Community Development Commission Regular Meeting of the Community Development Commission - This regular meeting of the CDC will follow a hybrid format - remote and in-person. Please see agenda for details
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION (CDC) MEETING December 10, 2024 – 6:30pm Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions – Room 1101 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, TX 78701 Some members of the Community Development Commission may be participating by video conference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by 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. To register, call or email the board liaison at 512-974-3108 or edward.blake@austintexas.gov CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Jo Anne Ortiz Public Sector Appointee Nyeka Arnold North Austin Bertha Delgado East Austin Vacant Rosewood- Zaragosa/Blackland Julia Woods South Austin Cheryl Thompson St. John’s Cynthia Jaso Dove Springs Jose Noe Elias Montopolis Jenny E. Achilles Private Sector Appointee Raul E Longoria Public Sector Appointee South Austin Gavin Porter Sr. Public Sector Appointee Michael Tolliver Colony Park Tisha-Vonique Hood Public Sector Appointee Vacant Private Sector Appointee Vacant Public Sector Appointee Please visit https://austintexas.gov/cdc for more information about the Community Development Commission. Purpose: The purpose of the board is to advise the Council in the development and implementation of programs designed to serve the poor and the community at large with an emphasis on federally funded programs. AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 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 DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Approve the November 12, 2024, Community Development Commission meeting minutes. 2. Presentation regarding the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) activities and outcomes (Angel Zambrano, Manager, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health) 3. Presentation and discussion on the Tenant Relocation Ordinance and Program (Susan Watkins, Division Manager, Housing Department and Nicole King, LaVeer Logix) DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 4. Discussion and possible action to approve the Community Development Commission 2025 Meeting Schedule, with an alternative date of November 18, 2025, to accommodate Veterans’ Day (Edward Blake, Program Manager Housing Department) 5. Discussion and possible action regarding a request from Juan Raymon Rubio (Historical Zoning Commissioner) for a letter of support from the CDC regarding historic zoning at 1500 E. 12th Street (Vice Chair Elias) FUTURE AGENDA …
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING DRAFT MINUTES NOVEMBER 12th, 2024 The COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION convened in a REGULAR MEETING on November 12th, 2024, at the Austin City Hall, Boards and Commissions Room 1101, 301 West 2nd Street, Austin, Texas. Some members of the commission participated by video conference. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Jose Noe Elias (Vice Chair) Bertha Delgado Cynthia Jaso Jenny Achilles Raul E. Longoria Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Jo Anne Ortiz Nyeka Arnold Tisha-Vonique Hood Board Members/Commissioners Absent: Cheryl Thompson (Chair) Gavin Porter Julia Woods Michael Tolliver Staff Members in Attendance Nefertitti Jackmon Angel Zambrano Ed Blake James May Lorena Lopez Chavarin (remotely) CALL TO ORDER Vice Chair Elias called the meeting to order at 6:42 pm with 8 commissioners present. Chair Cheryl Thompson, Commissioners Gavin Porter, Julia Woods, and Michael Tolliver were absent. There are currently three vacancies on the board. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first 10 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. Zenobia Joseph signed up to speak on items #6 and #7 regarding her concerns on the Equity Overlay plan. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the October 8th, Community Development Commission meeting minutes. On Commissioner Bertha Delgado’s motion, Commissioner Longoria second, the October 8th, 2024, minutes were approved with corrections to add meeting notes for vote clarification on Item 5, on an 8-0-0 vote. DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Presentation regarding the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) activities and outcomes (Angel Zambrano, Manager, Neighborhood Services Unit, Austin Public Health). Angel Zambrano presented. BRIEFING 3. Briefing regarding the status of the Housing Investment Review Committee (HIRC) (James May, Officer, Housing and Community Development). James May gave briefing. 4. Briefing regarding the Equity Overlay (Alan Pani, Planner Principal, Planning Department and Erica Leak, Officer, Planning Department) Alan Pani and Erica Leak gave briefing. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice by calling 512-974-1606 at least 2 days prior to the meeting date. TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Community Development Commission, please contact Edward Blake at …
