For many living in large cities, it’s easier to forget that there is some beautiful nature right in our own backyard.
But the problem is, the homeless are quickly taking over various greenspaces in cities across North America.
The Violet Crown Trail in Austin, a handful of miles south of downtown, where the suburbs get more cemented, has been a favorite amongst families.
As urban sprawl spreads even bigger and bigger, nature trails have been crucial for Americans well being and access to the great outdoors.
But the Violet Crown trail is now home to a homeless encampment that seems to be ever growing and thriving.
Walking and solitude are close to impossible now.
Fox News reports that Jamie Hammonds, a local journalist working on a documentary about homelessness, estimates there are 300 homeless people living on this little trail, which only runs about a mile each way.
This is not a massive wilderness, this is a small two mile pocket of greenspace in a city where you have to sit in long traffic to get to isolated nature.
It’s an oasis.
“Their trail has just been decimated and it’s completely destroyed with trash,” Hammonds said.
While trash is dominant, there are a bevvy of obstacles strewn across the park.
Broken down cars somehow found their way to the trail, and trailers too. Human feces has been more frequent than dog poo.
The recent phenomenon of homeless camping out in the suburbs, vs. downtown is an interesting one.
Many city officials have been moving the homeless out of the city centers and transporting them further out to the suburbs.
One real estate official noted the environmental impact. This area has been considered the “crown jewel” of Austin.
This is so horrible. The environmental damage from these camps is immense. https://t.co/9fcrZWwiPn
— Jordan Moorhead (@Jordan_Moorhead) June 7, 2023
Austin, obviously is a liberal city run by Democrats.
But the voters haven’t necessarily reflected that. The city council voted to lift the ban on camping on city owned and public places in 2019.
But the voters struck back in 2021, approving a ban on encampments, making it at least an arrestable misdemeanor if committed multiple times.
The problem is, the Austin government created a nice loophole. In their summary of the vote, they note that enforcement is “voluntary” on the homeless residents part.
“Austin Police Department is working with other city departments and community-based providers to promote voluntary compliance for people who are camping in public spaces in violation of the new law. Officers are taking action when voluntary compliance does not occur through citations and in some cases, arrest,” the city government website says.
The vague language could give police’s power to arrest only as a close to impossible, last resort.
But no arrests of homeless have been made.
So much for the compassionate solution. First it was our cities, now the suburbs are next up at bat for destruction.
Add comment