City attempts to engage property owner to help manage D2 encampment

City officials are facing legal hurdles in addressing a homeless encampment at 6706 Bluff Springs Road, located on private property near an HEB grocery store. In a message to her District 2 constituents, Mayor Pro Tem Vanessa Fuentes said that while the city can clear encampments from public spaces, enforcing trespassing laws on private land requires written consent from the property owner – something the current property management agency has yet to provide despite multiple requests. Since her last update on Feb. 19, Fuentes wrote that city departments – including the Austin Police Department, Code Enforcement and the Homeless Strategy Office – have been working to manage the situation. Emergency calls to 911 continue to receive law enforcement responses, and city and county staff engage with the site almost daily. A March 5 interdepartmental meeting with the city attorney’s office explored potential legal actions to obtain access to the property, which is just under 2 acres in size and owned by MT Properties LLC, according to Travis County records. In the meantime, efforts are focused on mitigating impacts. Code Enforcement is securing a contractor for additional site cleanups, while Travis County constables regularly patrol the area. Outreach teams from the Homeless Strategy Office are offering shelter resources, though availability remains limited. City officials plan to provide updates as legal options develop and as new cleanup and outreach efforts are scheduled. Residents are encouraged to continue reporting issues via 911 and 311.