| | Dear Neighbors,
Sometimes repetition is valuable. This is one of those times.
As your representative, I am asking you to STAY HOME, STAY SAFE. This is not a drill. The choices each of us make over the next few weeks are truly a matter of life and death. We need everyone who can to stay home and refrain from activities outside the home that are not essential. We have a window to slow the spread of COVID-19, and each of us needs to recognize our duty to help.
Today we received word of our community’s first COVID-19 related death. The deceased was a woman over the age of 70 with significant underlying health conditions. As we mourn this loss and share condolences with her loved ones, I ask that each of us reflect on what we individually can do to prevent further deaths.
Really truly, we have the power to influence the trajectory of the pandemic in Austin. Whether we succeed or not depends on our ability to reduce physical contact considerably.
To better understand the importance of our actions, please review the new University of Texas study projecting the demands on our healthcare system under different COVID-19 spread scenarios.
Yesterday, we demonstrated social distancing at our first council meeting. I participated remotely via Webex along with five other colleagues and the city attorney. The city manager, mayor, and four council members attended in chambers. We heard from dozens of citizens who dialed in to speak to us remotely. We also heard from staff remotely and in chambers. I anticipate we will conduct our next several meetings in a similar manner.
This is what my screen looked like and how chambers appeared.
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| We had a full agenda addressing both COVID-19 related items and other city business. We took several steps to help small businesses, workers and residents, and I encourage you to check out the section below my letter to read details about each COVID-19-related item Council approved yesterday.
The agenda was followed by a very informative briefing on COVID-19 and city actions. We were briefed by Dr. Mark Escott (EMS System Medical Director, Interim Health Authority and Public Health Medical Director, City of Austin-Travis County), Stephanie Hayden (Austin Public Health Director), Veronica Briseño (Economic Development Director), Juan Ortiz (City of Austin’s Homeland Security Management Office Director), and Jon Hockenyos (an economic advisor to the city). Other staff responded to council questions as needed. I encourage you to view the briefing for yourself.
In this newsletter, I have included many COVID-19 related links along with some new ways for our community to help those most vulnerable.
As always, please reach out to us at district10@austintexas.gov if we can be of assistance.
Stay Safe.
Best wishes,
Alison Alter
Council Member, District 10 |
| | Table of Contents - March 26th COVID-19 Council Action
- UT Austin Pandemic Modeling
- All Together ATX Fund
- Easy Tiger 10,000 Loaves Community Challenge
- The Other Ones Foundation Mobile Hygiene Clinic
- Austin Asian American COVID-19 Relief Fund
- Coronavirus Information from Austin Public Health
- Other Ways to Help and Donate
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| | | March 26th COVID-19 Council Action
Council passed two items to execute an Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDLP), which will provide bridge working capital loans for up to $35,000 for Austin small businesses that can demonstrate economic injury associated with the COVID-19 global pandemic. These low interest loans enable qualifying businesses to distribute their losses over time and retain employees through to a recovery period. The EIDLP will work in conjunction with an applicant’s request for federal assistance through the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
I introduced amendments to expand eligibility to cover medical practices and landlords and to reduce the number of required employees to one to help solo providers such as hair stylists. $5.7 million is available for this program through the Family Business Loan Program Fund.
Program criteria, eligibility, and requirements can be found here. More information is available here.
This resolution was an emergency item regarding evictions; these requirements only apply for tenants who have lost wages or income as a result of the coronavirus, and it sets up notice and payment plan requirements to cure any delinquency. The resolution builds upon an independent announcement from our local justices of the peace, delaying all eviction proceedings until after May 8th. It also relies on a March 19th announcement from the Texas Supreme Court which issued an emergency order to halt any action for eviction until April 19. The exact language of the resolution can be read here, and the requirements begin in Section 4.
