Governor Demands Austin Toughen Rules On Homeless

AUSTIN, TX — For the second time in a week, the governor sent the Austin mayor a letter demanding reinstatement of stricter rules as it relates to behavior of homeless people after the city council relaxed policies in an effort to decriminalize the population segment, according to published reports.

According to the Austin-American Statesman, Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday renewed his demands that Austin reverse its currently relaxed rules as it relates to homeless people — allowing them to sit or lie on sidewalks so long as they aren't obstructing pedestrians and letting people set up camp except in certain areas such as parks.

"The consequences of repealing the ban are manifested daily on the streets of Austin: human feces, hypodermic needles, mounds of garbage, and people living in unsanitary conditions that could lead to an outbreak of communicable diseases,” Abbott wrote, according to the newspaper.

Abbott invoked scenarios in California, where he said typhus and Hepatitis A have resurfaced as a public threat he attributed to the homeless. In a previous letter to Mayor Steve Adler, Abbott issued a deadline of Nov. 1 for the city to reverse its current policy dealing with the homeless.

“After my prior letter, you publicly assured Austin Police Chief Manley that if the police needed anything, ‘just tell us what it is and we will do what we can to facilitate,’” Abbott reminded the mayor, according to the report.

Related stories:

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• Abbott Vows State Intervention To Upend Austin Homeless Rules
• Austin Mayor, Governor Clash On Homeless Issue
• Austin Police Chief Details Homeless Crackdown
• Abbott Takes Aim At Austin Again, This Time On Homeless Front
• WilCo Sheriff's Donation To Homeless Couple Rebuffed

>>> Read the full story at Austin-American Statesman