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The City of Austin is making significant improvements in addressing the issue of people living homeless. In fact, this last year was the first time in five years that there was a decline in those who became homeless.  Over the weekend, the City of Austin announced a multi-week, large-scale effort to connect people to resources and clean/decommission encampments throughout the city. This City effort began on Monday. Our Homeless Strategy Office put together this concerted effort with significant support from several city departments, including Austin Resource Recovery (ARR), Transportation and Public Works (TPW), Austin Police Department (APD), Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), and Austin Emergency Management. Since the effort began on Monday (10/20), the City of Austin has: ✅Cleaned 46 total encampments and visited an additional 29 sites for outreach. ✅Austin Police gave one person life-saving CPR. ✅Completed approximately 50% of clearing all underpasses and frontage roads from William Cannon Drive on Mopac to TX-360 Loop/Capital of Texas Hwy. ✅Completed clearing of East Cesar Chavez and East Seventh Street from I-35 to Pleasant Valley Road, including adjacent roadways and alleys. Encampment management is an important part of the homeless strategy plan passed earlier this year. The plan is proving successful, but it takes time and funding. We've passed a budget that fully funds the plan, including additional funding for camp outreach and cleanup. And, once cleaned up, there is the need to maintain the area and prevent future encampments. These activities are personnel intensive and cost money. Simply cleaning up a camp and not having a place for people to go, such as a shelter or other housing, doesn’t solve the main issue— it just moves vulnerable people someplace else in the city. The city has also put significant resources into those aspects so that we don't just move the problem from one place to another. We will give regular updates on this city effort.

For Immediate Release February 24, 2025 TCRP Chair Mackowiak Announces Resignation After 10+ Years of Service Executive Committee Can Choose New Chair at Mar. 11 Meeting for Term Through March 2026 AUSTIN, TX — Travis County Republican Party (TCRP) Chair Matt Mackowiak today announced that he is stepping down effective immediately. Mackowiak has served as the volunteer Chair of one of the largest Texas County GOP organizations since June 2017 to succeed Travis County GOP Chair James Dickey after he was elected State GOP chair. “There is a season for everything, and this past weekend my wife Amy and I decided that our most important goals are starting a family and creating financial security,” said Mackowiak. “These wonderful opportunities deserve my complete focus and so as we begin a new year, I believe it is a good time for a transition to new leadership at TCRP.” Mackowiak began serving as a TCRP precinct chair in 2012 and served as Vice Chair from 2015-2017. “I am immensely proud of all the work we have done these past 7+ years,” said Mackowiak. “It is no secret that Travis County is one of the most Democratic counties in Texas, but with the hard work of our dedicated staff, the generous support of our donors, and the selfless sacrifice of our volunteers and activists, we have had major victories during my time as Chair. This is a record of which I am proud.” In his time as Chair, Mackowiak has managed eight Executive Directors: Olga Lasher, Gary Teal, Brian Ruddle, Spencer Davis, Josh Goldman, Joseph Walter and Leland Bickers. Deputy Executive Director Lauren Day and Communications Director Andy Hogue have served throughout his entire term. “As I end my service to TCRP, I want to thank everyone who has worked for us,” said Mackowiak. “Each of our Executive Directors has served with distinction and focus, helping us make daily progress while balancing many different tasks and requests. Our success in my time as Chair is largely due to the incredible work of Lauren in managing our fundraising program. We created the Chairman’s Circle and Sustainers donor programs to turbo charge our fundraising and they have done just that. Our Reagan Galas have consistently been the largest GOP events in Austin history, requiring immense staff time to manage the venue, ticketing, sponsors, speakers and volunteers. Lauren has been a extraordinary partner and I am deeply grateful for her service and her friendship. Andy Hogue has been reliable, thoughtful and professional in helping TCRP grow its brand, respond to media requests, manage our social and email accounts, design programs and social graphics, and spread our message locally. I have tremendous confidence in our current staff at TCRP as our executive committee elects a new chair.” When Mackowiak became TCRP chair, the annual budget hovered around $40,000. In his first year, it increased to nearly $150,000, then doubled in 2018. All told, Chairman Matt Mackowiak raised $1.75M during his tenure. “Raising considerable resources for a County Party requires intense effort to build relationships, create and execute attractive events, and follow up to bring in contributions, all while making promises and keeping your word,” said Mackowiak. “We’ve massively raised the baseline for TCRP, and I believe the next leadership team can build on it if they continue with our vision of growing the party, winning elections and advancing conservatism.” As Chairman, Mackowiak spent considerable time recruiting candidates for local, county, state and federal office and working to win as many elections as possible with finite resources. Conservatives are benefiting from taxpayer advocates