What the fuck is wrong with you, Austin?

[PvilleStang 2913]

54 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Fair enough. I’m kidding around some but with the homeless thing in particular- we have the best program in the country, here, already. Community First village and Mobile Loaves and Fishes  is the gold standard for how to manage the permanent homeless population. San Antonio also has a great model. At the local level, both of those approaches work. But they take money, and commitment and patience and support. But those are the things that work. And because they do, they are more cost effective than anything that doesn’t work, which includes the gamut of half measures from buying hotels to jail. 
 

MLF / Community First is not run by the CoA, and look at how successful they are.  Maybe the city SHOULDN'T be in the homeless abatement business, rather they should turn to someone who knows their ass from a hole in the ground.

[Deej 76842]

8 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

MLF / Community First is not run by the CoA, and look at how successful they are.  Maybe the city SHOULDN'T be in the homeless abatement business, rather they should turn to someone who knows their ass from a hole in the ground.

Where's the grift in that? Get with the program. 

[royiv 9326]

1 hour ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Fair enough. I’m kidding around some but with the homeless thing in particular- we have the best program in the country, here, already. Community First village and Mobile Loaves and Fishes  is the gold standard for how to manage the permanent homeless population. San Antonio also has a great model. At the local level, both of those approaches work. But they take money, and commitment and patience and support. But those are the things that work. And because they do, they are more cost effective than anything that doesn’t work, which includes the gamut of half measures from buying hotels to jail. 
 

I don’t disagree that those are both terrific programs, but I think it’s a stretch to say Austin has “the best program in the country” when homelessness is a huge problem in the city. Those two programs, yes, are great, but overall Austin mismanages homelessness at a frustrating rate for all stakeholders.

As for Project Connect, dude, I know you’re a big transit and mobility person and I agree with much of what you post on those topics, but it’s laughable to try to defend that boondoggle. It should be re-voted since the current plan, which hasn’t turned a single shovel of dirt, is not even in the same galaxy of what was sold to voters.

[ztejas 43491]

On 3/27/2024 at 11:38 AM, FirstTimeCaller said:

Details of Saturday night's homicide. Homeless man gets in fight with guy with gun. 
 

A 23-year-old man faces a murder charge following a shooting at a southeast Austin apartment complex that left one person dead Saturday night, according to court documents obtained by KXAN.

An arrest warrant affidavit identified the suspect in the shooting as Adam Brown, 23. He faces a murder charge.

The affidavit said 911 callers reported that a homeless man had been arguing with another man, Brown, when a gunshot could be heard over the phone. One of the callers identified herself as Brown’s partner and said the man threatened and ran at them.

Brown and his partner both spoke to police and told them they were walking their dogs back to their apartment from the park when they saw the man and their dogs reacted to him, according to the affidavit. They both told police the man threatened them, saying he was going to get a knife and come kill their dogs, before he walked across the street and disappeared, then returned a short while later, the affidavit said.

Brown told police he went back outside with his gun while his partner stayed inside and called 911, according to the affidavit. Brown said the man threw a large branch and log at him and said he had a knife, then bent over to pick something up and sprinted at him, which is when Brown shot at him, according to the affidavit. Police asked Brown if he ever saw a knife and he said that it was dark and could not visibly see one, the affidavit noted.

 

The witness said their roommate called 911, and they continued watching the argument, the affidavit said. The witness said they heard one of their neighbors say, “We have a gun,” and said the man responded by saying, “shoot me,” in a challenging manner, the affidavit said.

The witness said they heard a gunshot right after that, according to the affidavit.

 

Police asked the witness what the man was doing right before Brown shot, and they said he was standing in the grass, animatedly talking with his hands and yelling at Brown, according to the affidavit. Police asked the witness if the man still had the branch in his hands and if he charged at Brown, and the witness said no, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit states that based on the investigation, including witness statements and evidence gathered at the scene, police believe Brown committed murder.

 

That's absurd. He should get a medal. 

Fortunately the DA doesn't prosecute violent crime. 

