VIEW MAP: 45 City of Austin Homeless Campsites

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The City of Austin has identified 45 city-owned areas that could potentially become designated camps for homeless people.

The move comes after the reinstatement of the Austin-wide camping ban, which came into effect on May 11 after voters approved Proposal B in the May 1 election.

The city stressed that this list is preliminary and is only a “snapshot” of the sites for which it carried out a first analysis. “The list will most definitely change,” a City of Austin spokesperson wrote, including some deleted and others added.

here is the initial list spots considered:

1. Walter E. Long 11455 Decker Lake Road
2. John Trevino 9501 FM 969
3. Walnut Creek Sports Park – 7800 Johnny Morris Road
4. Given Recreation Center – 3811 East 12th Street
5. Fleet Service Park – 8401 Johnny Morris Road
6. Land of the colony park
7. 3511, chemin du Manoir
8. Tannehill Way
9. Onion Creek North Metro
10. 7720 ½ Kellam Road
11. 5400 East William Cannon, disused sewage treatment plant
12. FM 812 to FM 973
13. Eco-Parc on FM 973
14. West Slaughter Lane and 8908-8916-9006 Cullen Road
15. Parque Zaragoza Leisure Center – 2609 Gonzales Street
16. South Austin Recreation Center – 1100 Cumberland Road
17. Roy G. Guerrero – 400 Grove Boulevard
18. 6700 Bolm Road District Park
19. Johnny Degollado Pavilion at Edward Rendon Park
20. 4800 – 4906 Bolm Road
21. Loop of Levande
22. 1311 Tillery Street
23. Gus Garcia – 1201 East Rundberg Lane
24. 7211 North I-35
25. 7309 North I-35
26. Mary Moore Searight – 907 West Slaughter Lane
27. Lakeline Neighborhood Park
28. 12101 Anderson Mill Road
29. 10900 FM 2222 (WWT)
30. Ford Commons Park – 614 North Commons Ford Road
31. Walnut Creek / Havens
32. Northwest Recreation Center
33. Sir Swane Palm Neighborhood Park – East Third Street
34. Duncan Park – 900 Ninth Street West
35. Sandy Beach Park on West Cesar Chavez Street
36. Patterson Park – 4200 Brookview Road
37. Bull Creek Park – Lakewood Drive
38. Ryan Drive Warehouse
39. Circle C
40. Dick Nichols – 8011 Beckett Road
41. 11800 FM 1826
42. 9513 Circle Drive
43. 4905, chemin Convict Hill
44. Norwood sector
45. Austin Recreation Center

City staff reviewed more than 70 city properties for consideration for camps. A spokesperson for the city of Austin said they will continue to analyze them and provide city council with an update in June.

“The sites identified in today’s presentation to mayor and council are preliminary locations. The lists we have provided are only an overview of the sites where we conducted the initial analysis requested by the Council. These sites are not final and the list will most likely change. Some locations may disappear and others may be added, as part of an ongoing review of potential locations. Staff will continue to analyze properties and will endeavor to provide Council with an update in June. “

City of Austin spokesperson

City manager Spencer Cronk was asked to share the list held by the city or partner organizations on Friday, but city staff said those sites would be discussed instead on Tuesday.

Given their first look at the city’s roster so far, council members had mixed reactions at Tuesday’s meeting.

“I’m not confident at the moment who is on this list, but hopefully we can get together,” said Paige Ellis, board member.

Ellis and others are concerned about the risk of wildfires and flooding in some places. They are also concerned about placing the homeless in busy parks.

City manager Spencer Cronk said he would work with council members to research other potential properties.

“We will be following each of you individually to look at other potential sites in your district,” he told council. “They might not be city owned properties, but you might have a relationship with a private landowner. “

Cronk said the city will also consider partnering with entities interested in helping or even looking to other jurisdictions for potential sites.

City leaders have not decided how many different sites they could choose to use as encampments. City staff members say each two-acre plot could house about 50 people and a four-acre plot, 100.

Lt. Lawrence Davis of the Austin Police Department, who is overseeing the implementation of the camping ban, says designating camps will help facilitate personal safety and provide ongoing resources.

“It’s going to make him exponentially more careful and responsible when we have a place to go,” Davis said. “So when I tell you, “Hey, you have to leave this place” I wanna be human enough to tell you “Here is a safe space where you can go.“

The city of Austin said any location chosen would have electricity and water service, washrooms, hygiene stations, showers, adequate lighting and perimeter fencing where applicable. It indicates that the first round of site scans was performed using the following criteria:

• Minimum size: 2 acres to serve 50 people, or 4 acres per 100 people
• Access to water and electricity service (and / or establishment cost, if known)
• Existing lighting
• Suitability for the terrain
• Risk of flooding
• Forest fire risk
• Proximity to a fire hydrant
• Environmental sensitivity of land (i.e. habitat or reserve)
• Expansion capacity
• Availability for two-year temporary use
• Presence of shaded areas
• Access to public transport
• Proximity to essential shops and services
• Proximity to schools
• Potential disruption of existing public services or development plans