| |  |
Dear Neighbors,
In 2019, I voted against allowing public camping because I did not believe that the City had planned for the subsequent challenges we would face, such as maintaining the safety and sanitation of public spaces. As a city and a community I believe we should compassionately help our neighbors exit homelessness, and we should do so with a comprehensive strategy that addresses community concerns. I have heard from many constituents on this topic, and I share your frustration with the current situation.
Though I voted against the repeal, my office has invested hundreds of hours on these issues. My work has focused on three fronts:
- managing the safety and sanitation of public spaces;
- advocating with council colleagues and city staff to ensure we are advancing a comprehensive strategy with defined metrics for our investments; and
- addressing immediate housing, mental health, treatment, and employment opportunities and solutions for those experiencing homelessness.
I would like to use the balance of this letter to provide an overview of my efforts. Thanks for your patience in advance, this is a lengthy message ;)
Managing Public Spaces
When I speak with the City Manager and city staff, I frequently press for humane enforcement of our existing ordinances including appropriate resources and referrals to services. Reports regarding camping in parks have been particularly frustrating; when the Council majority voted to repeal the camping ban, camping in parks remained prohibited. Since March, COVID has presented unprecedented challenges and the CDC has recommended that people who are living in encampments remain where they are, further adding to the complexity of response. Following our efforts, staff have finally assured us that their new protocols will lead to a triage and prioritization process which should result in the vacation of many park sites more rapidly, after this week. New camps may pop up again, so please be sure to report any new camps to 311.
After the 9-2 vote by the Council majority to repeal the camping ban, many of you have expressed concerns about camping in other public spaces beyond parks. In District 10, the site we hear about most frequently is at 183 and Oak Knoll. Earlier this year, COVID required the City’s encampment response crews to pause their operations. At this time, monthly cleaning at these and other sites have recommenced along with regular visits from city departments to provide resources, referrals, assessments, COVID testing, and other public sanitation services that align with CDC guidelines. I will continue to work with city staff and service providers to ensure those in encampments are receiving services, targeted case management and intervention alongside the regular clean-ups.
We are better able to respond to site-specific developments when they are brought to our attention. Please always call 3-1-1 or 9-1-1 (as appropriate) so that a record of concerns is maintained by city departments. Please also email my office at District10@austintexas.gov, and provide as many details as possible, including your phone number so we can follow up if needed. Please also remember that Council Offices are unable to view posts on Next Door.
Working Towards a Comprehensive Strategy
Since I joined Council, we have identified homelessness as the top priority in our five year strategic plan (Strategic Direction 2023). We also have taken several steps forward, such as the authorization of an historic voter-approved $250 million affordable housing bond and adoption of Austin’s Action Plan to End Homelessness, created in partnership with the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO). Though we are making progress in our efforts (more below), I continue to push the City to do a better job of managing our resources, tying spending to concrete outcomes, and ensuring our investments are resulting in strategic solutions.
Earlier this year, Council commissioned nationally recognized homelessness consultant Barbara Poppe and Associates to analyze our practices and investments. Their report focused on recommendations and strategies to ensure that public and private investments into efforts to address homelessness in Austin have the maximum impact possible. I invite you to view their presentation and review the summary memo, which outlines many of the recommendations the City of Austin will be implementing over the next year as relates to the four components identified in the photo below.
|
| |
|
| In conjunction with the report, the City formed the Public-Private Partnership Task Force to End Homelessness which meets weekly to reform and refine a data-driven approach for increasing our permanent supportive housing and wrap-around resources. Members of the task force include the City of Austin, ECHO, the Downtown Austin Alliance, Caritas of Austin, Front Steps, Integral Care, LifeWorks, and the Salvation Army and they will be assisted by the University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs. The task force will focus on expanding capacity within our community’s crisis response and housing resources, including prevention and diversion, emergency shelter, rapid rehousing, and permanent supportive housing while also establishing and strengthening our metrics for programs and contracts. The University of Texas’ LBJ School of Public Affairs will assist the task force in strengthening its use of data in executing its strategies. As they do this work, the data and metrics will be publicly shared, but for now this dashboard serves as a repository where you can view and track data related to homelessness.
