Homeless encampments closed, population relocated over safety concerns
[ad_1]
AUSTIN (KXAN)—Two Austin homeless encampments are now closed due to safety and flooding concerns. The City of Austin said 51 unhoused people voluntarily relocated from the Colorado River Wildlife Sanctuary and the Govalle Neighborhood Park to the Northbridge and Southbridge shelters.
According to a release from the City of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office (HSO), the sanctuary was an area of concern because the growing encampment interfered with wildlife. Additionally, the sanctuary sits along a flood-prone riverbank in East Austin, endangering the people who lived in the encampment.
The city renovated the Govalle Neighborhood Park in 2022, adding a new playground and places for outdoor sports. The park is also the starting point of the Southern Walnut Creek Trail.
To make sure families can safely access the new features, the HSO gave encampment residents entry to bridge shelters.
“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 the shelter,” said Homeless Strategy Officer David Gray in the release.
After relocating people from the encampments, Austin Resource Recovery staff collected about 200 tons of litter and debris from the sanctuary and park.
[ad_2]
Source link
