Item 7: Focus Area Three Redlines — original pdf

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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 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 2: Expand and promote permanent supportive housing options for seniors with on-site wraparound services. Strategy 1: Create a catalog of existing permanent supportive housing options for 55+ individuals and promote via platforms such as the Austin Senior Services Hub and the Age Friendly newsletter and distribute in print. Partners: Austin Housing, APH, ECHO. Deadline: 2027 Metrics: Catalog created. # of platforms and events where permanent supportive housing options for seniors are promoted. Strategy 2: Track housing retention, health outcomes, and reduced reliance on crisis services to demonstrate the value of permanent supportive housing for older adults. Partners: APH, ECHO. Deadline: Ongoing Metric: Housing retention rate for seniors in permanent supportive housing. Strategy 3: Monitor proposed supportive housing developments and look at need to advocate for policies and funding that meet future senior housing needs. Partners: Austin Housing, ECHO, Foundation Communities, Family Eldercare. Deadline: ongoing Metrics: Annually # of policy recommendations submitted Annually amount of funding dedicated to senior housing needs. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 3 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 2: Expand and promote permanent supportive housing options for seniors with on-site wraparound services. (continued) Strategy 4: Conduct a utilization audit of recently funded affordable senior housing units to identify and address the root causes of high vacancy rates. Partners: Austin Housing. Deadline: 2027 Metrics: Audit completed. % decrease in vacancy rates at senior properties. Objective 3: Assist older adults with the financial and legal resources needed to manage property taxes and preserve generational wealth. Strategy 1: Promote awareness of existing tax break opportunities available to help older Austinites stay in their homes. Partners: ACE, APH, Travis County Central Appraisal District (TCAD). Deadline: Ongoing Metrics : # of outreach events where existing tax break opportunities information is provided to older adults. Strategy 2: Partner with legal aid organizations and financial organizations to educate seniors on the implications of tax deferrals and estate planning. Partners: Austin Housing. Deadline: 2028 Metrics : # of workshops held Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 4 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 # of older adults receiving 1 on 1 counseling. Goal 1: Increase housing security and access to home modification and repair programs to support seniors aging in place. (continued) Strategy 3: Collaborate with TCAD and other community partners to host annual workshops that assist seniors with protesting property appraisals to prevent unmanageable tax increases. Partners: TCAD, APH. Deadline: Ongoing Metric : # of workshops hosted. Goal 2: Increase access to economic and Age-Friendly employment opportunities. Objective 1: Launch a citywide Austin Age-Friendly Business Program. Strategy 1: Provide tools and develop materials to assist businesses in becoming age friendly. Partners: AED, Austin Chamber of Commerce, APH. Deadline: 2027 Metric: # of business annually certified as age friendly. Strategy 2: Create a checklist for businesses that outlines environment and communication needs that create an ideal work environment for older adults. Partners: AED, Commission on Aging, APH . Deadline: 2027 Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 5 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 Metric: Checklist finalized and published. Goal 2: Increase access to economic and Age-Friendly employment opportunities. (continued) Strategy 3: Maintain a registry of businesses who are designed as Age-Friendly and promote these businesses on the Austin Senior Services Hub. Partners: AED, APH. Deadline: 2028 Metrics: # of businesses listed on the registry. # of page views on the registry. Objective 2: Provide seniors with the information and education needed to access employment opportunities. Strategy 1: Promote training and coaching programs, job fairs, and skill building opportunities for seniors. Partners: Workforce Solutions Capital Area, SCSEP, AARP, Austin Human Resources (AHR). Deadline: Ongoing Metric: # of programs and job fairs promoted. Strategy 2: Increase access to technology training and devices to improve workplace digital skills. Partners: APL, APH, Austin Free Net, APR, AHR. Deadline: 2028 Metrics: # of digital literacy sessions held. # of devices distributed. