generic Letters to the editor: How to address homelessness? Readers react.
Editor's note: Citing poor management and missed grant deadlines, the city of Austin recently fired the nonprofit group that managed the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless – a downtown homeless shelter commonly referred to as the ARCH – and hired another nonprofit group to run the facility. This week we asked readers what else should the city do to help alleviate homelessness in Austin. Here are your responses:
Money for downtown parking would be better used to help homeless people
The Downtown Austin Alliance stated in its 2019 parking study that there are 71,504 parking spaces in downtown Austin. Yet we have new public and private buildings under construction downtown that are building more parking spaces.
According to Aquilla Commercial's 2020 white paper, The State of Parking in Downtown Austin, developing above-ground parking downtown costs $20,000 per space, and a below-ground space costs $35,000, resulting in an average cost of $25,000 per parking spot. That means Austin has invested about $1,787,600,000 in downtown parking.
That money, even those underutilized spaces, could be utilized to house people — not cars. The Statesman Planned Unit Development Economic Analysis completed by Economic & Planning Systems Inc. suggests we should spend $70,927,088 on 3,981 more underground parking spaces.
These are not the “community benefits” our community needs given that we have over 3,000 people experiencing homelessness on our streets.
Joe Williams, Austin
City should redo contracting process
to find a manager for homeless center
I once had a job that required that I identify, pursue and win new contracts for my employer. I knew never to consider any opportunity if it just landed in my lap without warning and required a very quick response. It’s likely “wired” for another company.
The City of Austin has selected a California-based organization, Urban Alchemy, to manage and provide services to the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless after canceling the contract with local business, Front Steps, after almost 20 years. Putting the contract out for bid without warning and giving only 24 hours to respond is contrary to good contracting practice for this service.
UA was the only bidder ; they've provided similar services in California but only since 2018. The Statesman has reported on the new contractor’s questionable record in California.
Such an expedited contracting process suggests the process and result are flawed. The city should do it over and better.
James H. Clary, Travis County
Austin shouldn't invest in addressing
homelessness created elsewhere
Austin leadership continues to enter rabbit holes in addressing homelessness. If the Austin community created that homeless individual through failure in the local school, or city or county systems, and that individual can document substantial interest and investment such as time and effort in this community, then the city can take ownership of that individual's homelessness. This community cannot and should not invest in drop-in homelessness created by other cities and counties.
Austin must lead new thinking models and not rely on what may or may not have worked elsewhere.
Felix Contreras, Austin
Houston's homeless service providers
found success in talking to each other
A June 14 New York Times article, “How Houston moved 25,000 people from the streets into homes of their own,” said that then-mayor Annise Parker knew there had been difficulties with various helpful organizations where resources might be available in one place but needed in another.
According to the article, “The White House offered an expert on homeless aid, Mandy Chapman-Semple, to help Ms. Parker herd the cats. They invited dozens of the city’s homeless-service providers to a meeting. 'We started talking to each other' is how Ms. Jessica Preheim, (the vice president for strategic planning at Houston’s Coalition for the Homeless) remembers that moment.'Sometimes it is as simple as that.'”
Discussions among these knowledgeable people in Austin might be invaluable.
One reason I love Austin is that it has set aside land to assist the natural environment and animals to survive. Don’t our fellow citizens, especially those who are working to the best of their ability, deserve their own homes?
Gaylene Tunison, Austin
Editor’s note: Some readers weighed in on other topics. Here are some of their letters.
Cruz a hypocrite on veterans' health care;
voters must look beyond the rhetoric
Sen. Ted Cruz was captured on video fist-bumping another GOP senator shortly after Republicans managed to block the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, which would allow soldiers, sailors and airmen exposed to smoldering waste in combat zones to be covered by the Veterans Affairs health care system for linked illnesses.
According to his self-touting campaign website:
“Cruz has long championed America’s veterans as he believes it is important to honor and respect their valiant service and sacrifices made to our country. Sen. Cruz has fought to ensure that meaningful reform is occurring at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and … remains dedicated to … expanding veteran’s health care choices."
