Truly we live in a time of miracles.
[KVUE] Austin voters have approved Proposition B, which aims to reinstate the public camping ban that was reversed in July 2019. The results were 57% to 43%, with the majority voting to approve the proposition.The camping ban makes it illegal to camp in any public area not designated by the Parks and Recreation Department; to sit or lie on a public sidewalk or sleep outdoors in and near the downtown area and the area around the University of Texas campus; and to panhandle at specific hours and locations.
Both support for and opposition to the proposition was strong in the months leading up to the election, and controversy has swirled around public camping and homelessness in general in Austin since the camping ban was first reversed nearly two years ago.
As results rolled in on Saturday night, Austin Mayor Steve Adler issued a statement, saying the vote on both sides has to be seen as an expression of the popular will to end tenting:
"If it passes it will go into effect on May 11, once the election is certified.
"One thing seems pretty clear, people on both sides of this issue want to see public camping end. This election underscores that we need to accelerate and scale a solution to end camping.
"Our next step is to get people out of tents and into better, safer places with the critical services needed to keep them out of tents.
"We must pool our resources to get our unhoused residents into homes, and that will take the whole community rallying together to commit to this cause.
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