Tag Archives: homelessness
Friday, August 3, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
City bundling blockchain hacks for homelessness in Bloomberg challenge
Austin’s Innovation Office will spend most of the next three weeks compiling and assessing the solutions that teams of area programmers and digital creatives came up with to use blockchain technology to solve the city’s chronic homelessness issues.A total of…
Tuesday, July 17, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Case management, facilities improvements among recommendations for new ARCH contract
An analysis by a national agency focused on ending homelessness has given the city its recommendations on how to revamp services and operations at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless. Among them are a change to make the downtown…
Tuesday, July 3, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Possible changes to panhandling ordinance draw concern from business leaders
A possible revision of the city’s ordinance regulating panhandling is drawing concern from downtown business leaders who say the proposed changes would allow aggressive requests for money and could create safety issues in areas with heavy foot traffic.The amendments to…
Thursday, June 7, 2018 by Jack Craver
Austin
Business leaders raise concerns about homelessness
It’s not just advocates for the homeless who have serious concerns about homelessness downtown. Businesses say that the mass of misery on the streets is a threat to downtown commerce and the city’s ability to attract visitors.The effects of the…
Tuesday, June 5, 2018 by Jack Craver
Austin
The debate over decriminalizing homelessness
A campaign to decriminalize behaviors associated with homelessness got a boost Monday from the Public Safety Commission, which voted to approve a resolution that instructs the city manager to review ordinances that may “create barriers for people who are trying…
Thursday, May 24, 2018 by Jack Craver
Austin
Audit says city needs better data on homeless population
What does it mean to be homeless? It depends who you ask.The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development applies the term to a variety of living situations, including people living in places “not meant for human habitation,” those in…
Monday, May 21, 2018 by Elizabeth Pagano
Reporters' Notebook
Reporter’s Notebook: Overheard, signs of the times
And on and on… Last week brought a tentative update to the ongoing labor negotiations with the Austin Police Association. Those negotiations resumed after City Council voted against a proposed contract in December. Since then, police have been operating without…
Thursday, May 17, 2018 by Audrey McGlinchy
Transportation
Housing Austin’s homeless will reduce road deaths, but that will require a big investment
Part 2 of a three-part seriesMike Villegas learned his oldest child had died on Christmas Eve 2016.Villegas said he was doing work around the house with his 12-year-old son. When he went out to the front yard, he noticed a…
Wednesday, May 2, 2018 by Sommer Brugal
City Council
City Council approves plan to end homelessness
The rising concern surrounding homelessness and its growing numbers will receive greater attention and resources moving forward, now that City Council unanimously approved a resolution to endorse the city’s Action Plan to End Homelessness at its April 26 meeting.The action…
Monday, April 30, 2018 by Austin Monitor
Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: The ARCH
On this week’s show, Front Steps Executive Director Greg McCormack joins Austin Monitor freelancer Caleb Pritchard to talk about the challenges and future of the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless. Listen in; the entire show is embedded below.The Austin…
Wednesday, March 28, 2018 by Caleb Pritchard
Austin
Innovation team sets sights on bedbugs, overcrowding at homeless shelter
The Innovation Office earlier this month issued a set of recommendations to mitigate serious problems plaguing the 14-year-old Austin Resource Center for the Homeless at East Seventh and Neches streets.Last week, the office’s so-called i-team briefed the Downtown Commission on…
Tuesday, February 20, 2018 by Jack Craver
Austin
Homelessness action report calls for doubling spending
If Austin wants to get serious about ending homelessness, it needs to spend about twice as much on the variety of programs that currently serve the more than 2,000 people living on the streets.That’s according to an action plan endorsed…
Thursday, November 9, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Campaign would raise $60M to house homeless
The Mobile Loaves & Fishes nonprofit announced plans to help reduce Austin’s homeless population over the next 10 years through a series of expansions of its Community First! Village project in Northeast Austin.The expansions will be paid for with a…
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 by Syeda Hasan
Austin
Homeless service providers say pilot program made downtown Austin safer
An effort to reduce crowds loitering outside the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless has made downtown safer, local service providers say.A 30-day initiative was launched last month to address homelessness outside the ARCH, where dozens of people congregate on…
Thursday, August 10, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Increased support outside ARCH to target crime, help homeless
Four months after city officials called on the Austin Police Department and other public safety departments to address a spike in drug use around the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, the next phase of help is about to begin.Starting…
Wednesday, August 9, 2017 by Syeda Hasan
Austin
Council considers using city-owned buildings to ease overcrowding at homeless shelters
City Council is looking at using city-owned buildings as temporary homeless shelters.The idea comes from Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo, who says overcrowding at downtown shelters has led to harsh conditions for people experiencing homelessness.Speaking at City Hall on Tuesday,…
Tuesday, August 8, 2017 by Nina Hernandez
Public Safety
Public Safety Commission hears update on Austin’s homeless
Representatives from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) and the Austin Police Department’s Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST) briefed the Public Safety Commission Monday night on the state of the city’s homeless population.“I think in Austin we know what we…
Monday, February 27, 2017 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Homelessness in D4 spurs residents looking to marshal housing resources
Residents in the North Austin area focused in District 4 are looking to assemble a network of local service groups and government resources to respond to what’s believed to be an increase in the homeless population there.There’s no official count…