[justhookit 4191]

Haven for Hope in San Antonio houses close to 2000 individuals, provides a shitload of services including mental health, medical, dental, clothing, relocation, etc., but Austin is somehow better? Come on dude.

[Brisketexan 105161]

11 minutes ago, royiv said:

I don’t disagree that those are both terrific programs, but I think it’s a stretch to say Austin has “the best program in the country” when homelessness is a huge problem in the city. Those two programs, yes, are great, but overall Austin mismanages homelessness at a frustrating rate for all stakeholders.

This.  Those two programs are excellent.  But that's like commenting on the two good plays Greg Davis called in any one of the games where we got out asses kicked based on repetitive offensive idiocy, and saying we have "the best OC in the country."  No.  We have a couple of good plays.  We should stop running the bad plays (3 yard out in the flat, begging to go the other way for a pick-6) and run more of the good ones.  There ARE other models to follow.  We aren't following them.  Austin is fucking up the homeless issue, badly, by picking a dithering path that does nothing to actually satisfy EITHER the "be compassionate" OR the "clean up our city" interests.....much less the bulk of us who are in the "how about we clean up our city with appropriately compassionate but order-enforcing policies" camp.  

[Deej 76842]

24 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

But that's like commenting on the two good plays Greg Davis called in any one of the games where we got out asses kicked based on repetitive offensive idiocy, and saying we have "the best OC in the country."

[Bozo_Casanova 26495]

1 hour ago, royiv said:

I don’t disagree that those are both terrific programs, but I think it’s a stretch to say Austin has “the best program in the country” when homelessness is a huge problem in the city. Those two programs, yes, are great, but overall Austin mismanages homelessness at a frustrating rate for all stakeholders.

As for Project Connect, dude, I know you’re a big transit and mobility person and I agree with much of what you post on those topics, but it’s laughable to try to defend that boondoggle. It should be re-voted since the current plan, which hasn’t turned a single shovel of dirt, is not even in the same galaxy of what was sold to voters.

When I say Austin “has the best program” I mean it operates in our city, not that it’s a city program. The city government should just hand the budget and the keys to Alan Graham. They can’t do better than MLF. 
As for Project Connect I don’t think I’ve ever defended it here, or anywhere. That said it’s probably better than we deserve, just like this council.

[Bozo_Casanova 26495]

1 hour ago, HenryJames said:

x,x,x,x

x,x,x,x

x,x,x,x

x,x,x,2

1,x,x,x

Edited March 29 by Bozo_Casanova

[Bozo_Casanova 26495]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

This.  Those two programs are excellent.  But that's like commenting on the two good plays Greg Davis called in any one of the games where we got out asses kicked based on repetitive offensive idiocy, and saying we have "the best OC in the country."  No.  We have a couple of good plays.

They aren’t our plays. Half the people in this town doesn’t give a shit about anything other than money and whining about the good old days, and most of the other half are too busy keeping their heads above water to pay attention. 
What’s left are the tiny minority who show up. Actually making things work is their game, not ours.

This thread is like Adam Loewy’s twitter account- just shouting nonsense into the void about things we have the privilege to avoid. 

Edited March 29 by Bozo_Casanova

[Brisketexan 105161]

50 minutes ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

This thread entire board, and its entire reason for existence, is like Adam Loewy’s twitter account- just shouting nonsense into the void about things we have the privilege to avoid. 

FIF accuracy.

[boilerhorn 1393]

4 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

Community First village and Mobile Loaves and Fishes  is the gold standard for how to manage the permanent homeless population. 

This.  MLF is the among the best donations I make on an annual basis.  My son and I have volunteered there before and we fortunate to get the "free tour" from one of the residents.  What makes Community First work is a strong, competent, and dedicated staff combined with expectations of its residents.  You have to be willing to work, have adequate funding, etc.

When volunteering with them in support of their truck ministry, a couple of folks asserted that the homeless in Austin do not have a food problem.  They can all be fed by walking to the various churches, etc.  Most of the problems are from chronic substance abuse or mental illness.  In those cases, Community First is not really an option. 

