FMTT's
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tuesday morning, a collaborative effort between the City of Austin, the Austin Police Department, as well as community groups and businesses will test a new strategy for supporting the homeless population downtown.
They will test out these efforts during a month-long trial period while gathering data.
On Tuesday, service providers will add staff downtown to work with the homeless, said Ann Howard, the executive director of ECHO. The free meal services provided at Austin’s Resource Center for the Homeless on 7th and Neches will change as well. Caritas of Austin will provide free meals there while adding a requirement that only people who are staying at a shelter or enrolled in ARCH services will be able to receive them.
And the real kicker:
They will also be installing six port-a-potties in the area around the ARCH. That area did not previously have any public, outdoor restrooms.
“It’s a great idea — should have been here a long time ago because the feces out here is ridiculous and they don’t even clean it up,” said Adrian Westmoreland, who has been homeless along with his 11-year-old son since December.