Community Services Block Grant 2024 Contract Programmatic/Financial Report December 10, 2024 The Community Services Block Grant funds the delivery of services to low income Texas residents in all 254 counties. These funds support a variety of direct services in addition to helping maintain the core administrative elements of community action agencies. For the City of Austin, the grant provides funding for the delivery of basic needs, case management, preventive health and employment support services through the City’s six (6) Neighborhood Centers and the two (2) Outreach Sites. Mission: The Neighborhood Services Unit improves the lives and health of people experiencing poverty by providing public health and social services and connecting residents of Austin and Travis County to community resources. ◼ Basic Needs (food, clothing, information and referral, notary services, transportation, car safety education and car seats, tax preparation, fans, Thanksgiving food baskets and other seasonal activities); ◼ Preventive Health (screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar including a1C, and cholesterol; pregnancy testing; health promotion presentations, coordination and participation in health fairs, immunizations, coordination of wellness activities, linkages to medical home providers and diabetes case management); ◼ Case Management (individual/family support counseling, advocacy, self-sufficiency case management, crisis intervention, linkages with employers, educational opportunities and training, and working with individuals on quality of life issues); ◼ Employment Support (intake, assessment and goal setting, job readiness training, job placement assistance, and job retention services) Expenditures Categories 2024 Contract Budget % of Total Cumulative Expenditures as of 10/31/24 Personnel Fringe Benefits Other Total $1,140,731.00 $449,414.85 $211,910.37 $661,325.22 58% 1 4 4E 5 5B 5D 4C 4I 5A 5JJ 7A 7B 7D 7N Transition Out of Poverty Goal Goal Achieved TOP Individuals who transitioned out of poverty 43 28 Success Rate% 65% Austin Public Health Report on PY24 Community Action Plan MISSION: To prevent disease, promote health, and protect the well-being of our community. TOP 5 NEEDS: Housing; Health; Employment; Basic Needs; Education Report Date October 2024 FNPI Outcome Description Target #Enrolled #Achieved Success Rate % Housing Households who avoided eviction Health and Social/Behavioral Development Individuals who demonstrated improved physical health and well being Individuals who improved skills related to the adult role of parents/caregivers 800 10 50 1,178 1,178 #Enrolled #Achieved 46 69 Success Rate % 190% 147% 104% SRV 3O Service Description Tax Preparation Programs Number Served 356 A Year Ago 19 52 317 167 349 1,084 63,988 1,178 198 337 82,980 153 1,410 …
Tenant Relocation Program Community Development Commission December 10, 2024 Contents Ordinance Overview Program & Nexus Study Update Ordinance No. 20160901-050 Council adopted September 16, 2016 Provides notification to residents of multifamily and mobile home park developments slated for closure due to redevelopment; allows for financial relocation assistance to be provided to income-eligible residents – Notice of intent period: 120 days for multifamily; 270 days for mobile home residents Applies to multifamily properties or mobile home parks of 5 or more occupied households at the time the triggering permit is submitted 3 Ordinance No. 20160901-050 Triggered by development permit applications: ▪ For multifamily properties: ▪ Demolition Permits ▪ Commercial Building Permits that authorize demolition ▪ For mobile home parks: ▪ Zoning Applications ▪ Site Plan Applications 4 Ordinance Updates Resolution No. 20180628-063 – Identified challenges with implementation of 2016 Ordinance – Staff sought stakeholder feedback Ordinance No. 20220421-058 – Council adopted April 21, 2022 – Amends ordinance to include renovation of buildings with 5 or more occupied units that would displace residents 5 Tenant Relocation Assistance Fund • Ordinance No. 20160901-050 established a Developer Tenant Relocation Fund and a City Tenant Relocation Fund • The City cannot require developers to fund the Developer Fund (State law prohibits linkage fees) • City Council adopted a budget rider for FY23 that requires staff to perform a nexus study for the Developer Fee and present information to Council in 17 months • In Fiscal Year 2023, funding allocated to the Tenant Relocation Program in response to the ordinance • No prior funding was allocated to the City Tenant Relocation Fund 6 Tenant Eligibility • Demolition • Renovation • Assist households with relocation when they're facing displacement per the Tenant Relocation Ordinance: • Tenants must meet 70% MFI and below household income requirement or 80% MFI for mobile home park residents 7 Tenant Relocation Services • Needs Assessment • Housing locator assistance • Moving and storage assistance • Rent payment assistance • Other services/needs 8 Program Update Working with Development Services Department on application monitoring Laveer Logix was selected as the vendor for Tenant Relocation program in 2023 Developed program to accommodate other needs and ordinance updates Relocation Cost Study Update EcoNorthwest selected as vendor Relocation Cost Study: – Affordable Housing Gap Analysis – Displacement Trends – Relocation Cost Research & Estimates – Final …
