The Democrat-controlled Austin City Council has approved using funds taken from the police budget to buy hotels to house the homeless.
The Austin City Council is purchasing at least one new hotel to house homeless people and using some $6.5 million slashed from the police budget to do it.
The city council voted in favor of the $6.7 million acquisition of Texas Bungalows Hotel & Suites in North Austin on Wednesday, but postponed a similar vote to purchase the Candlewood Suites in northwest Austin for $9.5 million until councilmembers have a chance to speak to business owners and community members about the project.
If both hotels are purchased, it would boost the total number of hotels designated to house homeless people to seven throughout the city. It would cost $3.8 million annually to run both hotels.