AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[StoOgE]

I actually attended a number of panels on homelessness/housing during the Tribune fest.

Austin has a massive homeless issue because we didn't get a handle on displacement as gentrification began to happen. As housing prices and rental rates have risen the number of people experiencing homelessness or instability in their living condition is accelerating rapidly.

Lack of services for mental health, job placement, drug addiction and physical health exacerbate these problems. Most people talk about homelessness they mean the tiny fraction of visible homeless living in encampments. The rise in those numbers are threefold

1) Opioid epedemic is very real.
2) Increase cost of living has created a trickle down problem..
3) Rejuvenation of urban parks and breaking up encampments that are less accessible to police have made the homeless population more visible. As developers invest money in areas that used to be less than nice undeveloped private property is no longer useable for homeless populations.

In Houston for instance the homeless population is down 60% but visibility is up because Houston fixed up urban parks and bayous and displaced encampments to more visible areas.

Julian Castro also pointed out an interesting issue he encountered in HUD which is suburban cities often take zero action on homelessness or affordable housing and assume the large city they orbit will do so.

He also mentioned something that shouldn't be surprising. Even the most liberal voters turn into NIMBYs when it comes to centers to help the homeless.

It's a mullti-faceted issue and caused by lots of causes with complex multi-headed solutions but punitive removal and incarceration increases homelessness. Austin is following the formula that we can show empirical evidence for working.

Also, the idea that NYC doesn't have homeless encampments is silly. Maybe not in Time Square but they absolutely exist.