PHOTO/GUS BOVA, TEXAS OBSERVER
Editor’s note: Karel Riley interviewed David Johnson, organizer for Grassroots Leadership’s Homes Not Handcuffs local campaign in Austin, Texas, which is part of a national campaign, the goals of which are to stop criminalizing homelessness and poverty. In November, the state of Texas began clearing out homeless people living under the highways.
AUSTIN, TX — “How is it okay to criminally penalize anybody for not having permanent housing when the number of beds available is fewer than the number of individuals in need of beds?” asked David Johnson. “Criminalizing homelessness has not reduced the numbers of individuals without access to permanent housing. Having anti-homeless and anti-poverty ordinances does not increase the number of beds. It does not free up dollars for resources. People should not be subject to criminal prosecution or persecution simply because they are existing in the only way that is available to the homeless.”
Homes Not Handcuffs was successful in getting the city of Austin to liberalize ordinances against sitting, lying, camping, and panhandling. “We achieved that slight victory. A true victory is where there is no ordinance whatsoever making it illegal to camp anywhere, to sit or to lie anywhere or to solicit anywhere,” said Johnson.
After the victory, suddenly more homeless were visible on the streets, but the number of homeless did not increase. “The individuals without permanent housing have simply been liberated. It’s a good thing when people who are vulnerable don’t have to hide anymore,” said Johnson
But, then, a fear-mongering campaign began by powerful interests like the Downtown Austin Alliance. They said people wouldn’t visit Austin, a major tourist destination, but that isn’t true. Or they say that people are being assaulted. If it is true, it’s not a result of these ordinances being amended. “Governor Abbott had no comment to make about the homeless population until his deep-pocketed money funders started ringing his phone,” said Johnson. The homeless were unsightly to the people who fund his campaigns. The governor threatened to “clean up” the city unless the City Council modified the ordinances, which they did under pressure. “The governor, if he really wanted to help, could make a plea towards any of these big tech companies: Dell, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Oracle, AMD, they are all here.” He could set up a program similar to the one in San Antonio that improved the conditions for the homeless. But he did none of that. “The cowardly fearmongering exhibited from Governor Abbott and the rest is a disgusting use of privilege and power that has emboldened simple-minded bigots to use violence against a vulnerable population that has only come out of hiding in search of humanity.”
Austin becoming a tech hub has led to very rapid gentrification, with roots in the city’s history. When Austin was established it was against the law for people of color to live west of I-35, even though a group of them had lived there before they were pushed to the near east side of the freeway, close to downtown. As the city grew, demand for that highly desirable land has driven up property values and taxes so that the people of those historic communities can no longer afford to live there. They are pushed to the suburbs where there is no public transportation or become homeless. The tech companies should bear some responsibility for solutions to homelessness.
I don’t know, don’t understand why my comments don’t go online. Circumstances forced my boyfriend and myself into homelessness. The local, state, national governments have no intentions of housing us. To be hones, they don’t care if we live nor die. In San Francisco, housing is more readily available for people working and/or looking for work. Drove me to the point where I thought of looking for work in education so I can sleep or at a fast food joint. Now, I realize that would mean giving up my Medicaid without which I could not afford the costs of healthcare which for now, up to a point, Medicare/Medicaid provide for me. As for the shelters staff, what’s going to become of them if we’re all housed? People, despite faults, problems, we have to see all of us as a class that needs to voice the same concerns: We built this country, our ancestors built this country: It’s up to the elected officials to house the homeless.