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 6 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 2: Increase access to economic and Age-Friendly employment opportunities. (continued) Strategy 3: Link Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and Workforce Solutions with community partners to promote employment services. Partners: SCSEP, Workforce Solutions Capital Area, APH, AED, Community Ambassadors. Deadline: 2029 Metric: # of partnerships made annually between senior employment programs and community partners. Strategy 4: Disseminate anti-ageism education and promote Age-Friendly employer policies. Partners: AED, Austin Civil Rights Office, AEI. Deadline: Ongoing Metrics: Materials created and/or identified. # of businesses adopting Age-Friendly policies. Strategy 5: Ensure seniors have available information on transportation options to safely and reliably commute to Age-Friendly employment opportunities. Partners: AED, CapMetro, ATPW, CARTS. Deadline: 2028 Metric: Integrate transportation information for employment into both printed materials and digital platforms (ex. Austin Senior Services Hub). Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 7 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 3: Enhance utility affordability and housing assistance programs for older adults. Objective 1: Reduce utility insecurity among seniors. Strategy 1: Expand outreach for the Customer Assistance Program (CAP) and Weatherization Assistance Program with materials in multiple languages. Partners: Austin Energy (AE), AEI, ACE, Austin Climate Action and Resilience (ACR). Deadline: 2028 Metric: # of translated outreach materials developed. Strategy 2: Offer in-person enrollment support for CAP and the Weatherization Assistance Program to make homes more energy efficient and reduce costs for seniors. Partners: AE, APH, Community Ambassadors. Deadline: 2027 Metrics: # of workshops offered. % increase in senior enrollment in programs. Strategy 3: Assist seniors with utility rebates, prioritizing outreach to low income and seniors with disabilities. Partners: AE. Deadline: 2027 Metrics: # of seniors assisted with rebate applications. Demographic breakdown of rebate recipients to ensure equitable distribution. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 8 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 3: Enhance utility affordability and housing assistance programs for older adults. (continued) Strategy 4: Educate seniors on preparing homes for extreme temperatures using preferred communication methods, including mailed printed materials and in person sharing. Partners: AE, AEM, APH. Deadline: 2027 Metrics: # of extreme weather preparedness workshops held. # of physical/printed weatherization education kits distributed. Strategy 5: Improve automatic enrollment for utility assistance for eligible seniors. Partners: AE. Deadline: 2027 Metric: % increase in senior utility assistance enrollment via automatic enrollment. Objective 2: Prevent displacement and housing cost burden for older adults. Strategy 1: Establish and promote a dedicated rental assistance fund specifically for adults 55+ experiencing financial crises. Partners: Austin Housing, APH, Foundation Communities, Family Eldercare, MOWCTX. Deadline: 2028 Metrics: # of seniors receiving emergency rental assistance annually. % of recipients maintaining their housing 6 months after receiving assistance. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 9 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 3: Enhance utility affordability and housing assistance programs for older adults. (continued) Strategy 2: Operationalize down payment assistance (DPA) programs for limited-equity cooperative share purchases to create shared-equity options. Partners: Boomers Collaborative Foundation, Commission on Aging, Austin Housing Finance Corporation, AH. Deadline: 2027 Metrics: DPA program guidance or administrative process for cooperative share purchases established, confirmed, or updated, as needed. # of seniors assisted through DPA for cooperative share purchases annually. Strategy 3: Streamline permitting and construction of Accessory Dwelling Unit’s (ADUs) by creating a gallery of pre-approved ADU designs and hosting workshops guiding homeowners through the phases of development to shorten review times and reduce permitting costs. Partners: AH, ADS, Commission on Aging. Deadline: 2027 Metrics: Reduction in average permit review time. # of pre-approved plans utilized by homeowners. # of workshop attendees. Strategy 4: Broaden housing support programs by including regular maintenance, housekeeping, and yard/lawn services in City-funded assistance programs. Partners: AH, MOWCTX, Rebuilding Together. Deadline: 2028 Metrics: Programs updated to include provision of regular maintenance, housekeeping, and yard/lawn services for older adults. # of seniors assisted annually. Excerpted from: July 9, 2026 Final Draft Age Friendly Austin Action Plan: 2026-2030 Page 10 of 10 August 11, 2026