Continued Letters From
Richard Troxell
House The Homeless, Inc.
P.O. Box 2312
Austin, Texas 78768-2312
512 796-4366
May 23, 2000
City of Austin
Parks and Recreation
Jesus Olivares
P.O. Box 1088
Austin, Tx 78767
Dear Mr. Olivares:
House the Homeless, Inc. is a 501 (c)3
non-profit organization and has been based in Austin since 1989. Our
ogranization is very concerned about the delicate
balance/relationship between humankind and our environment.
Additonally, we are very concerned about the relationship and the
impact that we as individuals have on our local environment. In 1993,
with the joint efforts of the Parks Department, House the Homeless,
Inc. placed a memorial plaque and planted a live oak tree on the
south shores of Town Lake. Since that time, we have witnessed
significant population increases and the resulting impact that this
has generated. These pressures have been coupled with new budgetary
demands and even decreases in funding. It is for these reasons that
House the Homeless, Inc. introduces the following proposal.
PROPOSAL
Town Lake Adopt-A-Trail
We propose that the entire length of Town
Lake be divided into 100 yard lengths. Each
segment would be adoptable for a one year time frame by either a
business or organization. During that year, a portion of the trail
down to the waters edge extending to a distance of 25 to 50 feet on
the "high" side would be maintained by a sponsoring entity.
As quid-pro-quo, a small discrete indentification plaque (i.e.
2"x4") would be placed denoting each year's sponsor.
Suggested adoption would run from $500 to $2,000 to $4,000 to denote
bronze, silver and gold sponsorship.
Benefits
Regardless of the level of sponsorship
(bronze, silver or gold), each 100 yard segment would be maintained
for cleanliness.
Increased Parks and Recreation Department
revenue would result. *There are approximately 10.1 miles of Town
Lake Trail extending in a loop from MoPac to Longhorn Dam. This
yields 177 segments @ 100 yard intervals.
177 segments X $500= $88,500
*(Non-profit rates @ a rate of $250.00)
177 segments X $2000= $354,000
177 segments X $4000= $708,00
*It may be reasonable to anticipate annual
gross revenue in the range of $300,000.
Broader awareness about general traffic
impact on the trail will be realized.
Increased awareness about post rain debris
(i.e. styrofoam cups) may result in greater environmental responses
from the community generally.
Increased community involvement and civic
pride in park facilities.
Numerous Park personnel will be freed up to
address other Park concerns.
Futher unification of East and West Austin
will occur.
Internal corporate bonding (around civic issues).
A public service campaign utilizing COA TV
Channel 6 and Austin360 and local radio sponsorship would elevate
general awareness and appreciation for the Parks and Recreation Department.
*House the Homeless, Inc. would be honored
to initiate the program by accepting responsibility for maintaining
the area 100 yards west of the South 1st Street Bridge which
encompasses the area enclosing our memorial.
Recognition Incentives
Identification plaques denoting bronze,
silver and gold sponsorships would be displayed publicly for one year.
At the end of each year, the Parks
Department in conjunction with the Austin City Council, can hold an
annual outdoor awards ceremony. Presented to each sponsor can be the
framed identification marker together with a certificate of
appreciation recognizing their outstanding community service. Channel
6 can televise the event.
Austin360, can create a Community
Responsibility Honor Roll web page with a one paragraph description
of the current years participants.
Target Funding
Funds should be held in an account separate
from the general fund and designated specifically for tangible
improvements for the Town Lake Trail.
Responsible Agents
The Austin Parks Foundation has expressed
interest in exploring the possibility of acting as the fiscal agent
for this project.
Please accept this proposal in the spirit in
which it was intended. We are members of this community, and we wish
to act responsibly and collaboratively. We will work to provide your
office with letters of support for this initiative.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Richard R. Troxell
Open Letter to the Citizens
of Austin:
May 16, 2000
For four years now, the homeless citizens of
Austin have suffered under the repressive rule of the "NO
CAMPING/HOMELESS ORDINANCE." This onerous law has wasted
thousands of vauluable police hours. It has worked to further
"bog down" our already over-burdened court system with
thousands of "criminal sleeper" cases. Finally, it has
further added to the insurmountable obstacles faced by homeless
persons in their struggle to change their condition.
In 1994, the U.S. District Court in Johnson
v. City of Dallas found their no camping/sleeping/homeless ordinance
to be unconstitutional as it punished (economic) status rather than
an act of conduct. The court reasoned that there are certain acts,
such as eating, sleeping, and breathing that must be conducted
to sustain life. The court concluded that ".....as long as
homeless persons must live in public, their sleeping may not be
constitutionally criminalized."
There are an estimated 6,000 homeless
persons in Austin and less than 500 emergency shelter beds for every
homeless man, woman and child. Furthermore, a person with a 6th grade
education can read the ordinance and recognize that it is too vague
and could be applied to any of us sleeping in our airport, in
entertainment buses, or at Zilker Park on a sunny afternoon. And yet,
this uncontitutional ordinance continues to be selectively enforced
against our homeless tax paying citizens who are in need of justice,
not punative judgement. Jesus had said, "That which you do to
the least of my brothers you do to me."
House the Homeless, Inc. calls upon each and
every one of you, whether you are a member of the New City Council, a
member of the Justice System, or a Private Individual to call for the
immediate repeal of this unconstitutional law. First, we must return
these lost freedoms to our citizens and then we must work to ensure
that each and every employer begin to pay the working poor a FAIR
LIVING WAGE, so that they can have a fair chance to work and
change their "economic status" for which they are being punished.
Visit our page section to read more about
our UNIVERSAL LIVING WAGE FORMULA to see how else you can
help. Thank you!
In Unity their is Strength,
Richard R. Troxell
President-HTH
Board Member-National Coalition for the Homeless