A move by Austin City Council creates a potential road block for a proposed RV park for Austin’s homeless.
The day after tempers flared at a public meeting about a park that would house 150 chronically homeless people near an East Austin neighborhood, Austin City Councilmember Mike Martinez asked city council to hold off on lease negotiations and site preparations for a year.
“We had an explosion an emotional explosion, “said Richard Troxell with House the Homeless.
It was an explosion that may end plans for a homeless RV park in East Austin “I will be officially asking my colleagues to suspend any work on the Mobile Loaves and Fishes RV project, “said Austin City Council member, Mike Martinez.
The City was in the process of leasing the 11 acres of land off Harold Court. Mobile Loaves and Fishes was set to build and run the RV- Park 150 chronically homeless people would have called home.
Many concerned neighbors expressed relief at the motion. “Right now we have a year of safety for the children in our community and the homeowners and our property, “neighborhood resident Colleen Smith said. “I’m really happy about that.” Many neighbors felt they were left out of the decision-making process and had concerns about security and who would live at the park.
Martinez said, while he’s not giving up, finding a new site will not be any easier. “You’re talking about lifting up folks that in large part, society is not ready to accept as part of the mainstream, “Martinez said. “Everybody wants you to do something about the homeless but nobody wants you to do it in their community.”
By: Reagan Hackleman