July 22, 2019

Mayor Steve Adler

Council Member Ann Kitchen
Council Member Sabino “Pio” Renteria
City Manager Spencer Cronk
Austin Police Chief Brian Manley
Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker

Attached: Proposed meeting flyer in English and Spanish

Council member Ann Kitchen memo given April 6, 2019 at Barton

View Neighborhood meeting

City Representatives,
This is our second meeting request. Expanded community interest has
necessitated a change in the proposed venue, as outlined below.
Additionally, attendance by Chief Baker is requested in recognition of
recent fire safety concerns.
We are disappointed by your continued refusal to meet with the community
on this matter. We are troubled by the disingenuous assertions made by
city representatives that meaningful attempts have been made to engage
with the community in good-faith discussion of the proposed shelter. This is
simply not the case.
We want to understand the specific process by which 1112 W. Ben White
Blvd. was selected for the site of the proposed homeless shelter and to
have the opportunity to provide input into that decision. We were not
consulted prior to council’s approval of the purchase of the property.
Though many of us made opposition statements during the June 20, 2019
council meeting, it appeared approval of the proposal was a foregone
conclusion.
Your response to our first request was to defer meeting with the community
until an unspecified future date. We question the wisdom, and indeed,
motivation, in postponing a community discussion until after all relevant
decisions have been made and processes finalized.
As your constituents, we feel deserving of an explanation of your actions.
Your continued refusal to engage with the community on this issue, in a
timely manner, leaves us feeling that you do not honestly wish to work with
us toward a mutually agreeable solution.
A full month ago, a public open record request for the shelter site location
report, and supporting materials, outlined in resolution #20190131-078,
was submitted. As of this date, the city has provided no documentation. In
fact, it has made every attempt to suppress the release of the requested
information.
In a letter to Attorney General, Ken Paxton, the city has sought permission
to suppress the requested information, based on unsubstantiated claims
that the information constitutes attorney client privileged information and/or
is protected under the Boeing exception. It is our intention to elicit
transparency from the city regarding this issue by any means necessary.
In addition to the community’s baseline concerns about the placement of a
large homeless shelter in close proximity to residential neighborhoods,
below is a list of three fires recently set by homeless individuals within a
four-day period:
1. Saturday, July 13 – 290 and Montopolis
2. Monday, July 15 – 290 and Westgate
3. Tuesday, July 16 – 183 and Ohlen
On April 17, 2011, 11 homes were destroyed and 10 more damaged by
wildfire in Oak Hill. A homeless man was charged with starting that wildfire
(source: Statesman Reporter Isadora Vail). On 3/30/2017, A fire started
under Atlanta’s I-85 caused the collapse of that highway. Investigations
concluded that the fire was started by 39-year-old homeless man, Basil
Eleby, who set fire to an upholstered chair (source: Atlanta Journal-
Constitution Reporter Nancy Clanton).
The city has shown an unwillingness to learn from what is arguably the
most successful homeless rehabilitation program in Austin, Community
First! Village. Mayor Adler implied criticism of the location selection of
Community First! Village in the June 20, 2019 council meeting. Basic
premises of rehabilitation strategy appear to be lost on our leaders.
Segregating populations receiving rehabilitation treatment from active drug
abusers, drug dealers, access to alcohol and proximity to rampant criminal
activity is essential. Even more mystifying is Mayor Adler’s decision to visit
cities notorious for their mishandling of homeless issues to ask for advice
while neglecting to reach out to cities with more successful track records.
We reiterate our request that you meet with the community in good faith to
listen to and meaningfully consider our input, prior to any further municipal
ramrodding. A month’s notice of this meeting has been provided to you with
the intent of giving you every chance to participate. This gesture stands in
stark contrast to the 3 days’ notice (the bare minimum required by the
Texas Open Meetings Act) we received the inclusion of the proposal to
purchase 1112 W. Ben White Blvd. in the June 20th city council meeting.
We invite all community members to attend this open forum. Numerous
media outlets have confirmed their intention to attend.

The manner in which you have forced this issue on community members
and the tax-payers of this city has strained the limited time and resources
of young families, underprivileged minority communities and small business
owners. Our voices matter and they will be heard, regardless of the
sacrifices necessary.

We seek a bare minimum level of respect from the leaders we elected.

Many of us voted for you. We believed in you.

We will continue to escalate our news and social media presence,

highlighting the upcoming meeting and emphasizing the complete lack of
community engagement on the city’s part.

Currently, the SAFE Project has 327 active members. Additionally, 5,417
petitioners have signed in opposition of the city’s actions with regard to the
proposed shelter.
We hope to work with you towards a SAFE solution for all citizens of Austin.
On April 06, 2019, Barton View neighbor Cleo Petricek attended a
neighborhood meeting with her councilwoman Ann Kitchen and received
memo from Kitchen. Indicating:
“We are working to:
• Obtain your ideas on key issues & potential solutions
• Create opportunities to engage with you outside of City Hall”

We have given you a month’s notice, providing a location and an

engaged audience of your constituents. All we ask of you is that you
show up.

We are meeting on August 6, 2019 at 6 pm at Woodlawn Baptist

Church: South Austin location, 4600 Manchaca Rd, Austin, TX 78745.

S.A.F.E. Project MISSION STATEMENT:

We believe all citizens of Austin, including those experiencing
homelessness should be safe, whether it is in the home, school,
neighborhood, park, work, or in the streets.

Sincerely,

S.A.F.E. Project
972-639-7926
cleopetricek@mac.com

https://safeprojectaustin.com