Business owners warn Austin is 'just a few years behind San Francisco' as homeless, crime crises escalate
Austin nonprofit claims more than 5,400 unhoused individuals roam streets on any given day
FOX Business' Grady Trimble reports from Austin, Texas, where business owners raise concerns about crime and homeless crises impacting the city's quality of life.
Calls are growing to get Austin’s homeless and crime crises under control as more business owners and nonprofits warn that zero action has been taken by the Texas city.
"They say that we are a few years behind San Francisco, usually in Austin," Documenting Austin's Streets and Homeless head Jamie Hammonds told FOX Business’ Grady Trimble on "Varney & Co." Thursday. "And we're starting to see that."
"We've had a few windows broken. We've had a few people camping in carports behind the house, actually," Austin-area realtor Jordan Moorhead also told Trimble. "We have a listing I keep running somebody off from right now."
Through investigative filmmaking, Hammonds’ organization has captured shocking footage showing the damage and debris left behind by Austin’s homeless encampments, which have been neglected of clean-up.
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And according to the latest May data from the nonprofit Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), there are an estimated 5,455 people experiencing homelessness in Austin or Travis County on any single day.
Randy Twede, 70, sits in the shade while waiting for the bus. Twede is a homeless resident living in Austin, Texas. (Getty Images)
"Just recently we were starting to get some things done from the city where they started to clean the encampment out and getting the folks off the street," Craig O’s Pizza & Pastaria owner Craig Plackis previously said on "The Big Money Show."
"But what we're hearing is that, once they get them into the housing," the pizzeria owner continued, "they're maybe staying there a day or two and then getting right back on the street again."
Both Hammonds and Moorhead echoed Plackis’ sentiments, claiming transient individuals are attracted to the area for homeless services and shoplifting opportunities.
CraigO's Pizza & Pastaria owner Craig Plackis and The Joint Chiropractic owner Larry Maddalena tell 'The Big Money Show' Austin's homeless crisis is getting worse under the city's depleted police force.
"[In] San Francisco, you see where they're locking products up because shoplifting is flourishing. And it's starting to happen here for sure," Hammonds said.
"They even scared away a [home] stager," Moorhead recalled recently. "We were looking to get the house staged so we can list it, it's not on the market. And there's a sleeping bag on the porch."
Local police reportedly lack manpower to deal with crime or disputes as the department remains 300 officers short, the union told Trimble.
Reacting to the report, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Dr. Ben Carson reminded city leaders that logic and common sense must play a policy role.
Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson joined ‘Varney & Co.’ to discuss recent reports that Austin, Texas’ homeless problem is starting to strain local police and businesses.
"Recognize that at least 60% of the people who are out there on the street either have a mental problem or a drug problem. And housing first is not going to solve that," Carson also said on "Varney & Co."
"At some point we need to start looking at the data and using those incredible brains that we have to figure out how this is done in an appropriate way to keep people off the street in a permanent fashion," he continued. "Also, facilitating their life on the street by not prosecuting theft is not helpful either."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a city of Austin spokesperson labeled the homelessness problem as a "multifaceted national challenge" due to external factors like housing affordability, economic opportunity, access to healthcare, employment and transportation.
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"Its causes and solutions extend beyond the scope of enforcement measures and municipal authority alone," the spokesperson said. "While local police enforce public camping ordinances regularly across our community, Austin is making substantial investments in expanding emergency shelter capacity, increasing our community’s supply of deeply affordable housing, and working with partners to improve mental healthcare access to those who need support and assistance to realize health and stability."
The spokesperson also clarified the city is actively working with local business leaders like Plackis, Hammonds and Moorhead to resolve any concerns.