Travis County Health & Human Services partners with ECHO to provide sanitation services at unincorporated encampments. There is no county camping ban, but illegal-dumping and biohazard rules apply, with TCSO assistance for cleanups.
Travis County Health & Human Services (TCHHS) coordinates with ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition) to deliver portable toilets, sharps disposal, and trash service at recurring unincorporated encampments. Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 365 and Travis County illegal-dumping rules forbid biohazardous accumulation, but enforcement is service-first; cleanups precede any TCSO clearance, and outreach workers connect campers with shelter beds. Inside Austin, the city Homeless Encampment Assistance Link (HEAL) program operates a parallel service. Federal CDC pandemic-era encampment guidance still informs county outreach protocols regarding COVID, hepatitis A, and tuberculosis screening.
Illegal-dumping violations under Texas Health & Safety Code 365.012 carry up to 4000 dollars fines and class C through state-jail felony charges depending on volume and material.
See how Austin's encampment sanitation rules stack up against other locations.
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