Under Mario Bravo’s predecessor, Roberto Treviño, the District 1 field office near IH-10 and Vance Jackson, next to the Westfall Library, had been a safe haven for people experiencing homelessness to camp out. The situation has exasperated neighbors in the surrounding area, though, who hope the new councilman will get rid of the camp.

SAN ANTONIO – There are now small signs of progress for a pilot program launched by San Antonio District 1 this summer in the Dellview community at Vance Jackson and I-10 to deal with the homeless population. The pilot program brings San Antonio police, city services, Solid Waste Management and nonprofits to the streets where they work with homeless individuals to guide them toward services. The city is considering expanding similar outreach groups to all San Antonio districts as the Department of Human Services Homeless Street Outreach Team. 11 homeless outreach teams for San Antonio proposed for FY 2021On Thursday, District 8 will host a Homelessness Virtual Town Hall from 5:30 - 7 p.m. The panel will include SAPD SAFFE officers, Haven for Hope and City of San Antonio Department of Human Services.

SAN ANTONIO Outreach teams that could help connect the citys estimated 1,300 unsheltered homeless residents with services would cover every corner of the city under the current proposed budget. Human Services Director Melody Woosley told council members during a budget work session Tuesday that the proposed budget for FY 2021 includes $1.17 million to pay for 11 teams of full-time homeless outreach specialist and paid interns -- one team per council district and one downtown. This new outreach team will cover all geographic areas of the city to build consistent rapport with people who are homeless and build trust, Woosley said. The proposed budget only includes $560,451 in recurring general fund for six full-time positions and 11 paid, part-time graduate-level interns. However, Woosley indicated that additional federal funds for COVID-19 relief would help the city pay for 11 full-time positions.

SAN ANTONIO – Park benches, bus stops, streets and sidewalks are just a few of the places Dellview neighborhood residents say are being taken over by homeless vagrants. They brought undercover agents patrolling, regular patrol agents,” said Jeroen Zijlema, with the Dellview Citizen on Patrol group. He said the neighborhood is nothing like it used to be because of the growing homeless population. While some were directed to shelters, others living on the streets who were found to have active warrants were taken to jail. So what we’re trying to do together with the sheriff’s department is make this a reoccurring activity,” Zijlema said.