The city said the closures were a priority because the encampments had grown within floodplains, posing risks to wildlife.
AUSTIN, Texas — The city of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office has removed two encampments in the Colorado River Wildlife Sanctuary and nearby Govalle Neighborhood Park. The city said it moved 51 unhoused people who voluntarily relocated to the city’s Northbridge and Southbridge shelters.
David Gray, the city’s Homeless Strategy Officer, said the closures were a priority because the encampments had grown within floodplains, posing risks to wildlife, public access and the the people living in the encampments.
“Our mission is to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring, and we are committed to providing support to help people relocate from the streets and into shelter,” Gray said.
Austin Resource Recovery recycled 700 pounds of metal and removed nearly 184 tons of litter and debris from the wildlife sanctuary and 10.1 tons from Govalle Park, according to the city.
Officials said that the Housing-Focused Encampment Assistance Link (HEAL) Initiative has relocated 1,075 people into shelters that provide three meals a day, laundry, outdoor spaces, pet accommodations, parking, internet access and navigation services that helps unhoused people get necessary documents like IDs, medical assistance enrollment and case management for income, employment, rehabilitation and housing support.