Investments in Housing and Related Homelessness Services
For too long the City invested money to address homelessness and our only metric of success was whether the money was spent; those days are over. To target our investments, we must remember that homelessness has many profiles. We have children who have aged out of foster care, families fleeing domestic violence, people actively working but who can’t afford rent, individuals struggling with abuse and addiction or mental health. All of these profiles require different interventions, and those interventions are now being aligned. Where we have targeted our efforts as we did a few years ago for veterans and now towards ending youth homelessness, we have seen real results. In January, for instance, we partnered with LifeWorks to fund a new housing development, the Works II in East Austin. This initiative allowed us to expand shelter and housing options for young parents exiting homelessness, youth experiencing homelessness, and youth who are aging out of the foster care system. By the first quarter of 2021 we should reach our goal of ending youth homelessness in Austin.
Motel Conversion Strategy
Our analysis continues to show a need for housing for single adults experiencing homelessness. In the last year we added emergency overnight shelter capacity for families through the newly opened Salvation Army Rathgeber Center for Families. This step also allowed the Salvation Army downtown shelter to focus on sheltering single adults. We also have added a number of units of permanent supportive housing in the city.
We now know our system lacks a bridge between emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing. Bridge housing is necessary to stabilize single adults and transition them into self-sufficiency. Collaboration between our staff and service providers led them to establish the Motel Conversion Strategy.
Using a Housing First approach, the City is acquiring motels to convert into single occupancy units that offer stability and wrap around services. The City intends to purchase between 1-3 additional facilities and deploy 300 units total. The City initiated its first motel purchase late last year and finalized the transaction this Spring. Due to the pandemic, the facility is being utilized for temporary shelter services. Once the pandemic is clear, the motel’s 87 units will be rehabilitated for housing purposes and they will become part of the City’s homelessness portfolio. The motel will be managed by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), and you can read more about its current use in the section below. To learn more about the Motel Conversion Strategy, I invite you to review this memo.
Homelessness and COVID Response
COVID has created unique challenges for the City’s homelessness response, and it has required innovation and new investments. When the pandemic hit Austin, an isolation facility (ISOFAC) was secured for individuals who are awaiting test results or have tested positive for COVID-19 positive and cannot safely self-isolate.
In addition to the ISOFAC, five temporary shelter options (ProLodges) were secured for people experiencing homelessness who:
- are at high risk of severe complications;
- may have been exposed, but exposure has not been confirmed; or
- have recovered and are being discharged from theISOFAC.
Five of the six facilities were financed through the General Fund but the costs will be reimbursed with federal CARES Act and FEMA funding earmarked for this purpose. One ProLodge facility being used during the pandemic is the aforementioned motel facility the City bought earlier this year. Once the ProLodges are no longer needed, the facility will be used for bridge housing or permanent supportive housing. Please review this memo for additional details regarding the City’s comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic and provision of services related to homelessness including food, hygiene, and case management.
2020-2021 Budget Investments
Austin’s homelessness services system aims to address the needs of the estimated 10,350 individuals experiencing homelessness in Austin/Travis County throughout the year, not just the estimated 2,506 individuals captured in the Point in Time Count as currently in emergency shelter or unsheltered on one morning in January. We invest in programs to prevent homelessness and displacement in the first place and fund transitional housing and permanent supportive housing units. This year’s investments are aligned with our strategic outcomes and will have contract metrics that drive us towards long-term success. The 2020-2021 proposed budget by the City Manager included investments in three categories:
- $20.5 million to initiatives aimed at preventing individuals and families from experiencing homelessness.
- $31.9 million for crisis mitigation programs to address the most acute conditions of homelessness; and
- $8.6 million in strategies aimed at re-empowering persons experiencing homelessness.
These numbers include considerable funding passed through to the city for these purposes from federal or state sources.
Some of the base allocations were increased by Council amendments, including:
- funding for integrated mental health response, substance use disorder treatment, case management, permanent supportive housing and employment training;
- purchase of a domestic violence shelter and funding for wrap around services for survivors of domestic violence;
- additional funding for the Workforce First program run by The Other Ones Foundation that trains and employs people experiencing homelessness to clean parks;
- additional funding for the Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST) to expand the program beyond downtown; and
- funding for additional Community Health Paramedics, whose responsibilities will include medical care and other resources for individuals experiencing homelessness.
How You Can Help
If you are a landlord or realtor, I hope you also will consider partnering with the city to reduce the barriers for getting stabilized individuals into existing housing units. Right now, the application process for units can prevent many individuals from being approved. The City is exploring options with realtors and landlords to work around these obstacles. Under this possibility, the City and its service partners would stabilize individuals, guarantee their rent, and provide wrap around services. Landlords would agree to rent units to those individuals, and we could more quickly house folks in existing vacant units.
