Austin News

Residents of Austin have voted in favor of Proposition B, which bans public encampments.

Following intense and passionate pushes of support and opposition from city leaders and civic groups; voters supported the proposition by a margin of 57% to 43%, according to a press report.

Mayor Steve Adler stated that he remains committed to providing shelter for the homeless.

"Austin has a real opportunity to lead nationally on homelessness if we band together," Adler tweeted, "I will continue to work with my colleagues and our Summit partners to house 3,000 people in the next three years and accelerate moving people out of encampments and into better, safer places."

Adler was a vocal opponent of Prop B, stating that investing in housing options for "unhoused people" is the next step in ending homelessness.

"My big takeaway from the election ... I think you're looking at the election and the results and people on both sides is that everybody in this city wants tents gone and the people in better, safer places," Adler told KVUE in an interview the Monday after the election. "I think that no one can countenance the tents and we shouldn't ever do that. It was never something that was acceptable – still is not. But it's clear that we have to accelerate and scale our efforts to close down the tenting and to get those folks in better, safer places."

Austin City Councilmember Greg Casar shared this sentiment, saying that that Prop B was not a solution to the city's homelessness issue.

"As results roll in, I expect the results for Prop B will get closer," Casar said on Election Day. "But I do not believe Austin is as divided as this election makes it seem. The overwhelming majority of Austinites share a common goal, no matter how folks voted on Prop B. We all want to get people out of tents and into homes. Our community must come together after this election and house 3,000 more people because we can only solve homelessness with homes, not handcuffs."

The Austin City Council will certify the results of the votes on May 11 and the city manager will be in charge of presenting an implementation plan to councilmembers and the public, as well as enforcing the new legislation.

The Texas House of Representatives also passed similar legislation prohibiting public camping in the state, approving the bill by a vote of 88 to 56. The legislation would charge Individuals who intentionally camp in a public location with a Class C offense while municipalities would be fined if they did not enforce the law.