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Quality of Life ordinances proposed to include our neighborhood.

It’s taken almost 10 years of attending early morning meetings of the Downtown Community Court Advisory Committee (DACC), to convince the City Council that our neighborhood needs the same Quality of Life protections that downtown residents and businesses enjoy.  On March 3rd, the City Council’s Subcommittee on  Public Health and Human Services (led by Randi Shade along with Pro Tem Martinez and Laura Morrison) is proposing amendments to the City's No Sit/Lie Ordinance, which is 1 of 4 Quality of Life Ordinances under the jurisdiction of the DACC.  Over the past year, disability and homeless advocates worked with central city residents, city staff, DACC members, and the Downtown Austin Alliance to extend exemptions to the ordinance to ensure that folks who are disabled, having a medical emergency, or are waiting in line for an event to start, to buy things or get services can sit or lie down without getting a ticket.  Expanding the language was controversial because when large groups gather to hang out at bus stops and street corners it blocks sidewalks and is scary for children, seniors, and others who fear strangers who are different from them.  Because our neighborhood hosts a soup kitchen, metal recycling centers, and health services targeted to serve homeless people and the lure of hipsters coming east for outdoor food and entertainment, we have a lot more needy people coming to our area to hangout, hustle, and harass pedestrians and bike riders.  Including our ‘hood in the boundary for enforcement of this ordinance might help police have ‘probable cause’ to ask large groups to move along and stop blocking our sidewalks and bus stops. This item is up for a vote of City Council on Thursday, March 3. council's agenda item 27.  I’ll be there to speak in favor as your representative on the DACC.  To read the proposed ordinance, go to http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/council_meetings/wams_item_attach.cfm?recordID=26740    East Austin Neighborhood Center gives fresh food, health screens &  tips, job search, and referrals to low-income seniors, families and workers. Call  972-6650  or come to 211 Comal Street (78702) , M-Th 8am-6pm, Fri. 8-12pm, closed daily 12-1pm for lunch. YOU CAN CALL 211 FOR HELP 24/7, SE HABLA ESPANOL.

 

Starts March 11!

Eastside Rangers: Neighbors on Patrol

and Block Watch Team Leaders

DO THE 5: Watch the 3 houses in front of you

and the 2 homes on each side. 

Volunteers keeping our neighborhood safe & clean

by watching, walking, biking and driving our pathways.

Anonymous Volunteers Needed!

Tasks, reports and trainings mostly done

via email and private web groups.

Contact: lorirenteria@grandecom.net or

Call 478-6770 to get involved

Volunteer Code Compliance Workshop recruits residents

As your Crime and Safety Chair, I am proud to announce my successful completion of the Volunteer Code Compliance orientation and training held at Cristo Rey Church on Jan. 18th.  The beauty of this program is that by using neighborhood volunteers, the program gets a 90% compliance rate after just one warning letter is sent.  This saves taxpayer dollars by eliminating costs of certified mail, repeat inspections by paid inspectors, and helps property owners in need of repairs connect with resources to help them.  If you’d like to participate, call Kit at 974-9024 or CCVP@ci.austin.tx.us

 

Keep calling 911 when you see something odd.

Let the 911 dispatcher decide if your call should be transferred to 311.  Too many people think 911 is just for emergencies—not so, any crime in progress (even loud music) is a 911 call. We are still recruiting volunteers to be Block Watch and Patrol volunteers.  Please contact me to join our Community Policing programs.  I promise to keep your involvement confidential upon request and we can work via email.