[Brisketexan 105161]

11 minutes ago, boilerhorn said:

Most of the problems are from chronic substance abuse or mental illness. 

Conveniently, "not having any desire or coherent plan on dealing with either one of those things" may be the one thing that America still has great political unity on.  Right, left, center, it seems everyone agrees: we shouldn't do a single goddamned thing about either one of those issues.  Sing Kumbaya, everyone!  We did it!  We are united, not divided!

[Wally Pryor 5261]

4 hours ago, Bozo_Casanova said:

When I say Austin “has the best program” I mean it operates in our city, not that it’s a city program. The city government should just hand the budget and the keys to Alan Graham. They can’t do better than MLF. 
As for Project Connect I don’t think I’ve ever defended it here, or anywhere. That said it’s probably better than we deserve, just like this council.

Yeah, we have Graham who does it right and could make (even) more headway with the homeless issues given the resources and right partnership. 

But we have an unbridled tribe of idiotic buffoons running the city and the last thing it would want to do is make good and sound decisions. Especially if there is skimming to be done. 

[HenryJames 66133]

City is widening the sidewalk around Manor and Chicon, and they’ve blocked off a turn that the buses used on their routes. So now the buses are going down our street. I’m sure it’s fine.

 

Edited March 29 by HenryJames

[Nicole44 22065]

I’m still in Atlanta by the way. 
 

 

[dcar00 14297]

17 minutes ago, Nicole44 said:

I’m still in Atlanta by the way. 
 

 

no one ever said you were acting alone, Oswald.

[hayden_horn 11362]

I'm getting some notifications for multiple gunshot wounds at southpark meadows from rhe citizen app

[YGIFS 19452]

I assume this is at the big strip center down there?

[PvilleStang 2913]

11 hours ago, Nicole44 said:

I’m still in Atlanta by the way. 
 

 

One of the local YIMBY clowns on Twitter claims to know it was someone he graduated with that was found deceased.  Anyone actually have a name, or is this another case of the media going silent?  

[Bevo 13579]

11 hours ago, Nicole44 said:

I’m still in Atlanta by the way. 
 

[CooterBrown 18015]

12 hours ago, Nicole44 said:

I’m still in Atlanta by the way. 

 

Aww, fuck. I'm flying to Atlanta today.  Luckily there's not a river to dump my body.

 

[HenryJames 66133]

12 hours ago, Nicole44 said:

I’m still in Atlanta by the way. 
 

 

[Armybrat 40851]

11 hours ago, hayden_horn said:

I'm getting some notifications for multiple gunshot wounds at southpark meadows from rhe citizen app

My son who lives in the St. Elmo ‘hood hears overnight gunshots at least twice weekly. Sometimes close, some further away. 
A few years ago he found a bullet lodged in the metal roof of his house.

Edited April 1 by Armybrat

[Wally Pryor 5261]

12 hours ago, hayden_horn said:

I'm getting some notifications for multiple gunshot wounds at southpark meadows from rhe citizen app

They should shoot the person that designed that rat maze. 

[royiv 9326]

12 hours ago, hayden_horn said:

I'm getting some notifications for multiple gunshot wounds at southpark meadows from rhe citizen app

Someone was pissed when they showed up for the Pearl Jam show and found out it had been turned into a shopping center.

[Native Horn 3504]

1 hour ago, royiv said:

Someone was pissed when they showed up for the Pearl Jam show and found out it had been turned into a shopping center.

Southpark Ghettoes, amirite?  

[Bevo 13579]

2 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Aww, fuck. I'm flying to Atlanta today.  Luckily there's not a river to dump my body.

 

 

[Deej 76842]

3 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Aww, fuck. I'm flying to Atlanta today.  Luckily there's not a river to dump my body.

 

Wayne Williams says "Hi!"

2 hours ago, Armybrat said:

My son who lives in the St. Elmo ‘hood hears overnight gunshots at least twice weekly

Just twice a week? Nice neighborhood. 

[HenryJames 66133]

[B00M 6420]

[Samson's Wig 3193]

Exactly what we were missing!

