Advocacy
Public Safety
Making Downtown Safe & Welcoming
Downtown Austin is a place for everyone. We support policies to make it safe, clean and welcoming to visitors, residents and employees. Through our longtime partnership with Austin Police Department (APD), we have implemented initiatives to extend and supplement the department’s capacity to protect downtown.
See Our Full Advocacy Agenda⟶Increasing Visible Resources
The visible presence of police officers is a deterrent to crime and improves response times and perceptions of safety. More officers downtown and patrolling on foot and bicycles increases their visibility and opportunities to interact with the public and people needing assistance. We also advocate for increased enforcement of the sit, lie, camp ban. We fund an APD overtime patrol that puts two additional APD officers in the Downtown Public Improvement District from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
APD Recruiting⟶Expand Safety Camera System
We also provide funds to enhance APD’s HALO (High Activity Observation Location) camera system, which helps deter and solve crimes. A private camera interface should be funded and implemented to link private business and property cameras to the HALO system.
Mental Health Diversion Center
We support the cross-agency collaboration (Travis County, City of Austin, Integral Care, and Central Health) to create a Mental Health Diversion Center and implement an effective pilot should continue, including the appropriation of annual funding among the key partners. The Mental Health Diversion Center and pilot can provide offenders suffering from mental health issues with an alternative path other than jail, resulting in reduced recidivism and a safer community. The Downtown Alliance staff is represented on the Mental Health Diversion Steering Committee planning body.
Improve Cleanliness & Lighting
We advocate for increased oversight of alleyway cleaning services by Austin Resource Recovery. Litter and recycling cans should be appropriately maintained, located and fitted with locks. We also advocate for the development and implementation a downtown lighting plan.