AUSTIN, Texas — Austinites experiencing homelessness gave the city a mock citation for the total amount of $1 million. The point of the fake ticket was to point out what they have called unfair treatment when it comes to law enforcement clearing out homeless camps.
The nonprofit organization VOCAL Texas, which advocates for a variety of issues, including addressing homelessness, stood in front of Austin City Hall on Tuesday to call out leaders about the need to get people off the street and to stop the “sweeps” of encampments.
In June 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside in public places. Austin has had its own ban in place since 2021…