Austin City Council extends Downtown Austin Community Court services to entire city

The recommendations formed at a DACC meeting in March, included adding two clinical case managers to its staff, securing a permanent facility for the DACC, and provide ongoing funding for its currently employed clinical case managers as well as maintain the Violet KeepSafe Storage Program.

Austin (KXAN) — The Austin City Council approved starting the process to extend funding to its Downtown Austin Community Court, as well as expanding its service area. The court serves as a homeless diversion program and would now serve the entire city not just downtown.

A memo from the City of Austin earlier this month shared recommendations the DACC submitted for consideration in the next fiscal year.

The recommendations formed at a DACC meeting in March included adding two clinical case managers to its staff, securing a permanent facility for the DACC, and providing ongoing funding for its currently employed clinical case managers as well as maintaining the Violet KeepSafe Storage Program.

The total cost of these budget recommendations as listed is $2,856,400.

The DACC was established in 1999 and provides defendants who are homeless with sentences that aim to address quality of life issues that could lead to repeat offending.

Among its recommendations, the DACC has also asked the city to address some code ordinances on low-level offenses and how they are processed in the courts.

A document on these suggestions listed the DACC’s top 10 case types as public intoxication, disorderly conduct, possession of drug paraphernalia, sit/lie violations, consuming alcohol in a public place, pedestrian in the roadway, human waste, littering, simple assault by contact, and theft less than $100.