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Resident asks for outcome metrics after Fort Worth shifts encampment enforcement to Environmental Services
Summary
Randy Williams, a Fort Worth resident, asked how the city's new centralized approach to homelessness under the city manager will coordinate with enforcement teams and what metrics will measure outcomes after responsibility for encampment enforcement was shifted to Environmental Services. Staff offered to follow up.
Randy Williams, a Fort Worth resident, told the City Council during a public hearing that recent budget changes shifting homeless-encampment enforcement to the Environmental Services Department raise questions about coordination and outcomes.
"How will the city's new centralized approach to homelessness under the city manager's office ensure seamless coordination with on-the-ground enforcement teams in the environmental services, and police departments to not only clean up encampments, but also effectively connect individuals with housing and support services?" Williams asked. He also asked what metrics would be used to measure success and how the city would track outcomes for individuals displaced by cleanups.
Williams, who gave a Fort Worth address and said he works as an engineer in "Capell," described growing visible homelessness in neighborhoods and along transit corridors and urged the city to provide effective supports rather than only enforcement. The transcript records his concern that the situation is worsening despite ongoing budgeted spending on homelessness programs.
Mayor Maddie Parker responded by asking staff to follow up; the meeting record shows a staff commitment to connect Williams with Bethany Warner to discuss the concerns further. No formal policy or funding decision regarding encampment enforcement or metrics was made during the special-called meeting.
