Homeless people dropped off downtown after staying in warming shelters
AUSTIN, Texas - City of Austin leaders say 300 homeless people were bused to Republic Square Park after staying at overnight shelters these last few days.
Republic Square park was extra busy Wednesday morning as hundreds of homeless people were dropped off after staying at one of the city’s seven overnight cold weather shelters.
Mayor Kirk Watson said the number of people needing a warm place has grown to more than 600 people during this winter storm.
"We have people coming to Republic Square Park. They'll be connected with city staff, Capmetro staff, and other community partners to get food resources and then help get them back to the areas in the city where they need to get to," said David Gray, Homeless Strategy Officer for the City of Austin
Gray was there to oversee the process and said 300 people were dropped off.
"The majority of people are people who are experiencing homelessness, but I can't say that all 300 are actually homeless," he said.
MORE STORIES
- Austin homeless strategy could get 'comprehensive review' from city council
- Austin's newly renovated shelter opens, hopes to fill beds by Christmas
Gray says those staying at the overnight shelters had to be bused out because the shelters were temporary. Many of the places used as cold weather shelters were rec centers with other obligations.
He says the reason Republic Square Park was chosen as the drop off point is because it is a central location for people to then go anywhere in Austin using public transportation.
When asked if he had any worries about the many people left in the middle of downtown, Gray said this: "We don't have that concern. Part of the reason why we have our partners from Capmetro and my staff here is to ensure that people aren't just coming to Republic Square Park and congregating here."
Currently, there is only one shelter bed for every five homeless people in the city. Mayor of Austin Kirk Watson says the amount of people who utilized the city’s emergency cold weather shelters was record breaking, and speaks to the fact that more needs to be done in terms of housing the homeless.
"The fire has been there for a while and that's why you've seen us do a number of things. For example, we opened the Marshaling Yard this year. We also opened the Eighth Street Shelter," he said.
The city kept shelters open through Wednesday night, but the next morning, 30 to 40 people are expected to be on each shuttle to Republic Square Park between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Neighbors said the park was fenced off and is not open. They also say this isn't a good idea.
"It sounds like a lot of things, initiatives are being done for the homeless, but the homeless, the people that manage and supporting this, aren't actually talking to them about what's best for them," said Nina Seely, with the Downtown Austin Neighborhood Association.
FOX 7 Austin sources said the city decided on the park because it is a central location, and CapMetro has limited the capacity to transport those who sought shelter back to the parts of Austin they live in.
CapMetro will be waiving fees for shelter guests on Thursday, and organizations are supposed to be there to help direct people.
Neighbors said Wooldridge Park near the public library and county courthouse would have been a better idea and would not have disrupted the neighborhood near this park.