🏠 Insights from the Homelessness Training:

Understanding and Responding to Encampments in Austin

On December 6th, I attended a training session led by Raven Rojas (Outreach Lead at the Homeless Strategies Office, raven.rojas@austintexas.gov) which provided an in-depth look at the current state of homelessness in Austin, strategies for engagement, and the specific processes the city employs to address encampments.

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📊 The Scale of Homelessness in Austin

The training began by providing a sobering statistical overview, drawing data from the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) dashboard. Based on surveys conducted in January, the city’s homeless population is significant:

• 3,865 Unsheltered Individuals
• 1,070 Sheltered Individuals

This data highlights a critical resource gap: there is approximately one shelter bed for every 4 to 5 individuals experiencing homelessness.

City Shelter Resources

The City of Austin currently operates four main types of shelters:

1. ARCH (Austin Resource Center for the Homeless): Serves men only.
2. 8th St Women’s Shelter: Serves women only.
3. The Marshalling Yard: Used for emergency shelter capacity.
4. North and South Bridges Shelters: These are hotels used for transitional housing as part of the HEAL initiatives.

In addition to city resources, the Esperanza Community, operated by The Other One’s Foundation (TOOF) at 780 Bastrop Hwy, Austin, TX 78741, offers alternative housing. It currently has about 100 units and is in the process of adding 100 more, with a future plan to add a third set of 100 units. The City of Austin has committed $2.9 million for social services at this location.

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🗣️ Trauma-Informed Engagement and De-escalation

A key focus of the training was on how to respectfully and effectively interact with unhoused individuals, particularly when they may be in distress. It is vital to treat people with dignity and respect, expressing concern rather than aggression or defensiveness.

Responses to Trauma

It was noted that responses to trauma often fall into the “Four Fs”: Flight, Fight, Freeze, and Fawn (an appeasement response). Understanding these responses is crucial for effective de-escalation.

The DEFUSE De-escalation Strategy

The training introduced the DEFUSE strategy for approaching tense or difficult interactions:

• Determine: Identify the main point of concern and engage the person in conversation to elaborate.
• Express Concern: Ensure you understand the person’s concern by repeating it back to them.
• Form Relationship: Introduce yourself, empathize with their feelings, and reiterate that you are there to help.
• Utilize Interests: Agree to as much as possible, even if it’s simply to agree to disagree. Reinforce that you hear their concern and are seeking a solution.
• Set Limits and Provide a solution: Speak professionally and matter-of-factly. Explain policies, processes, and the reasons they must be followed for the sake of all parties involved.
• Evaluate: Follow an escalation pathway to engage with leaders and the community to ensure the organization learns from the interaction.

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🚨 City Processes for Reporting and Addressing Encampments

There are specific channels for reporting and responding to encampments, based on the severity of the situation.

Reporting

• Immediate Risk (911): If there is an immediate risk to any individual (unhoused or others), dial 911.
• Non-Emergency (311): For all other encampment reports, call 311. When filing a request, use the terms “unhoused” or “homeless” to ensure it is routed to the appropriate team. Give as precise a description of the location as possible especially if it is in a park or wooded area. If you use the 311 app on your phone, you can drop a pin which will give the exact longitude and latitude to help the responders find the encampment.
  • Note: A 311 service request is closed when it is assigned to the appropriate department, not when the matter is resolved. Filing a report is still valuable for data collection, which is used to justify and allocate further focus and resources.
• Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST): If you see an individual in distress, especially mental distress, and want to secure help, reach out to HOST at 512-804-3720.

The Homeless Encampment Management (HEM) Process

The City’s official process for managing and closing encampments is as follows:

1. Receive a report of an encampment.
2. Assess the encampment: Resources permitting, an assessment is conducted based on a severity rubric.
3. Provide outreach services: As resources allow, services are offered based on the severity rubric.
4. Provide a 72-hour notice to vacate: It was admitted that this step has not been consistently applied.
5. Enforce and Clean up: This final step involves the Office of Homeless Strategies, the Austin Police Department (APD), and Austin Resource Recovery.

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🚧 Types of Encampment Closures

The city uses three primary methods for clearing and closing encampments, varying in scope and impact:

1. Rapid Response Team (RRT)

• Process: APD and Austin Resource Recovery operate on a rotating schedule, spending one day on a targeted sector (North, Central, or South bands across the city).
• Impact: These “sweeps” can often provide individuals in the encampment with as little as 10 minutes to gather their belongings before everything else is collected and hauled away.

2. HEAL Initiative

• Process: This community-focused approach moves the entire encampment community into a bridge shelter (hotels used for transitional housing) to keep them together.
• Challenge: The team managing this initiative is small, consisting of only five members, making the workload substantial.

3. Private Property Closure

• Process: This addresses cases where folks are squatting in an abandoned building or other private structure. It is either handled by the property owner or, if the owner fails to take responsibility, by Code Enforcement, which will clean up the site and then fine the owner.

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🔎 Identifying Active vs. Abandoned Sites

When approaching an encampment, it’s not always easy to determine if it is currently active, as occupants may have jobs or be away for services.

To identify an active site:

• Announce Yourself: Always announce your presence if you suspect the site is active.
• Look for Personal Items: Check for food, personal items, clothing, or bedding that appears to have been recently used.
• Check for Recent Use: Look for signs of recent fire use (like a recently used fireplace).
• Assess Condition: Evaluate the overall cleanliness of the encampment and the condition of the shelter (tent, tarp, etc.).
• The “Water/Snacks” Test: Leave water or snacks in an obvious location and check later to see if they have been used or moved.

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🤝 Office of Homeless Strategies Staffing

The capacity of the City’s efforts is defined by its small team structure:

• 12 Field Outreach FTEs (Full-Time Equivalents)
• 7 Street Outreach FTEs
• 3 HEM FTEs
• 2 Shelter FTEs

The training also mentioned a helpful organization that offers clothing swaps and mending sessions, and provides useful supplies like “sharps” containers and trash grabbers to the unhoused community.

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Would you like me to summarize any of these sections, or find contact information for any of the organizations mentioned like ECHO or TOOF?