being elected to local office in many of our jurisdictions, including Lakeway, Bee Cave, Leander, Pflugerville, Cedar Park, and Manor, and on school boards in Lake Travis ISD, Round Rock ISD, and Leander ISD, among others. “I am particularly proud of the reform-minded conservative fighters serving our communities across Travis County, as well as our Travis County representatives at the state (Ellen Troxclair, Donna Campbell) and federal (Michael McCaul, Chip Roy, and Pete Sessions) levels,” said Mackowiak. “We are tremendously proud that we have a new statewide official who lives in Travis County with Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, who ably represented us in the Texas Senate previously. It has been a pleasure to work closely with all our elected officials and I am grateful for their friendship and partnership with TCRP.” TCRP leadership has placed an important focus on advancing the platform and supporting solid conservative legislation during Mackowiak’s tenure. “I have testified at the Texas Legislature every session as Chair, and I have work closely with the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker’s offices, as well as individual legislative offices to advance our priorities, especially in public safety, homelessness, election integrity, and on pro life and 2ndamendment legislation. I am proud of our Legislative Committee which Bonnie Seelig is chairing and I know our precinct chairs and supporters will remain engaged this legislative session as we have so many opportunities to pass important reforms.” As TCRP Chair, Mackowiak also made significant gains on election integrity, especially in 2024, as election auditability was demanded in the primary contract and TCRP was allowed to hand count mail ballots in the 2024 GOP primary. “The county chair must fight for the rights of our voters and always seek to improve election integrity, and I am proud of our record on this,” said Mackowiak. “We must work constructively with Travis County Elections and the Secretary of State’s office, but we must also hold them accountable and ensure our elections are conducted within all applicable federal and state laws. TCRP outside counsel Donna Davidson has been a particularly helpful partner in this area for many years and we are grateful for her service. I also want to specifically thank Erin Pardeiro and Elizabeth Baron for their many hours of service in this area.” Finally, Mackowiak specifically wants to thank everyone who has served as a precinct chair during his tenure. “Our precinct chairs are our lifeblood – they are the beating heart of TCRP,” said Mackowiak. “I have so many dear friends who have been precinct chairs. To all who have served and continue to serve, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please stay in the fight – we need you!” A chair transition will now begin. TCRP bylaws Section 3. A vacancy in the office of County Chairman must be filled in accordance with the provisions of the Texas Election Code [TEC 171.025]. A majority of the membership of the Executive Committee must participate in an election to fill a vacancy in the office of County Chairman [TEC 171.024(b)]. Texas Election Code EC 171.025: (a) If a vacancy occurs in the office of county chair, the secretary of the county executive committee shall call a meeting for the purpose of filling the vacancy. If a committee member files with the secretary a written request for a meeting to fill a vacancy, the secretary shall call the meeting to convene not later than the 20th day after the date the secretary receives the request. (b) If the committee does not have a secretary or if after receiving a written request under Subsection (a) the secretary fails to call the meeting, the state chair, on written request of a member of the county executive committee filed with the state chair, shall call the meeting to convene not later than the 20th day after the date the chair receives the request. (c) The authority calling the meeting shall notify each committee member in advance of the meeting of its time, place, and purpose. (d) The authority calling the meeting shall designate a committee member as temporary chair, who shall call the meeting to order and preside until the vacancy is filled. (e) In a county with a population of less than 5,000, a vacancy in the office of county chair may be filled by appointment by the state chair of a person who is not a resident of the county if: (1) the person resides in a county in this state with a population of less than 5,000 that is adjacent to the county in which the vacancy occurs; and (2) the secretary of state approves the appointment of the person under procedures prescribed by the Secretary of State “I would suggest that a new Chair be elected at our March 11 meeting and that our excellent Secretary Penny Handsel call that election as quickly as possible to give candidates time to campaign and meet with our members of the executive committee who will be selecting the next Chair,” said Mackowiak. “The timing of the election will be up to the Steering Committee which is meeting tomorrow evening.” In his professional career, Mackowiak has advised countless winning campaigns at the local, county, state and federal level, helping elect five members of Congress from Texas. His firm also offers public relations and business advising services. “I am honored to have served as TCRP chair and I will always be here to advise or help any TCRP chair in the future,” said Mackowiak. “I’m not going anywhere. I will just be serving in a different role, and I am excited to begin this new chapter. Again, thank you all.” To learn more about the Travis County GOP, please visit https://t.co/TdcZJDAHjT. # # #