REGULAR MEETING OF THE COMMISSION ON AGING WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026, 12:00 P.M. AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS, SHUDDE FAITH ASSEMBLY HALL 4815 MUELLER BLVD AUSTIN, TEXAS 78723 Some members of the Commission on Aging may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, call or email Ryan Sperling, 512-974-3568, Ryan.Sperling@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Richard Bondi, Chair Teresa Ferguson, Vice Chair Suzanne Anderson Martin Kareithi Faith Lane Fred Lugo Angie Ozarowski Jennifer Scott Luan Tran AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Preston Tyree Henry Van de Putte Selina Yee Xiaoyi Zeng The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Aging regular meeting of July 8, 2026. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Discussion regarding Chair Bondi’s orientation sessions for new commission members. 2. Update on the status of the proclamation recommendations approved at the June 10, 2026 meeting. 3. Discussion regarding the proposed City of Austin FY2026-27 budget and the status of commission recommendations. 4. Discussion on the closed out 2021-2025 Age Friendly Austin Progress Report. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 5. Review and document changes to the draft version of the Age Friendly Action Plan (AFAP) 2026-2030 Focus Area 1, discuss impacts on commission work, and approve the commission’s Focus Area One Work Plan. 6. Review and document changes to the draft version of AFAP 2026-2030 Focus Area 2, discuss impacts on commission work, and approve the Commission’s Focus Area Two Work Plan. 7. Discussion regarding commission priorities for AFAP 2026-2030 Focus Area 3 and possible action to approve a list of priorities. 8. Discussion and possible action to approve an internal framework that guides the Commission’s priorities for the next five years, to build, bridge, and champion key strategies from the 2026-2030 AFAP. 9. Approve a recommendation to Council supporting the 2026-2030 AFAP. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 10. Update from the Quality of Life Study Analysis working group regarding their progress on the working group goals. …
COMMISSION ON AGING MINUTES REGULAR MEETING WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2026 The Commission on Aging convened in a regular meeting on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room 1101, 301 W 2nd Street in Austin, Texas. Chair Bondi called the Commission on Aging Meeting to order at 12:12 p.m. Commissioners in Attendance: Richard Bondi (Chair) Suzanne Anderson Fred Lugo Judi Nudelman Agnieszka Ozarowski Xiaoyi Zeng Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Teresa Ferguson (Vice Chair) Martin Kareithi Faith Lane Preston Tyree Henry Van de Putte Selina Yee PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Aging regular meeting of June 10, 2026. The minutes of the June 10, 2026 meeting were approved on Commissioner Nudelman’s motion, Vice Chair Ferguson’s second on an 11-0 vote. Commissioner Kareithi was off the dais. Commissioners Scott and Tran were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Update on a timeline for finalizing Age Friendly Action Plan 2026-2030. Briefing by Halana Kaleel, Community Engagement Specialist, and Nicole Alexander, Age Friendly Austin Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health. 1 The briefing was made by Nicole Alexander, Age Friendly Austin Program Coordinator, Austin Public Health. DISCUSSION ITEMS 3. Update on the July staff report to the Age Friendly Advisory Committee. Update by Chair Bondi. 4. Discussion regarding the Age Friendly Action Plan Focus Area Two. Discussion was held. 5. Update regarding the status of the proclamation recommendations approved at the June 10, 2026 meeting. Update by Chair Bondi. 6. Discussion regarding the Commission on Aging’s 2026 Annual Internal Review and Report. Discussion was held. 7. Discussion on the June 24th Joint Inclusion Committee (JIC) meeting, including Levers of Economic Mobility Index, briefing on the Human Rights Impact Review, new Equity Officer Dr. Joseph Allen, Austin Police Department (APD) Collective Sex Crimes Unit and discussion of APD engagement with the JIC, and newly established Native American and Indigenous Quality of Life Commission. Discussion was held. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 8. Discussion reviewing the commission’s working groups, and possible action to change working group membership. The Federal Budget Reduction Working Group, FY2026-26 Budget Recommendation Follow-Up Working Group, and Quality of Life Transition Working Group were dissolved without objection. Commissioner Zeng was added to the Quality of Life Study Analysis Working Group on Commissioner Anderson’s motion, Commissioner Tyree’s second on a 12-0 vote. Commissioners Scott and Tran were absent. 9. Discussion regarding commission priorities …
