AUSTIN | Misc. Discussions - No Politics

[JAM]

Almost lost one our first towers the other night

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAgtCdkueYA (youtube embedded not working, try this link)


• Video Link

[GoldenBoot]

^^^Please vote to reinstate the camping ban. And should ANY council member try to circumvent it - recall them. Please. This is getting way out of hand!

[Riverranchdrone]

I think these fires were started by none homeless people to push for this crazy homeless ban. It just seems too fishy that all these happened with in 24 hours of each other. The homeless ban does not fix the problem but just hides the problem. It pushes the homeless in the woods and if these fires start there, it will be hundreds of times worse then some tower designed to be set on fire burning. We need to work on solving the homeless problem and not just try to hide it under the rug. I will vote no on a homeless ban that has failed in other cities as well as here before.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

^^^Please vote to reinstate the camping ban. And should ANY council member try to circumvent it - recall them. Please. This is getting way out of hand!

Way to completely ignore the NO POLITICS!

[kingkirbythe....]

Originally Posted by Riverranchdrone

I think these fires were started by none homeless people to push for this crazy homeless ban. It just seems too fishy that all these happened with in 24 hours of each other. The homeless ban does not fix the problem but just hides the problem. It pushes the homeless in the woods and if these fires start there, it will be hundreds of times worse then some tower designed to be set on fire burning. We need to work on solving the homeless problem and not just try to hide it under the rug. I will vote no on a homeless ban that has failed in other cities as well as here before.

Seconded.

Camping ban are not the answer. Society needs to get off its collective ass and do something. Hiding the problem doesn’t make it go away. Looking at it every day is the first step and actually doing something.

[KevinFromTexas]

The thing I worry about with the fires is if we banish homeless people back to the woods the fires might be inaccessible to the fire department without doing water drops, and they might be pretty large before anyone knows they've begun. All it would take is one down on the greenbelt in a ravine or gorge and then it climbs up into a neighborhood. And that's without considering the moral issue of people having no option but to live on the street.

That fire does seem suspicious. It wasn't cold that night, and why now? I'm hoping fire investigators don't drop the ball on looking into this because it does seem fishy.

[JAM]

Originally Posted by GoldenBoot

^^^Please vote to reinstate the camping ban. And should ANY council member try to circumvent it - recall them. Please. This is getting way out of hand!

These guys at city council probably just want another huge budget line item for the homeless so they can add to their resume. I don't see them inviting the homeless into their neighborhoods - when I see that I will believe they care. From what I understand, they've already blown a fair amount of money.

Letting them sleep in tents on pavement isn't real kind either. I'm guessing some who were not already on some drug and getting drugs pushed on them. being downtown is conducive to that - then they are on the path of never recovering from their situation. why are we enabling that????

Not sure why they dont buy a track of land somewhere and build tiny houses - lots of them.

[We vs us]

Looks like Council (and others) are trying to get ahead of the May ballot measure.

https://www.kvue.com/article/news/lo...3-02eb7cfae5d6

New strategy to combat Austin’s homelessness expected to be unveiled next week

DALLAS — The City of Austin is expected to unveil a new comprehensive strategy next week to combat homelessness after non-profit organizations, business leaders, service providers, and social advocates met in a so-called "homeless summit."

“I think they’re going to propose a system-wide plan that not only has us investing what’s necessary for permanent supportive housing long-term, but also doing what’s necessary to get people housing and off the streets and out of tents that people are seeing right now,” said Mayor Steve Adler on Sunday’s Inside Texas Politics.

Mayor Adler has said in the past that he expects a very close vote.

But it is uncertain how Proposition B, if passed, would conflict with implementation of the summit’s recommendations.

“I think our action remains the same regardless of the vote. I will tell you that if the proposition passes, I think it’s going to be more difficult for us to be able to get the job done. But regardless, we have a job to do in the community and we’re going to do it,” the mayor told the television program.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by JAM

Not sure why they dont buy a track of land somewhere and build tiny houses - lots of them.

Because doing that is more expensive than just buying hotels (which is what they’ve been doing).

And is usually far from transit and social services.

[Riverranchdrone]

They got tiny houses in a few places but the prices are still sky high crazy. We need free healthcare, free and easy mental healthcare and really affordable housing or free housing near transportation. Some homeless will be able to recover fast. Others will take much more time to save and heal. Some dont want to be helped and saved. Last year I did try and take one in to help and try to get them on their feet. It did not turn out well for either party. But I am happy to say I did try and help.

[StoOgE]

NO POLITICS.

