sharply criticized the sweep, stating it routinely pushes unhoused individuals into more โrisky situations. “Sweeps-and even the threat ofโ sweeps-do nothing to solve homelessness.They merelyโ push people into โmore dangerous โhiding spots โขlike creek beds where risk of injury or โคdeath is high,” said Eli โCortez, a community organizer with the group. He further characterized โthe expenditure as “indefensible” given the recentโ defeat of Prop โฃQ.
Gray acknowledged the setback โof Prop Q’s failure but emphasized theโ city’s duty to enforce the existing โคcamping โคban. “We have to do enforcement and we have to do it with fewer access to services,” he stated. “Now that we’ve ended the surge, we โare evaluating the effectiveness of that strategyโข and figuring out how we continue to lead with compassion as we enforce the voter-approved mandate.”
A detailed assessment of the sweep, including recommendations forโ future operations, is expected to be presented to the council later this month.