I know that homelessness is on the minds of many in my district and I hope this letter provides useful information on our efforts to meet the needs of the homeless and our community. Thank you for reading to the end.
Regards,
Alison Alter
Council Member, District 10 |
| | Table of Contents - RISE Funds: Lottery Application Opens September 14-21
- In-Home COVID-19 Tests
- Be Counted! Complete the 2020 Census
- Voter Registration Deadlines and Mail-In Ballots
- Reimagining Public Safety: New Website Launch and D10 Event on Sept. 26
- 2021 Redistricting Commission: Applications Open Through Sept. 30
- Naming Contest for New Zilker Train
- Viva Mexico! Mexican Independence Day – September 16
- Onsite Water Reuse Public Workshop – September 23
|
| | | RISE Funds: Lottery Application Opens September 14-21
The City of Austin is offering $10 million in Relief in a State of Emergency (RISE) funds to individuals in Austin and Travis County. These federal CARES Act funds will be distributed directly to individuals who apply and are chosen through a randomized selection process. Chosen applicants will receive $2,000 per household and may use the funds for rent, utilities and other financial assistance required for persons affected by COVID-19. The online portal will be open Sept. 14-21: https://fund.uptogether.org/rise2.
Eligibility Requirements
- At or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level;
- Resident of Austin-Travis County, Texas;
- 18 Years of Age or Older;
- Experiencing hardship related to COVID-19; and
- Have not received other financial assistance in the past 30 days.
Third-party organizations, El Buen Samaritano and Family Independence Initiative (FII), will be answering questions via phone from Sept. 8-11. Prospective applicants can call (512) 714-6950 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m if they have questions. To learn more, visit the RISE website. |
| | In-Home COVID-19 Tests
Austin Public Health is providing free COVID-19 testing for those who are unable to leave their home to visit a test site. Home testing units allow medical professionals to administer tests in the patient’s home, helping to limit person-to-person spread by keeping potentially infected residents quarantined at home. This type of testing is ideal for anyone with mobility issues, underlying health issues, or those lacking transportation within the Austin-Travis County area. Learn more about testing options on the City’s COVID website.
Please note: home testing is still in its pilot phase, and the availability of this program may change in the future based on staff capacity and public demand.
|
| | | To sign up for a home test, please call the nurse hotline at 512-972-5560. A trained professional will walk you through an assessment and then help schedule a home test.
What to Expect before the Test: You will receive a phone call the morning of your test asking you to confirm that you signed up for and will be home for your scheduled COVID-19 test. If you do not receive a phone call the morning of your test, a nurse will arrive at your residence during your scheduled appointment.
|
| | | Be Counted! Complete the 2020 Census
The new deadline to fill out the 2020 Census is Wednesday, September 30th. If you haven’t done so already, make sure you log on to https://www.2020census.gov/ and fill out your household’s Census form online, by phone, or by mail.
A lot is at stake in the 2020 Census, and our communities can't afford an undercount. Essential neighborhood resources like street improvements, school lunches for children in need, and housing for seniors and families will all be gained or lost because of the 2020 Census.
Stand up and be counted in 2020!
|
| | | Voter Registration Deadlines and Mail-In Ballots
Are you registered to vote in the upcoming election? Did you recently change your address or name? Visit VoteTravis.com to check your voter registration status, register to vote, find polling locations near you, and more. The deadline to register to vote in person or via mail is (postmarked by) October 5, 2020. If you moved within Travis County or changed your name, you can update your voter registration online.
Due to COVID-19 delays, all eligible voters are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Please do not delay your registration.
If you wish to vote by mail this year, you must submit a mail-in ballot application. The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is (received by) October 23, 2020. Again, please do not delay submitting your application. The Travis County Clerk’s Office is reporting very high numbers of applications and recommends voters submit their applications and ballots as soon as possible. Learn more about how to vote by mail by visiting the Travis County Clerk’s website.
Early voting begins on October 13, 2020 and Election Day is November 3, 2020.
|
| | | Reimagining Public Safety: New Website Launch and D10 Event on Sept. 26
To help the public stay engaged with the Reimagining Public Safety process, the City of Austin launched a website (austintexas.gov/publicsafety) containing information, updates, and ways to engage.
