Panel discussion puts spotlight on eviction

As rents soar and housing grows ever more unaffordable, the number of tenant evictions in Austin is on the rise. A panel discussion titled “Evicted in Austin: From Housed to Homeless in 21 Days,” hosted by the UT Opportunity Forum, the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law and BASTA, will examine the situation from all angles. Speakers include Jeannie Nelson, executive director of the Austin Tenants Council; Shoshana Krieger, project director of BASTA Austin; Stephen Frischmuth, steering committee member of Creek’s Edge Tenants Association; Jose Gonzalez, PATH outreach and engagement specialist with Integral Care; Raúl A. González, Justice of the Peace, Precinct 4 Travis County; and moderator Heather Way, director of the UT Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic. The event is free and lunch will be provided, but as seating is limited, an RSVP is required. The event is part of BASTA’s weeklong series, the State of the Renter. Tuesday, Sept. 24, noon-1:30 p.m., Francis Auditorium, UT School of Law.