Commission on Aging Status of Proclamation Recommendations - Approved June 10, 2026 Observance Social Wellness Month AGE of Central Texas 40th Anniversary National Wellness Month Implicit Bias Awareness Day National Senior Citizens Day Healthy Aging Month- September National Senior Center Month National Preparednes s Month Fall Prevention Awareness Day Ageism Awareness Month Date / Month July 2026 July 27, 2026 August 2026 August 20, 2026 August 21, 2026 September 2026 September 2026 September 2026 September 22, 2026 October 2026 Purpose Promotes social connection, community engagement, and efforts to reduce isolation among residents of all ages. Recognizes four decades of service supporting older adults and family caregivers in Central Texas. Encourages healthy lifestyles, preventive care, physical activity, and overall well-being. Raises awareness of unconscious biases and promotes equity, inclusion, and respectful community engagement. Celebrates the contributions, achievements, and ongoing civic engagement of older adults. Highlights the importance of healthy aging, lifelong learning, and maintaining quality of life throughout the lifespan. Recognizes the vital role senior centers play in providing social, educational, wellness, and support services. Encourages residents, organizations, and communities to prepare for emergencies and disasters. Promotes education and strategies to reduce falls, one of the leading causes of injury among older adults. Encourages understanding of ageism and promotes respect, inclusion, and opportunities for people of all ages. Equity & Inclusion Open Community Impact Social Connection & Mental Health Caregiving & Community Services Public Health & Prevention Civic Engagement Public Health & Lifelong Learning Community Services & Volunteerism Emergency Preparedness & Resilience Sponsor Reading n/a n/a Jul 8th Commission Council 8/27, or 9/10 D3, Mexican American Cultural Center Sep 9th Commission Sep 9th Commission D10 D10 D7 D7 Open D10 Council 8/27, or 9/10 Public Health & Safety Open Equity, Inclusion & Belonging D10 D10, D2 Oct 14th Commission Compiled by: Richard Bondi Revised: August 10, 2026
Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Last Updated: July 9, 2026 Focus Area One: Social Engagement, Connection, & Inclusion Aligns with Domains: 4-Social Participation, 5-Respect & Social Inclusion, 7-Communication & Information Goal 1: Improve access to technology and community information. Objective 1: Empower seniors through access to internet, digital devices, and training to use them confidently. Strategy 1: Develop and/or strengthen small scale tech lending libraries and expand hot spot check out program for tablets/laptops by identifying additional capacity to support programming. Partners: Austin Public Library (APL), Austin Free-Net (AFN), Austin Economic Development (AED), Commission on Aging, Travis County, AGE of Central Texas (AGE) Deadline: 2029 Metric: Identify grants to support programming Amount ($) of grant funding secured # of devices actively circulating annually Annual, device loan frequency per year. Strategy 2: Expand digital literacy programming including programming offered in Spanish and other languages frequently spoken by seniors. Partners: APL, AFN, Austin Parks and Recreation (APR), digitalLIFT, Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission, AGE, GAVA. Deadline: 2029 Metrics: # of non-English digital literacy classes held annually # of digital literacy classes held annually # of attendees # of attendees annually. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 1 of 11 August 11, 2026 Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Last Updated: July 9, 2026 Focus Area One: Social Engagement, Connection, & Inclusion Aligns with Domains: 4-Social Participation, 5-Respect & Social Inclusion, 7-Communication & Information Goal 1: Improve access to technology and community information (continued) Strategy 3: Expand broadband availability and affordability initiatives, prioritizing neighborhoods experiencing persistent connectivity gaps. Partners: AFN, Austin Technology Services (ATS), Technology Commission, Commission on Aging, Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission, GAVA, Austin Equity and Inclusion (AEI). Deadline: 2029 Metric: # of affordability programs created # of seniors enrolled in affordability programs. Objective 2: Optimize community information sharing and platforms to ensure seniors can intuitively navigate digital tools and understand essential resources. Strategy 1: Print materials using large fonts, clear language, and ensure access to multilingual materials. Partners: Lead: Austin Communications and Engagement (ACE), All City Departments, AEI. Deadline: ongoing Metric: % of public documents meeting Age-Friendly print standards. Strategy 2: Provide all printed and digital City communications targeting seniors in high-demand languages such as Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, etc. Partners: Lead: Austin Communications and Engagement, All City Departments, AEI. Deadline: ongoing Metric: % …
Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Last Updated: July 9, 2026 Focus Area Two: Health, Mobility, and Accessibility Aligns with Domains: 8-Community & Health Services, 2-Transportation, and 1-Outdoors Spaces & Buildings Goal 1: Increase awareness and access to health, safety, and accessibility resources. Objective 1: Reduce use of non-urgent emergency services among seniors. Strategy 1: Support and increase capacity of the Senior Home Safety Program. Partners: Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS), Commission on Aging, Austin Fire, Austin Police.3-1-1. Deadline: 2029 Metric: Year-over-year % decrease in non-injury fall calls for residents 55+. Strategy 2: Develop partnerships to recruit and train volunteers to conduct initial basic home assessments. Partners: University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, ATCEMS, Austin-Travis County Medical Reserve Corps(MRC). Deadline: 2029 Metrics: # of partnerships developed. # of assessments completed by volunteers annually. Strategy 3: Implement senior specific pop-up resource clinics. Partners: ATCEMS, APH (Mobile Van Program and Community Health Worker Hub), APR. Deadline: 2029 Metrics: # of seniors served annually. # of pop-up clinics annually. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 1 of 13 August 11, 2026 Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Last Updated: July 9, 2026 Focus Area Two: Health, Mobility, and Accessibility Aligns with Domains: 8-Community & Health Services, 2-Transportation, and 1-Outdoors Spaces & Buildings Goal 1: Increase awareness and access to health, safety, and accessibility resources. (continued) Strategy 4: Develop health promotion and physical activity campaigns targeting older adults. Partners: APH, ATCEMS, ACE. Deadline: 2028 Metric: # of campaigns targeting older adults. Strategy 5: Distribute and promote newsletters (digital and print) that feature home safety tips, local fall prevention programming, and wellness resources to older adults and their caregivers. Partners: APH, ATCEMS, APR (Senior Activity Centers), ACE, MOWCTX, AGE, ASC, AAACAP, Family Eldercare, Capital City Village. Deadline: 2028 Metric: % increase in participation in fall prevention programming. Objective 2: Reduce the food insecurity score for seniors. Strategy 1: Advocate for increased funding for congregate meal programs at trusted locations of seniors such as senior activity centers, recreation centers, and community centers. Partners: APH, APR, MOWCTX, AAACAP. Deadline: 2029 Metrics: # of seniors served at congregate meal sites annually. Annual City budget allocation for congregate meal programs ($). Increase in frequency/# of congregate sites. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 2 of 13 August 11, 2026 …
Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Last Updated: July 9, 2026 Focus Area Three: Housing & Economic Security Aligns with Domains: 3-Housing and 6-Civic Engagement & Employment Goal 1: Increase housing security and access to home modification and repair programs to support seniors aging in place. Objective 1: Increase annual participation in city-funded home repair and modification programs for older adults. Strategy 1: Develop multi-lingual outreach campaigns to bridge the gap between service awareness and access. Partners: Austin Housing, APH, ACE. Deadline: 2027 Metrics: Translated materials created Outreach campaign launched. Strategy 2: Prioritize housing interventions that specifically address the top home repair and modification needs identified by seniors: pest control, grab bars/handrails, ramps, and accessible showers. Partners: Austin Housing, Meals on Wheels, Rebuilding Together. Deadline: 2028 Metrics: Annual # of targeted home modifications completed. Strategy 3: Conduct a geographic gap analysis of city-funded home repair programs to identify underserved neighborhoods and populations. Partners: Austin Housing, APH. Deadline: 2027 Metric: Gap analysis completed. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 1 of 10 August 11, 2026 Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Last Updated: July 9, 2026 Focus Area Three: Housing & Economic Security Aligns with Domains: 3-Housing and 6-Civic Engagement & Employment Goal 1: Increase housing security and access to home modification and repair programs to support seniors aging in place. (continued) Objective 1: Increase annual participation in city-funded home repair and modification programs for older adults. (continued) Strategy 4: Prioritize outreach to seniors with disabilities on available home modification assistance programs. Partners: Austin Housing. Deadline: Ongoing Metric: Annual # of platforms or events promoting home modification assistance programs prioritizing seniors with disabilities. Strategy 5: Promotion of programs to seniors, caregivers, and city council districts identified with the highest need. Partners: APH, Austin Housing, Community Ambassadors. Deadline: Ongoing Metric: Annually % increase in utilization of City and/or City funded home repair and modification programs. Strategy 6: Pair home repair initiatives with local economic development by creating a grant or incentive program for hyper- local, small businesses to become certified contractors for City-funded senior home modifications. Partners: Austin Housing, AED. Deadline: 2028 Metrics: # of hyper-local businesses participating as certified contractors. $ amount invested back into local businesses through created programs. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 2 of 10 August 11, 2026 Draft …
