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U.S. NEWS Saturday 9 November 2019
Texas governor opens homeless campsite amid feud with Austin

By PAUL J. WEBER and CLA-
RICE SILBER
Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Tex-
as' Republican governor
said Thursday he is creating
a homeless campsite on
state land in the capital of
Austin, escalating a battle
with the city's liberal lead-
ers over people living on
the streets.
Greg Abbott's announce-
ment was met with a mix
of muted welcoming and
accusations of political
posturing from Democrats
who run the state capital
around the Texas Gover-
nor's Mansion, where Ab-
bott has spent months lash-
ing out at the city's home-
lessness problem on Twitter.
The plans to convert 5
acres of state land on the
outskirts of downtown into
a campsite also drew the
attention of national ad-
vocates for homeless, who
couldn't recall another
state ever making such a In this Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019 file photo, from left, Terry Flakes, Kim Smith, and Tracy Botlinger have lunch at their camp in south
move. Austin, Texas.
"Outside of the national Associated Press
disaster context, I'm not the dangers of the city's a Democrat whose Austin but saw no long-term solu- like to me," Rodriguez said.
aware of any state setting new policy, some of which district includes the new tion. "There's no love lost be-
up an encampment like were old and criticized as homeless campsite, said he "I know politics when I see tween the governor and
this," said Eric Tars, legal di- misleading. One video Ab- welcomed the state's help it, and that's what it seems the city of Austin."q
rector for the National Law bott tweeted featured a
Center on Homelessness & man whose attorney later
Poverty in Washington. said wasn't homeless and
Like other fast-growing cit- suffered from mental illness.
ies in the U.S., Austin has Abbott spokesman John
struggled with homeless- Wittman said the campsite
ness as housing costs sky- in on the city's east side will
rocket. On Wednesday, have portable restrooms
Las Vegas made sleeping and hand-washing stations.
on downtown streets illegal He said it will also provide
over protests about a "war access to homeless case
on the poor." workers and healthcare
President Donald Trump providers until a new per-
began a trip to California manent sheltering opens.
in September saying he "Our goal is to make Austin
would do something about safer while also providing
homelessness but offered better alternatives to the
no specifics. He said cities homeless," Abbott tweeted
like Los Angeles and San Monday, when he directed
Francisco can't "destroy crews to begin clearing out
themselves by allowing homeless encampments
what's happening." under Austin bridges and
But in Texas, Abbott has overpasses.
turned his attacks on his Austin's homeless popula-
own backyard. The home- tion is more than 2,200, a
less in Austin grew more number that has ticked up
visible after Mayor Steve slightly over the past two
Adler and city leaders de- years. Austin Mayor Steve
criminalized camping in Adler said the state's tem-
public places, which Ab- porary camping area "can
bott slammed as reckless be constructive" but em-
and a threat to public safe- phasized that the focus
ty downtown. would remain permanent
He shared videos on Twit- housing.
ter that he said captured State Rep. Eddie Rodriguez,