Concerns address at homelessness community meeting in south Austin

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- City and community leaders hosted a "Community Homelessness Meeting" Thursday morning at Woodlawn Baptist Church in south Austin.

Council members, Austin's Homeless Strategy Officers, and the executive director of Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center on Menchaca Road addressed the challenge of balancing public safety with providing important resources to the homeless community.

Most people who attended the meeting expressed frustrations and concerns about public safety issues related to homelessness in the Western Trails neighborhood, which is just south of Highway 290 in south Austin. Many wanted Sunrise to move its center elsewhere. It's currently across the street from Joslin Elementary School.

"I've been assaulted. One of the workers had to pick up dope paraphernalia," one woman said during public comment.

"What's happening in our area is a crisis, and you need to treat it like a crisis," said another participant.

Sunrise provides the homeless community with basic, day-to-day services like showers, food, coffee and clothes. It also provides resources related to mental health, addiction and housing. The center's executive director Mark Hilbelink said last year, the center helped get more than 800 people off the streets.

KXAN asked Hilbelink his thoughts about the concerns addressed during the meeting.

"We find that people really have a passion for wanting to bring real solutions to homelessness in our community and I think that's what all the officials here want to do and what all of the people in the audience want to do," he said.

Hilbelink did not take the podium to respond to anyone's concerns during the public comment portion. During his initial speech at the beginning, he said his team was working to expand its digital services to help lessen the amount of people coming to the center in person. He also said he would love to have centers all over town. He just needs the funding for it.

Austin's Homeless Strategy Office said the city will have an announcement in the coming weeks about new initiatives to address homelessness city-wide.

Council Members Ryan Alter, Vanessa Fuentes and Zo Qadri, as well as Lt. Fausto Rodriguez with APD also sat on the panel.