Wise voters must look beyond campaign rhetoric to actual voting records and records of contributors to determine the true moral and ethical standards of candidates. Clearly, Cruz is a hypocrite regarding his dedication to veterans’ health care.
Janice Wallace, Georgetown
On health care for veterans, Cruz and Cornyn failed; remember at elections
It is the job of our congressional representatives to ensure the government keeps its promise to provide health care for veterans. It's not only their job, it's their duty.
Our Texas senators failed dismally when it came time to do the right thing.
When asked about their no vote on the PACT Act, Cruz went into lawyer-speak to spout half truths, and Cornyn flat-out lied and made up a story about Democratic shenanigans, when it was the same exact bill he (and Cruz) had voted for a month earlier.When their names next appear on the ballot, remember this and vote accordingly. Texas and the country deserve better. So do your children.
Richard Salinas, Austin
Showers and fountains around lake
are broken, presenting a health risk
Numerous showers and water fountains are broken on the Butler Hike and Bike Trail around Lady Bird Lake.
These showers and fountains are absolutely vital for runners and others in order to hydrate and cool down, especially in record-busting temperatures that Austin is experiencing.
In very hot weather, a quick cool-down under a shower can literally be life-saving. Will someone have to die from heat-stroke or dehydration on the path before the city takes action?
The shower under MoPac doesn’t even have a handle. One of the water fountains set into a stone housing is completing missing.
It’s sad that a city that prides itself on cutting-edge technology can’t even fix its water fountains.
Steven Saylor, Austin
After years of GOP rule, it is time
to blame ourselves and to change
After 20 years of Republican rule in Texas it is clear. If you want a change, it’s not going to happen unless you do something different.
After 20 years our electricity grid is failing even though we're home to the "Energy Capitol of the World." Electricity, home insurance, property taxes, home prices, college tuition are all through the roof.
Texas has been transformed from the Friendship state to the “We hate gays, Muslims, Mexicans, teachers and police" state. Our streets have been flooded with guns, leaving our schools, churches, concerts, military bases and shopping malls open to assault. Texas' K-12 schools rank 44th in spending and 39th in funding. Our teachers and staff are constantly under attack. Our police are literally faced with military assault weapons.
But it’s time to stop blaming our elected officials and start blaming ourselves. Do something different in November. Or stop complaining.
John Cobarruvias, Houston
Division has been the fertile ground
from which tyrants have flourished
Much is now being written on the subject of reversing the polarization of the American electorate.
It appears that one way to accomplish this is to persuade the average voter that their interest and very identity is not well-served by strict adherence to a flawed ideology. Yet that is the very problem with any ideology. We have parsed life in America into "winners" and "losers." We have begun to migrate toward a society perpetually and intentionally divided along sometimes imaginary fault lines for the purpose of dividing us.
Division is not the same as disagreement. Division requires hatred. Disagreement requires respect. Tyranny needs division in order to breathe and grow and destroy. It has become our new path. Division cannot by itself create tyranny but it is the fertile ground from which all tyrants have arisen, like poisonous seeds awaiting polluted water in order to germinate.
Phil Scott, Austin
Want to assign blame for the failures
in Uvalde? Start with the politicians.
Many are hard into the process of assigning blame for the lack of action of law enforcement during the Uvalde school shooting. Let’s not be so quick to judge others for a situation we ourselves have never faced.
If we really want to blame someone, let's start looking at the politicians that keep blocking gun laws that make sense. Look at the people who put them into office. Look at the gun makers who make million in selling these weapons to the public. Look at the school system that failed to see a young man with serious mental health problems. Look at our society that failed to give parents the knowledge and help needed to see their son was struggling.
The list can go on and on. But finally, look at what you can do to make changes and then act. It is not enough just to blame law enforcement.
Rick Covington, Cedar Park
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin American-Statesman Letters to the Editor: August 7, 2022