The economic impact of the loss of work, wages, and income will have broad repercussions for many individuals. In the current context, it is important to recognize that evictions also lead to potentially large public health consequences should individuals lose their housing and become exposed to greater person-to-person contact. The Texas Supreme Court as well as the local justice system paused the ability to issue evictions for that reason. Since this resolution was posted, I raised the questions and concerns I’ve heard from landlords who may be financially impacted by these requirements. The City Manager, Mayor Adler and the Council are all working to determine what additional relief options we can provide to landlords impacted by these new requirements.
This initiative allows the city to quickly mobilize to address the public health and economic crises connected to COVID- 19. It provides guidance and authorization to explore, create and adapt programs to assist those economically impacted by the public health crisis and connect businesses and residents to economic resources. The resolution also provides the authorization needed to leverage all public and private options available at the local, state, and federal level to help address the larger public health related issues of COVID-19.
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| | | UT Austin Pandemic Modeling
Led by District 10 constituent Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers, a team of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin has released a public report showing preliminary results from their analysis of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Austin-Round Rock area. These projections make it clear how important strict social distancing is with respect to the number of severe cases we could see.
The models show multiple scenarios of varying social distancing levels, from no social distancing to reducing non-household contacts by 90%.
Please take a moment to look at the report and the models, and let's be especially vigilant about social distancing and heightened hygiene practices so that we can best protect our community. |
| | | | | All Together ATX Fund
The Austin Community Foundation and United Way for Greater Austin have partnered to create the All Together ATX Fund to support communities experiencing economic and health-related hardships caused by COVID-19. This community-led philanthropic fund will provide flexible resources to nonprofit organizations working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and the economic consequences of the outbreak.
The All Together ATX fund is designed to complement the work of public health officials and expand local capacity to address all aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak as effectively and efficiently as possible.
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| | | Easy Tiger 10,000 Loaves Community Challenge
Easy Tiger is partnering with Drive A Senior, Central Texas Food Bank, Mobile Loaves & Fishes and Keep Austin Fed to help feed those severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
Easy Tiger is committed to baking 10,000 loaves of bread to donate to the community over the next 60 days, but they need your help!
How You Can Help: - Order Curbside or Delivery and add bread to your order. Easy Tiger will match every bread purchase with a loaf for the community (up to 2,000 loaves).
- Donate a "Community Loaf" for $3 from the bread menu; add as many as you like.
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| | | The Other Ones Foundation Mobile Hygiene Clinic
The MHC will travel the city offering the following services: - showers and toilets
- hygiene items/toiletries
- new clothes
- first aid supplies
TOOF also will be offering grocery bags with one week’s supply of food, and they need your help! They need donations of non-perishable, single serving foods (e.g. beef jerky, protein bars, nuts, peanut better/jelly, tortillas, veggie/fruit snack packs, etc.).
TOOF also needs liquid soaps and shampoo, toothbrushes/toothpaste, razors/shaving cream, socks, underwear (for men and women), and white t-shirts.
If you want to donate items without heading to the store, TOOF has created an Amazon Wish List! Be sure to select the correct address (Gift Registry address under “Other Addresses”) when checking out.
Bags can also be dropped off at TOOF HQ right behind the Oak Hill United Methodist Church at 7815 Hwy 290 Austin, TX 78736. Pickup can be coordinated by calling (512) 568-7557.
All donations are tax deductible, just ask for a tax receipt.
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| | | Austin Asian American COVID-19 Relief Fund
Several local Asian Pacific American organizations are teaming up to save lives by supplying local medical professionals with N95 masks. The organizers of the Austin Asian American COVID-19 Relief Fund have the ability to secure masks from certified manufacturers that can be shipped in a week, and 100% of donations go directly to the purchase and delivery of N95 masks for frontline healthcare workers in Austin.
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| | | Coronavirus Information from Austin Public Health
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| | | | | | | | | | Other Ways to Help and Donate
In previous newsletters I've highlighted several local ways to donate time, money or other resources to help those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Below, you'll find a list we've compiled of opportunities to help. |
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