Starting this month, residents will have several opportunities to provide input on the City’s reimagining efforts. Join me for the District 10 listening session on Sept. 26 at 10 a.m. More information about how to participate in this event will be available in my next newsletter, on my Facebook, and on the City’s public safety website.
Below, you will find more ways to engage in this process. You can learn more about those opportunities in the Share Input section on the website.
More opportunities will be added in the coming weeks. If you have questions about the Reimagining Public Safety public input process email publicsafetyinfo@austintexas.gov.
|
| | | Viva Mexico! Mexican Independence Day – September 16
The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican-American Cultural Center (ESB-MACC) will host its annual Viva México celebration on Wednesday, September 16th from 6-9 p.m. This lively celebration will be offered completely virtually, free of charge for all, live streamed on Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter. The celebration will include music and dance performances by local Austin artists. Captivating actor and director Roen Salinas, founder of Aztlan dance, will be the Master of Ceremonies, delivering a live presentation of presentations, performances, and programming.
This year’s celebration will explore the Grito. What are some of the Gritos from our communities in the year 2020? Currently, there are calls of action from the community, passionate voices to be amplified and diverse interpretations of freedom and independence. The Consulate General of México Pablo Marentes will give the classic Grito de Independencia to close out the evening with high energy and hopes for the future.
The ESB-MACC is also partnering with local organizations to offer a full week of activities and events related to Mexican Independence and Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month. Learn more about the week's events and find ways to participate here. |
| | | 2021 Redistricting Commission: Applications Open Through Sept. 30
The Austin City Auditor has 21 days left in the redistricting effort to recruit Austinites to apply for the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, which will be responsible for redrawing the City Council districts and shape Austin’s future.
As of Sept. 8, the Auditor’s Office has received 269 applications for the commission. The deadline to apply is Sept. 30. The application process opened on June 1.
The 14-member Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will redraw the boundaries of the council districts.
The Applicant Review Panel will select 60 of the most qualified applicants for the redistricting commission. Three independent auditors with CPAs will be selected to serve on the panel. The deadline to apply for the panel closed on Sept. 1. The Auditor’s Office received 44 applications.
To learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply for the Commission, visit redistrictatx.org.
|
| | | Naming Contest for New Zilker Train
Join Austin Parks Foundation in finding a name for the new Zilker Train! Though the Zilker Zephyr has moved on, APF is excited to invite the community to submit ideas for the name of a brand new train that will make its anticipated appearance in Zilker Park next Summer.
Visit austinparks.org/zilker-train to upload your coloring sheet or submit your name ideas now through September 21st. The most popular ideas will then be announced at APF’s Party for the Parks on September 30th, and voting will open for the final selection. |
| | | | Onsite Water Reuse Public Workshop – September 23
Austin Water is seeking review and feedback on an ordinance to establish regulations in Chapter 15 of City Code (Utility Regulations) for the voluntary design, treatment, permitting, and ongoing maintenance of alternative water sources that are treated for reuse for non-potable applications (Onsite Water Reuse Systems). These regulations are being implemented to advance Austin Water’s Water Forward Plan, which was adopted by City Council in 2018. The plan recommended adopting ordinances and incentives to increase capture, treatment and reuse of onsite alternative water supplies in new development.
Please join Austin Water for a virtual public workshop on Wednesday, September 23 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Click Here for the Workshop Link
The workshop will provide background and training on the proposed regulatory framework and new incentives to reuse water onsite in development projects. In addition, the workshop will cover updates to commercial, industrial and institutional conservation ordinances that align with the Water Forward Plan. The workshop is targeted to individuals involved in the design, operation and management of commercial and multi-family buildings and their mechanical and plumbing systems.
Click Here for the Workshop Link via Microsoft Teams
Click Here to Join the Meeting via Your Web Browser
Select Watch on the web instead to join without downloading new software. This works best if you don’t want to install new software. You’ll be able to connect using your computer audio, view the presentation slides and type questions into the chat box. You can join anonymously or provide your name. If you prefer, you can download the free Microsoft Teams App for Windows or Mac on your computer below.
Click Here to Download Teams onto Your Tablet or Mobile Device
If you’re on the go, you can join the meeting by downloading the free Microsoft Teams App, when prompted. You will be able to connect using your device audio, view the presentation slides and type questions into the chat box.
Click Here to Download Teams onto Your Desktop |
| | | | |