Unless its about reinstating the camping ban, then have at it.

[JAM]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Because doing that is more expensive than just buying hotels (which is what they’ve been doing).

And is usually far from transit and social services.

Last hotel cost 115,000 per room. Doesn't sound less expensive.....

[lonewolf]

not going to insert my opinion on the camping ordinance.

However I will say my favorite story in relation to it!

The group "Save Austin Now" wanted to put the reinstatement of the camping ban on the last ballot. In order to do so they needed to collect 20k signatures. They turned in 24,200. After a random sampling of 6,000 ballots the clerks office determined that 4,900 of the total signatures were inauthentic. Thus nullifying their efforts.

And I would guess that > 90% of Austinites have zero clue that this happened.


Isn't that funny?

[zrx299]

Whatever the solution is, it needs to involve the actual individual being engaged in their recovery efforts. I'm all for helping someone who genuinely wants to get back on their feet. There's a huge % of the population that are just a string of bad luck events away from being in the exact same situation.

The others who just want a carefree life of zero responsibilities and the equivalent of a tax-free minimum wage job panhandling the highway intersections & offramps can move along. Parallel to this are other cities who take advantage of southern cities like Austin by giving their transients a free one-way bus ticket.

We as a city *cannot* solve all of the regions problems, nor should we have to bear that responsibility. Grown able-bodied, able-minded adults should not need babysitters.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by JAM

Last hotel cost 115,000 per room. Doesn't sound less expensive.....

Community First Village (which is exactly what you describe, a bunch of tiny houses) cost $18M and has room for ~200 people. Or $90k /person.

The hotel was $115k per _room_. Given a non-zero number of couples or families, it's cheaper.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by zrx299

The others who just want a carefree life of zero responsibilities and the equivalent of a tax-free minimum wage job panhandling the highway intersections & offramps can move along. Parallel to this are other cities who take advantage of southern cities like Austin by giving their transients a free one-way bus ticket.

We as a city *cannot* solve all of the regions problems, nor should we have to bear that responsibility. Grown able-bodied, able-minded adults should not need babysitters.

So for that subset of the population, what's the solution?

Arrest them and throw them in jail ($)
Then haul them up before a judge ($)
Throw them in prison ($)
Then let them out in 30 days, and a day later, repeat the entire process over again.

[lonewolf]

having firsthand experience with community first i can say it is an incredible project and people from all over the world fly in to learn how they can emulate it.

[zrx299]

Originally Posted by Novacek

So for that subset of the population, what's the solution?

Arrest them and throw them in jail ($)
Then haul them up before a judge ($)
Throw them in prison ($)
Then let them out in 30 days, and a day later, repeat the entire process over again.

If you are able-bodied/minded and you refuse help, then you get what's coming to you. The current situation has gone on long enough.

You can spend money on dual solutions at the same time: 1) helping the people who want help, and 2) stemming the flow of the "others" who just drifted here to take advantage of the current environment. The second piece is equally as important as the first, otherwise you're throwing endless money away by creating a never-ending problem with the message of "hey just go to Austin, they'll take care of all your needs and you dont have to do a thing!"

One just has to look at our southern border for a larger version of that playing out right now. No deterrent = Services get overwhelmed and things quickly spiral out of control.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by zrx299

If you are able-bodied/minded and you refuse help, then you get what's coming to you. The current situation has gone on long enough.

You can spend money on dual solutions at the same time: 1) helping the people who want help, and 2) stemming the flow of the "others" who just drifted here to take advantage of the current environment. The second piece is equally as important as the first, otherwise you're throwing endless money away by creating a never-ending problem with the message of "hey just go to Austin, they'll take care of all your needs and you dont have to do a thing!"

One just has to look at our southern border for a larger version of that playing out right now. No deterrent = Services get overwhelmed and things quickly spiral out of control.

To repeat, what is “what’s coming to you”?

What is “stemming the flow”?

[paul78701]

Originally Posted by zrx299

The others who just want a carefree life of zero responsibilities and the equivalent of a tax-free minimum wage job panhandling the highway intersections & offramps can move along.

You're making it sound as if there are people who want to be homeless. Nobody wants to be homeless.

Originally Posted by zrx299

Parallel to this are other cities who take advantage of southern cities like Austin by giving their transients a free one-way bus ticket.

I've heard this claim repeated ad nauseam. It's become one of those things that people hear and then repeat without giving any thought as to whether or not there is any evidence to back it up. If it's not already obvious, I question whether or not there is any evidence to back up this claim.