Austin council nixes plans for South Austin homeless shelter
The city of Austin has nixed controversial plans to build a South Austin homeless shelter.
The controversial $8.6 million land purchase had been authorized by the City Council in June. However, a recent new plan to purchase a motel near Interstate 35 and Oltorf Street appears to have brought an end to efforts to buy a building near Ben White Boulevard at Bannister Lane that would have been home to the South Austin Housing Center.
Instead, the Austin City council on Thursday will consider purchasing the Rodeway Inn at 2711 Interstate 35 South for $8 million. The motel has about 82 units and is valued at $2,661,642, according to the Travis Central Appraisal District. It is located on the northbound frontage road between Oltorf Street and Woodward Street.
“We won’t be pursuing the South Austin Housing Center,” Assistant City Manager Rodney Gonzalez told the council during a work session Tuesday. “This is, as we’ve indicated, a more immediate response, and it’s a true partnership between the city and its community partners in that they’re coming to the table with funding of their own.”
Some council members said purchasing the motel is more appealing because it is a quicker means to provide more housing units to temporarily house homeless individuals.
Read more: https://www.statesman.com/news/20191112/austin-council-nixes-plans-for-south-austin-shelter