[YGIFS 19452]

8 hours ago, CooterBrown said:

Aww, fuck. I'm flying to Atlanta today.  Luckily there's not a river to dump my body.

 

(nicole operating excavator between Atlanta and the Chattahoochie river), "Day ain't over yet..."

[Eskimohorn 5637]

My son who lives in the St. Elmo ‘hood hears overnight gunshots at least twice weekly. Sometimes close, some further away. 
A few years ago he found a bullet lodged in the metal roof of his house.

Or car backfires. Tell your son to grow a pair and enjoy the food trucks and chess boxing tournaments. Where was he when you were mowing down fools in Saigon? Right, slick!

[Armybrat 40851]

8 hours ago, Eskimohorn said:

Or car backfires. Tell your son to grow a pair and enjoy the food trucks and chess boxing tournaments. Where was he when you were mowing down fools in Saigon? Right, slick!

Is that supposed to be a burn?

[Nicole44 22065]

“Unhoused” just sounds so much like the “unwashed” or something you read in the Bible. Why do we keep changing the terms of great many things? Does that help/hurt or bring more attention? It’s just weird to me. Not really a criticism but I don’t see how unhoused is a better way of saying homeless. Maybe it is just me. But yes the unhoused problem is rampant. But if you complain about it you are a pearl clutching jerk. You don’t care about them if you complain about the real shit happening on the streets etc…people living without much dignity. Calling it a different name doesn’t help to fix the issues being created around downtown. And we’ve discussed this on blast. I care about the unhoused and have multiple times shared programs and places that have had very good success. Does Austin want to be one of those places or would they rather use polite terms and do nothing? 

[Guest]

You know, one reason I voted for Watson because I felt like he would drive some common sense policies regarding homeless. Instead, it seems like it's become the fifth or sixth most important policy. Real disappointing.

Meanwhile, we got machete attacks, murders, hotel fires, environmental impact, having to put up fencing everywhere instead of having natural areas. I understand that we don't want to be seen as  on people that are having a hard time already, but what we seem to be doing now is no good for anyone.

Edited April 2 by FirstTimeCaller

[ztejas 43491]

https://www.fox7austin.com/news/removing-scooters-e-bikes-from-lady-bird-lake

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Fire Department is hoping to remove hundreds of electric scooters and bikes from Lady Bird Lake.

Recently, members of the AFD RED (Robotic Emergency Deployment) Team tested out a submersible remotely operated vehicle (ROV). While testing the equipment, they spotted an e-bike and a robotic arm attached to the ROV was able to grab a wheel and pull it out of the water.

[PvilleStang 2913]

19 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

You know, one reason I voted for Watson because I felt like he would drive some common sense policies regarding homeless. Instead, it seems like it's become the fifth or sixth most important policy. Real disappointing.

Meanwhile, we got machete attacks, murders, hotel fires, environmental impact, having to put up fencing everywhere instead of having natural areas. I understand that we don't want to be seen as  on people that are having a hard time already, but what we seem to be doing now is no good for anyone.

We rejected the strong mayor form of governing a year or two ago...  So Watson is about as powerful as Zo and Baby Alter.  The nutjobs run the asylum.  

[royiv 9326]

11 minutes ago, ztejas said:

https://www.fox7austin.com/news/removing-scooters-e-bikes-from-lady-bird-lake

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Fire Department is hoping to remove hundreds of electric scooters and bikes from Lady Bird Lake.

Recently, members of the AFD RED (Robotic Emergency Deployment) Team tested out a submersible remotely operated vehicle (ROV). While testing the equipment, they spotted an e-bike and a robotic arm attached to the ROV was able to grab a wheel and pull it out of the water.

Why should taxpayers be on the hook for this? If the scooter companies want to operate in Austin, removing scooters from the lake should be a cost of doing business for them. They should be allowed a finite number of scooters. Deploy 100 scooters and you’re down to 90, better go diving in the lake to retrieve 10 before you can replace them.

