AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk will release his proposed budget for next year to City Council next Monday. More city leaders are beginning to support city taxpayers taking on a larger role to pay for apartments for Austin’s many homeless people.
In an interview with KXAN News, Mayor Steve Adler said he supported finding more resources to help pay for rent, deposits, and a “risk fund” to help with damages; similar to what he supported in a citywide effort to house homeless Veterans.
Monday, Cronk will give Austin a better picture of how many local resources will be used to combat homelessness after city council took the controversial step to decriminalize much of homelessness: panhandling, camping, and sitting in many public areas.
“There are landlords willing to bring in a lot of folks to apartment complexes if we can put somebody on-site to help with support services,” said Mayor Adler.