Austin, Texas – What started as a list of over 45 possible homeless encampment sites has been narrowed down to two by the Austin City Council.

It's been two months since the city started its multi-phase rollout plan for the reinstatement of proposition B, which criminalized public camping on sidewalks and other selected areas throughout the city.

After months of debating needed amenities, costs, and proposed locations, City of Austin officials have narrowed the list of locations for city-sanctioned encampments to two.

Dianna Grey, the city's homeless strategy officer, released a memo on Monday evening, stating, "Both properties are owned by the City of Austin, are being held for future creation of affordable housing, and could be used temporarily until that development takes place."

The first preliminary city-owned site is located at 3111 Manor Road on the East side of I-35 in District 1. This location provides easy access to amenities and services such as grocery stores, and easy access to public transportation.

Additionally, this location is already fenced off and includes needed infrastructure like electricity and plumbing, while also offering nearby access to hiking and bike trails. This site also already includes five storage containers that have been climatized to fit window AC units. The enclosed space can be used for additional storage, office space, and more.

The second proposed site is located in Southwest Austin at 4011 Convict Hill in District 8. This location is also near amenities such as grocery stores, and within a 15-minute walk to bus lines and other forms of public transportation.

The locations offer ample space for city-operated homeless encampments to exist, but there are still challenges associated with both.

Fire risks need to be mitigated at the two proposed sites. At the Manor Road location, the nearest fire hydrant is over 2,000 feet away.

There are additional concerns over the Convict Hill site's lack of proximity to the city center, and the possible need for more transportation services other than bussing.

Given that this location is also within the Barton Springs area, the required permits and waivers to transform and prep the site may be difficult to get.

If the two sites remain under consideration, the memo states that City of Austin employees will set up a community engagement process in August to allow residents to provide their feedback on the proposed city-owned encampment sites.

A briefing with Mayor Adler and the Austin City Council will take place during the city councils' work session next Tuesday, July 27.