Student Safety re: Unhoused encampments/hotels etc

Colleagues,

As you know, in recent months, we have received communication from concerned RRISD citizens about
the City of Austin’s intent to purchase a hotel to house the homeless that is located one mile from
Grisham MS and one mile from Westwood HS.
I asked Pres Weir to put the following resolution on our regular May board meeting as an action agenda
item for a vote. She agreed and asked me to post proposed language here for you all to review in
advance in order to make our meeting more efficient.
We know that the majority of homeless individuals suffer from either mental illness, addiction, or both.
My family is no stranger to this difficulty as one of my own immediate family members was homeless for a period of
time a few years ago when he was addicted to drugs. There are differing opinions on whether
converting a hotel into a homeless residence is prudent or not. This proposed resolution does not
address that question. This resolution seeks to communicate a desired safer radius around our schools
to our municipal partners.
I have the name and phone number of an RRISD stakeholder who has been working for a long time with elected and
unelected municipal and legislative partners on this. Let me know if you’d like to speak to her and I’ll provide her name and number to you privately.

WHEREAS we, the Round Rock ISD Board of Trustees prioritize the safety of our students and staff
members and volunteers.
WHEREAS our students inside a two mile radius of their school do not receive bussing services so many of them
walk to school.
WHEREAS multiple reports of violent crime and fires in homeless encampments have been reported in
local media.
WHEREAS we believe that the needs of the homeless including having access to mental health and
addiction treatment should be addressed with the goal of reducing the number of unhoused persons.
WHEREAS we fully support our long-standing Families in Transition program as well as the efforts of our
partners including the Partners in Education Foundation to address the needs of our homeless students.
WHEREAS we stand ready to work with the City of Austin and other municipalities to collaborate on
solutions that will help unhoused persons gain long-term housing.
BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Board of Trustees oppose the establishment of homeless encampments,
hotels or other premises that are inside of a two mile radius of any RRISD school. We understand that
facilities for the homeless are needed. We believe these facilities should be outside of two miles from
our schools.