What is Proposition B (Prop B)?

Austin, Vote Yes on Prop B. Austin Proposition B, a prohibition on camping and limiting solicitation in public areas measure, is on the ballot as an initiative in Austin on May 1, 2021.

The Texas Supreme Court directed the Austin City Council to change the Proposition B ballot language following a lawsuit filed by signers of the initiative petition. You can read more about the lawsuit here. Save Austin Now is leading the campaign in support of Proposition B.[3]

On June 20, 2019, the Austin City Council voted unanimously to repeal an ordinance that prohibited panhandling in the downtown area. In a 9-2 vote, with Council Members Alison Alter and Kathryne Beth Tovo opposing, the council then voted to remove the prohibition on camping in public areas.

To reverse these votes, this measure was put on the ballot through a successful indirect initiative petition drive. In Austin, to place an initiated ordinance on the ballot petitioners must collect 5% of qualified voters of the city or 20,000, whichever number is the smaller. In January 2021, the number of qualified voters in Travis County was 553,166, and 5% of the qualified voters was 27,658.[10]

Save Austin Now, the sponsor behind the initiative, filed over 24,000 signatures with the city clerk. On February 4, the city clerk certified the petition as sufficient. On February 9, 2021, the Austin City Council voted to certify the initiative to the ballot.[11][12]

Proposition B has created a great deal of anxiety. Austin residents have said that their city is unrecognizable from just 2 years ago, with litter, trash, crime, and aggression rampant. The homeless population has ballooned as well. According to the Oxford Academic Journal “homeless campers are particularly vulnerable to violence, domestic abuse, drug use, and health issues” and “Long-term camping is associated with multiple adverse effects on the biophysical environment”. In addition to issues of safety, environmental stewardship, and public health, deregulated homeless camping challenges our emergency responders and has led to an increase in crime.

Proposition B for Austin on May 1

Proposition B covers the entire City of Austin and reinstates the laws from 2019 that banned camping in public spaces and aggressive panhandling. It will restore the safety that was lost when Mayor Adler and Councilman Casar removed all restrictions on “camping” publicly. Prop B is on the May 1st ballot. What all does it cover?

• It restores the law banning public “camping” citywide.

• It creates a law banning aggressive panhandling citywide.

• It restores the law on obstructing sidewalks by lying down in the Downtown and UT Campus area (think - sleeping in a doorway).

What Will Your Ballot Say?

The exact ballot language for this proposition, Proposition B on the May 1st ballot, is as follows [highlights are for clarity and broken into sections]. Please note that we at Save Austin Now filed suit against the city for intentionally creating misleading language, especially by attempting to confuse voters as to where the ordinance will apply.

"Shall an ordinance be adopted that would:

1. Create a criminal offense and a penalty for anyone sitting or lying down on a public sidewalk or sleeping outdoors in and near the Downtown area and the area around the University of Texas campus; [this section specifies downtown and UT for particular sidewalk-related obstructions]

2. Create a criminal offense and penalty for solicitation, defined as requesting money or another thing of value, at specific hours and locations or for solicitation in a public area that is deemed aggressive in manner; [this covers the entire City of Austin]

3. Create a criminal offense and penalty for anyone camping in any public area not designated by the Parks and Recreation Department" [this covers the entire City of Austin] ?