Austin clears homeless camp after months of complaints; some headed to shelter, others into the woods

Yahoo

21-03-2025

AUSTIN (KXAN)— In just two days a homeless camp in Southeast Austin was cleaned up after months of complaints from the community.
KXAN stopped by multiple times since January only to find more people and more trash piling up on the site.
Neighbors living by complained about drug use, open fires and trash building up, so KXAN took those concerns to the City.
'We do recognize that this specific property is posing some challenges to the community,' said David Gray, the City of Austin Homeless Strategy Officer, when KXAN spoke to him before the camp was cleaned.
Gray said this property is private so they had to go through a number of steps before they could go onto the property to clean.
'We have now gotten to the point in the process where the city is just taking the action,' said Gray. 'We are going to be putting a lien on the property. That way the city and our taxpayers can get their money back.'
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On Thursday, Gray stopped by as crews cleaned up the property, he said about 25 people accepted help and resources and are now in shelters.
'Of the 25 people who came into shelter a lot of those users, or had been using expressed interest in substance abuse treatment and that is a resource we make available at all of our city shelters,' said Gray.
Not everyone accepted the invite to go into shelters though, KXAN spoke with some people at the camp to find out why.
KXAN asked, 'Would you go into shelter?'
'Nah, just because it's a bunch of homeless people gathered together, in the same place,' said Jack, who's lived on the streets of Austin on and off over the years.
Jack said he was one of the first people in the Bluff Springs camp, but over time more people started moving in who were using and selling drugs. He said he was about to move out when the clean-up crews came in.
'I have had enough of this place, why would I want to go to another place,' said Jack.
KXAN asked Gray about what happens to the people who refuse shelter or resources.
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'For a lot of these people what we will try to do is offer them one more shot at a service,' said Gray. 'We know for some people it takes seeing the actual action for them to change their mind and be willing to come into shelter.'
Gray said some people would take their stuff and move to other areas, KXAN asked Jack where he was heading next.
'I found a place in the woods with a guy I know, he's still got some stuff there and to get away from this,' said Jack.
KXAN asked Jack about conditions in the Bluff Springs camp, he said drugs and theft were a constant.
'Did you see anyone overdose in this camp?' asked KXAN.
'Many times, people overdosed all the time,' said Jack.
Jack said drugs are causing major issues for the homeless community, especially Fentanyl.
'With the Fetty, the new Fentanyl drug there is less respect, less everything, 'cause they are just trying to get their addiction,' said Jack.
Jack said the drug use in the camp led to people stealing his phone on a number of occasions.
'You learn real quick that the homeless feed on the homeless too, they steal from each other and that is very sad, but it happens,' said Jack.
Gray said the city is working to add more bed space at shelters and last year they were able to transition about 1000 people from shelters into permanent housing.
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