San Antonio residents, including those who live in District 10, were surveyed on what the city’s priorities should be, and addressing homelessness was among the top priorities. Marc Whyte, District 10 City Council member, said the "homeless crisis is a public safety and economic development issue," and that city leaders must strategically use their resources to protect residents and allow them to safely live and work in the city. On March 25, Whyte shared his plan.

In a nutshell

Whyte’s three-step plan calls for getting homeless individuals off city streets while at the same time ensuring taxpayer money isn’t used to pay for housing indefinitely for people “that should be taking care of themselves,” according to an email statement.

  1. San Antonio must stop taking homeless people from other cities and should collaborate with those cities to solve the issue.
  2. Remove from the streets as many homeless people using “temporary, low-barrier housing,” which Whyte said will reduce crime, litter and brush fires, and save tax payers money.
  3. Rehabilitate and train able-bodied people to quickly be self sustaining. For those who are “permanently physically or mentally disabled,” transfer them to more supportive housing.

What’s next

District 10 will host a town hall focused on homelessness. Panelists representing Haven for Hope, SAMMinistries, Department of Health Services, Corazon Ministries, the San Antonio Police Department and other organizations will be in attendance.

Quote of note

"Historically, the city has seemed to throw an endless amount of money at problems without a clear understanding of exactly what we are trying to achieve. I don’t like operating that way. When addressing any problem, it’s important to start with a clear plan and understand what exactly you want to accomplish,” Whyte said.