Austin residents frustrated by homeless encampments near Waller Creek Trail

AUSTIN, Texas - Austinites are frustrated after several homeless encampment tents have popped up along a public trail near downtown.

"In my opinion, it is the most beautiful area in downtown Austin, and it'll be beautiful again someday, but right now, unfortunately, it is a huge eyesore," said an Austin resident. 

For this Austinite, who chose to remain anonymous, Waller Creek Park used to be the best spot in the city.

"There are a lot of people walking through here. I mean, this is a major tourist area through here, the Four Seasons Hotel is right behind me, the Hotel Van Zandt is right in front. It's a beautiful area," said the Austinite.

However, he says the park is not as beautiful anymore.

"It is just absolutely trashed. Trashed!" he said.

Homeless encampments have claimed parts of Waller Creek Park as home even during the current homeless camping ban that was voted in place last May.

"The most frustrating thing is that the city has done nothing," he said.

A City of Austin Spokesperson has spoken to FOX 7 about this before, claiming camping in parkland has increased over the past few months and has been illegal even before the camping ban was reinstated. With shelters at capacity and nowhere for homeless individuals to go as of right now, making the decision to clear an encampment is done if it meets a handful of factors.

"There are multiple factors to be considered including the ranking on the prioritization scale, major sanitation concerns, obvious illegal, violent, or lewd behavior, resources available to assist with the clean-up and what impacts of the clean-up will be to other area natural lands with displacement."

Public camping is a misdemeanor in Austin. The city says APD are the ones who enforce that law. 

"Public camping in Austin is a misdemeanor offense and APD officers are enforcing the law in a variety of ways: while on patrol, supporting targeted encampment clearance operations in coordination with other departments, and maintaining areas in their districts which have been subject to previous enforcement."

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