Commission on Aging Build, Bridge, and Champion Framework for the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan (2026–2030) The Commission on Aging adopts the following Build, Bridge, and Champion Framework to guide its work in support of the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan (2026–2030). The Commission recognizes the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan as the City’s primary roadmap for advancing the health, independence, engagement, inclusion, mobility, housing security, economic security, and overall quality of life of older adults. Since the creation of the original Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan in 2016, the Commission on Aging has played a central role in identifying priorities, engaging community stakeholders, and advancing Austin’s efforts to become a more age-friendly city. As the Age-Friendly Austin initiative has matured, the Commission’s role has evolved to focus on advancing key strategies within the Action Plan, fostering collaboration among partners, elevating the voices of older adults, and promoting accountability for results. The Commission further recognizes that City Council’s adoption of Resolution No. 20250605-084 marked a significant expansion of the City’s commitment to older adults by directing all City departments to incorporate age-friendly principles into their work, designate departmental points of contact, and participate in implementation of the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan. This increased citywide engagement creates new opportunities for collaboration, coordination, and implementation across City departments and community partners while reinforcing the Action Plan as the City’s guiding framework for advancing the well-being of older adults. Accordingly, the Commission adopts the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan as its primary organizing framework and the principal basis for establishing its priorities, activities, and areas of focus during the 2026–2030 planning period. Through the Build, Bridge, and Champion Framework, the Commission will focus its efforts on advancing selected strategies within the Action Plan, supporting implementation by City departments and community partners, acting as a force multiplier, and helping ensure that the needs and perspectives of older adults remain central to City decision-making. The Commission views its selected Build, Bridge, and Champion strategies not as a comprehensive list of all issues affecting older adults, but as the areas where the Commission believes it can have the greatest impact during the 2026–2030 planning period. Page 1 of 3 Commission on Aging Build, Bridge, and Champion Framework for the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan (2026–2030) The Build, Bridge, and Champion strategies adopted by the Commission for each Age- Friendly Austin Action Plan Focus Area shall collectively constitute the Commission’s Age- Friendly Austin …
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Commission on Aging Recommendation Number: 20260812-009: Adoption of the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan 2026–2030 The Austin Commission on Aging recommends adoption of the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan 2026– 2030 to guide the City's work in supporting older adults and maintaining Austin's Age-Friendly designation. WHEREAS, the City of Austin has been recognized as a member of the WHO Age-Friendly network since 2016 and has demonstrated its commitment to making Austin an Age-Friendly community through implementation of the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plans for 2016–2020 and 2021–2025; and WHEREAS, persons 65 years of age and older are the fastest-growing age group in Austin, increasing from 55,695 residents, or 7.0 percent of the population, in 2010 to 91,733 residents, or 9.5 percent of the population, in 2020, a 64.7 percent increase1, making it increasingly important that the City plan for the needs of its growing older adult population; and WHEREAS, on June 5, 2025, the Austin City Council adopted Resolution No. 20250605-084, affirming the City's commitment to ensuring that Austin is an Age-Friendly community and improving the quality of life for older adults, directing City departments to provide services with an Age-Friendly perspective and incorporate the goals and strategies of the Age-Friendly Action Plan into how they fulfill their missions, and directing continued collaboration among the City Manager, Austin Public Health's Age-Friendly Program, and the Commission on Aging to support implementation of the Action Plan and assess the resources needed to carry out its goals and strategies; and WHEREAS, the Austin Older Adult Quality of Life Study identified significant challenges and disparities affecting older Austinites, including housing, transportation, health and food insecurity, social isolation, digital access, and access to inclusive and accessible community resources, and the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan 2026–2030 includes goals and strategies that respond to many of these findings2; and WHEREAS, the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan 2026–2030 was developed by Austin Public Health through an extensive public engagement process that included the Age-Friendly Austin Summit on February 20, 2026, review of the Austin Older Adult Quality of Life Study, stakeholder meetings, and a public comment survey conducted in June 2026, and reflects the priorities identified through those efforts; and 1 RESOLUTION NO. 20250605-084 2 Austin Older Adult Quality of Life Study 2025 Page 1 of 2 WHEREAS, the Age-Friendly Austin Action Plan 2026–2030 establishes measurable objectives, strategies, community and City partners, implementation timelines, and metrics to guide and assess …
