Advocacy groups want to see the city invest more in programs that prevent homelessness and provide resources to unhoused residents as a Supreme Court ruling opens the door for criminalization.
Unhoused residents of Austin, Texas and their advocates are calling on the city to increase funding for homelessness reduction programs in the wake of a troubling Supreme Court ruling that lets cities criminalize homelessness even when shelter is not available.
“It’s going to extremely decrease the quality of life. Homelessness is already hard,” said one resident in an article by Jahmal Kennedy for CBS Austin.
“It’s actually quite devastating if you think about it. So, we have got to surge our resources towards interdicting those people who become homeless,” said Save Austin Now founder Matt Mackowiak. “A major theme presented Tuesday that organizations wanted the city to keep in mind is that people who are homeless are family members and neighbors in the community.”
FULL STORY: Groups call on city of Austin to adopt programs for unhoused community
Judge Halts Enforcement of Anti-Homeless Laws in Grants Pass
The Oregon city will be barred from enforcing two ordinances that prosecute unhoused residents until it increases capacity and accessibility at designated camping sites.
Nevada Cities Pass Punitive Anti-Homeless Laws
State legislators rejected a proposed bill that would have enshrined a “Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights” in state law.
Camping Bans Proliferate After Supreme Court Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling in the case of Grants Pass v. Johnson has led over 100 cities to pass or step up enforcement of camping bans that criminalize unhoused residents.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.
Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.
Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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