Austin SXSW protest targets homeless encampment sweeps

Holding bright yellow signs that read "Sweep the billionaires, not the homeless," a small group of protesters gathered in downtown Austin on Thursday to oppose homeless encampment sweeps and service closures ahead of South by Southwest.

Members of VOCAL-TX, an advocacy group for low-income people, said the festival — one of Austin’s largest annual events — has come at a cost: the clearing of homeless encampments in downtown areas to prepare for the influx of visitors.

"Our protest is actually focused on the encampment sweeps that are happening leading up to South By. There's an increase in the efforts to remove people from downtown and from the service areas," Eli Cortez, an organizer with VOCAL-TX told the American-Statesman, adding that the festival has also forced the nonprofit Caritas, which works to prevent and end homelessness, to close during the festival due to road closures.

Caritas did not respond to a request for comment. On social media, the organization announced that its offices, along with its community kitchen and downtown pantry, would be closed March 12-13 and March 16-17 because of South by Southwest road closures.

VOCAL-TX set up an exhibit with a mock encampment to illustrate what homeless people lost during the sweeps. The display included clothing from participants and written quotes describing their experiences. Cortez said many people lost their belongings during the cleanups.

City officials said encampment cleanups take place weekly and that residents are notified in advance.

“The City compassionately clears certain areas of Austin on a weekly basis, providing unhoused residents with notice before performing work," a city spokesperson said on behalf of the city's Homeless Strategy Office, police, EMS, Resource Recovery and Watershed Protection. "This advanced notice gives individuals the opportunity to gather their belongings before cleanup begins. Support services are offered to residents who are willing to accept them.”

Austin voters approved Proposition B, which reinstated a ban on public camping, in May 2021. This fall, the city spent $830,000 clearing an estimated 669 encampments in a three-week initiative to move people into shelters ahead of winter weather. Of the 1,212 people contacted during that sweep, 118 went to shelters, 81 were connected with services and 109 later returned to encampments. The remaining individuals refused services and left when approached by city staff.