Treating Homelessness as a Human Crisis, not a Law Enforcement Problem

Neha believes homelessness is driven by a combination of housing costs, domestic violence, job loss, lack of mental health supports . The current “solution”of clearing encampments without addressing those root causes is cruel and clearly ineffective for the policy’s desired outcome. Austin is not alone in having our residents experience this urban humanitarian crisis, and we must push for long-term humanitarian solutions.

  • Accountability for every encampment sweep (that costs the city $150,000 ). Requiring the city to publish its encampment dashboard by end of 2026, tracking sweep locations, costs, shelter availability at time of sweep, and 90-day housing outcomes is crucial. The written record of every sweep will also show how many people were present, how many were offered shelter, and how many accepted.

  • Fix the encampment sweep notice loophole - The current policy requires 72 hours notice before a sweep, but that requirement disappears once a site is labeled "keep clear." People who return to a cleared site because shelters are full can lose everything with zero warning. A fix would be to update the 72-hour notice before every single sweep regardless of a site's designation, and also mandate that personal belongings be stored for at least 30 days before disposal

  • Stop funding repeat sweeps - Study how we might redirect the dollars spent clearing the same locations over and over into permanent supportive housing units that end the cycle of homelessness.

  • Bring services to District 3 - Austin's only full-service homeless navigation center is on Menchaca Road in South Austin. An unhoused person in Montopolis or along Pleasant Valley Road has to take multiple buses across the city to apply for housing, replace a lost ID, enroll in benefits, or see a social worker. Missing that appointment because of a bus connection can mean losing a housing placement entirely. Neha will push for mobile outreach teams assigned specifically to District 3's highest-need corridors, and aim to expand housing navigator and social worker hours at Terrazas Branch Library and other existing District 3 community facilities.