A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
Two laws proposed in the Texas state legislature have advocates for the unhoused concerned that new laws would make the homelessness crisis worse.
As Joshua Fechter reports in the Texas Tribune, proposed bills would increase enforcement of a statewide camping ban and limit where nonprofits can offer services to homeless residents. “They’ve also pushed legislation that housing advocates fear will accelerate evictions, potentially driving up homelessness as a result.”According to Fechter, almost 28,000 Texas residents were unhoused last year, with 12,000 of them being unsheltered.
One of the proposals, Senate Bill 241, would force cities to create formal complaint systems for residents to report camping ban violations and resolve complaints within 90 days. SB 38 would speed up the eviction process, potentially pushing more people into homelessness.
“Meanwhile, bills that advocates say could help people escape homelessness have yet to hit the floor in either chamber — like a proposal to help people experiencing homelessness regain crucial personal identification documents such as birth certificates and driver’s licenses,” Fechter adds.
FULL STORY: Advocates fear Texas lawmakers are about to worsen the state’s homelessness crisis
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