‘There are used needles, used condoms’: West Campus homeless encampment draws concerns

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Human waste, syringes and trash is piling up at a homeless encampment in West Campus. Some college students instructed KXAN they keep away from strolling by the world due to it.

The homeless encampment is within the artist market simply toes away from the Drag and subsequent door to the College Co-op, which is an space with heavy foot site visitors.

Joell McNew, president of SafeHorns, a nonprofit advocating for scholar security, stated the encampment has been there for months and is changing into a hazard to not solely the scholars and companies close by but in addition for the folks residing there.

“There are used needles, used condoms; there may be feces, urine, trash,” stated McNew. “They’re residing there, and why is that OK?”

A Metropolis of Austin spokesperson stated its homeless technique division and the Austin Police Division stated have “been in communication with stakeholders about particular considerations associated to this location.”

“Metropolis departments and workplaces together with APH, EMS, APD, and HOST are actively partaking the unhoused inhabitants within the space earlier than enforcement motion happens. Shelter and housing shortage pose a major problem as many individuals experiencing homelessness don’t at present have protected and authorized locations to sleep and meet fundamental wants,” an announcement stated.

McNew stated she has obtained complaints about aggressive habits from the folks residing within the encampment a number of instances, and plenty of college students are scared to stroll by.

“The encampment has grown,” McNew stated. “The inhabitants is far bigger. It’s extra aggressive, and this can be a enormous human and public security well being disaster.”

The SafeHorns president stated she needs the folks residing there to get assist, however nobody appears to be responding.

“When they’re taking part in prison habits and exercise and negatively impacting the group, there ought to be accountability for that, and town ought to step in,” McNew stated.

The town stated its homeless shelters are full, and it stated “the inhabitants of individuals experiencing homelessness within the Austin space has not declined for the reason that tenting ban was reinstated by voters in 2021.”

The town stated if a homeless encampment is creating a priority for security, you possibly can contact Austin 311 to create a report.

KXAN has reached out and is ready for a reply from the College of Texas, APD and the native councilmember. As soon as we obtain a response we’ll add it to the story.