[royiv 9326]

24 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

You know, one reason I voted for Watson because I felt like he would drive some common sense policies regarding homeless. Instead, it seems like it's become the fifth or sixth most important policy. Real disappointing.

Meanwhile, we got machete attacks, murders, hotel fires, environmental impact, having to put up fencing everywhere instead of having natural areas. I understand that we don't want to be seen as  on people that are having a hard time already, but what we seem to be doing now is no good for anyone.

Serious question, what do you think priorities 1-4 or 1-5 are because I can’t figure out what the heck Watson is doing?

[BabaYaga 15301]

13 minutes ago, ztejas said:

https://www.fox7austin.com/news/removing-scooters-e-bikes-from-lady-bird-lake

AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Fire Department is hoping to remove hundreds of electric scooters and bikes from Lady Bird Lake.

Recently, members of the AFD RED (Robotic Emergency Deployment) Team tested out a submersible remotely operated vehicle (ROV). While testing the equipment, they spotted an e-bike and a robotic arm attached to the ROV was able to grab a wheel and pull it out of the water.

Because the lake is hundreds of feet deep and there's no way divers could operate at those depths.  I'm also sure outsourcing a submersible is the most cost effective method to achieve this as well.

Anyone have the number of those rednecks that magnet fish on social media....

[PvilleStang 2913]

1 minute ago, royiv said:

Why should taxpayers be on the hook for this? If the scooter companies want to operate in Austin, removing scooters from the lake should be a cost of doing business for them. They should be allowed a finite number of scooters. Deploy 100 scooters and you’re down to 90, better go diving in the lake to retrieve 10 before you can replace them.

Or, we charge back time and equipment costs to retrieve the garbage.  A lien against the company for hazardous waste in the lake might be good, too.

[Texas Jeff 1945]

5 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

We rejected the strong mayor form of governing a year or two ago...  So Watson is about as powerful as Zo and Baby Alter.  The nutjobs run the asylum.  

Nobody and I mean nobody wanted Steve Adler in charge.

[PvilleStang 2913]

1 minute ago, BabaYaga said:

Because the lake is hundreds of feet deep and there's no way divers could operate at those depths.  I'm also sure outsourcing a submersible is the most cost effective method to achieve this as well.

Anyone have the number of those rednecks that magnet fish on social media....

https://usa.fishermap.org/depth-map/lady-bird-lake/

[GhostRider 169]

3 minutes ago, BabaYaga said:

Because the lake is hundreds of feet deep and there's no way divers could operate at those depths.  I'm also sure outsourcing a submersible is the most cost effective method to achieve this as well.

Anyone have the number of those rednecks that magnet fish on social media....

Lady Bird Lake is 18 feet deep at it's deepest point.

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

We rejected the strong mayor form of governing a year or two ago...  So Watson is about as powerful as Zo and Baby Alter.  The nutjobs run the asylum.  

He still has the pulpit more than any other member.

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, royiv said:

Why should taxpayers be on the hook for this? If the scooter companies want to operate in Austin, removing scooters from the lake should be a cost of doing business for them. They should be allowed a finite number of scooters. Deploy 100 scooters and you’re down to 90, better go diving in the lake to retrieve 10 before you can replace them.

 

8 minutes ago, PvilleStang said:

Or, we charge back time and equipment costs to retrieve the garbage.  A lien against the company for hazardous waste in the lake might be good, too.

Good god, these statements. Austin should not be on the hook for any of this shit.

Edited April 2 by FirstTimeCaller

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, royiv said:

Serious question, what do you think priorities 1-4 or 1-5 are because I can’t figure out what the heck Watson is doing?

1. The housing code changes 
2. City manager
3. APD funding/contract
4. Various brick-a-brack/crises that comes with being a mayor

[royiv 9326]

10 minutes ago, FirstTimeCaller said:

1. The housing code changes 
2. City manager
3. APD funding/contract
4. Various brick-a-brack/crises that comes with being a mayor

Yeah, City Manager is definitely up there and had a brain fart on thinking of that one. I would put that one first. I’m not really seeing shit on APD or the housing code changes.