Two Texas Cities Took Radically Different Approaches to Homelessness — and Saw Radically Different Results
For three weeks in 2025, the city of Austin spent roughly $830,000 to clear hundreds of homeless encampments and 1.35 million pounds of debris. The cleanup took place from October 21 to November 8, with city staff, nonprofit workers, and EMS personnel clearing 669 sites.
Of the 1,212 homeless people the city encountered, 181 went to shelters, 87 were connected to services, and 109 later returned to encampments. The city argued its goal was to move Austin residents into shelter before the height of winter.
At the same time, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered another encampment sweep campaign without informing Austin officials. By October 21, Gov. Abbott announced that state troopers had cleared 48 camps and arrested 24 Austin residents…