Melissa Barry, President Sincerely, Austin. Historic Landmark. We thank you for your consideration of this case and for your service to the City of Preservation Austin wholeheartedly supports the designation of 1500 E. 12th St. as a City of Austin intersection to the story of Black East Austin. Houses – both landmarks of Austin’s Black heritage – reflecting the greater importance of this at the corner of E. 12th and Comal Streets, directly across from the I.Q. Hurdle and Southgate-Lewis fraternity, the oldest fraternity in America to admit Black members. The building is prominently situated and music venue. It later became the home of the Gamma Eta Alpha chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha building housed the Fifteen Hundred Beauty and Barber Shops, as well as Club Fifteen Hundred, a bar hub for East Austin’s African American population during the Jim Crow era. By the mid-1950s, the In 1950, Black businessman Buford Johnson purchased the building, transforming it into a community Eisenbeiser, who operated a produce and dry goods store, a saloon, and a restaurant there. grocer and politician Christian J. Willhem, it was later acquired by Dessau merchants Ernest and Louisa building’s early history reflects the German heritage of Austin and Central Texas – initially constructed by Built between 1889 and 1911, the store at 1500 E. 12th St. traces the diverse heritage of East Austin. The Mexican Americans, Native Americans, the LGBTQIA community, and women. Advocacy Priority, which seeks to identify and designate historic sites associated with African Americans, Community Value. Our support for this case is in alignment with our Underrepresented Heritage 12th Street as a City of Austin Historic Landmark for its Architecture, Historic Association, and community culture through preservation. We write to you today in support of designating 1500 East Preservation Austin exists to empower Austinites to shape a more inclusive, resilient, and meaningful Dear Chair Heimsath, Vice Chair Witt Featherston, and Members of the Historic Landmark Commission, RE: 1500 East 12th Street August 2, 2024 From: Subject: Date: Urgent: Opposition to Demolition of 1500 E. 12th St. and Support for Historic Preservation in East Austin Wednesday, September 4, 2024 2:41:31 PM You don't often get email from . Learn why this is important External Email - Exercise Caution Dear Historic Landmark Commission, As a Black woman who grew up in East Austin, with family roots blocks away from the property in question, I am …
CASE NUMBER: PR-2024-064274; GF-2024-073040 ZONING CHANGE REVIEW SHEET HLC DATES: July 3, 2024; August 7, 2024; September 4, 2024 PC DATE: October 8, 2024 CC Date: TBD APPLICANT: Historic Landmark Commission (owner-opposed) HISTORIC NAME: East End Saloon/Eisenbeiser’s Café; 1500 Club/1500 Beauty and Barber Shop WATERSHED: Boggy Creek ADDRESS OF PROPOSED ZONING CHANGE: 1500 East 12th Street ZONING CHANGE: CS-MU-NCCD-NP to CS-MU-H-NCCD-NP (Central East Austin NP) COUNCIL DISTRICT: 1 STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Recommend historic zoning to Planning Commission and City Council. Otherwise, require a City of Austin Documentation Package before releasing the demolition permit. QUALIFICATIONS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION: architecture, community value, and historical associations. HISTORIC LANDMARK COMMISSION ACTION: July 3, 2024 – initiate historic zoning (10-0). August 7, 2024 – postpone the public hearing (9-1, Commissioner Rubio opposed). September 4, 2024 – recommend historic zoning (10-0). PLANNING COMMISSION ACTION: CITY COUNCIL ACTION: CASE MANAGER: Kalan Contreras, 512-974-2727/kalan.contreras@austintexas.gov NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS: Austin Independent School District, Austin Lost and Found Pets, Austin Neighborhoods Council, Davis-Thompson, Del Valle Community Coalition, East Austin Conservancy, Friends of Austin Neighborhoods, Homeless Neighborhood Association, Neighborhood Empowerment Foundation, Neighbors United for Progress, Organization of Central East Austin Neighborhoods , Preservation Austin, Residents of E 12th St, SELTexas, Sierra Club, Austin Regional Group, Urban Renewal Board of the City of Austin DEPARTMENT COMMENTS: The 2016 East Austin Historic Resource Survey lists the property as eligible for local landmark listing based on historical associations and community value, and individual listing on the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in the areas of land development and community planning. BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION: § 25-2-352(3)(c)(i) Architecture. The property embodies the distinguishing characteristics of a recognized architectural style, type, or method of construction; exemplifies technological innovation in design or construction; displays high artistic value in representing ethnic or folk art, architecture, or construction; represents a rare example of an architectural style in the city; serves as an outstanding example of the work of an architect, builder, or artisan who significantly contributed to the development of the city, state, or nation; possesses cultural, historical, or architectural value as a particularly fine or unique example of a utilitarian or vernacular structure; or represents an architectural curiosity or one-of-a-kind building. The building is a vernacular commercial building, a typology rapidly disappearing in Austin. It was recommended as a preservation priority requiring stabilization in a 2019 letter from the Organization of Central East Austin Neighborhoods.1 Originally constructed as a …
City of Austin Housing Department LAVEER LOGIX TENANT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OVERVIEW WHO WE ARE… • CASE MANAGEMENT ADVISORY SERVICES • PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT & MANAGEMENT • DISASTER RECOVERY SERVICES • RELOCATION HOUSING SERVICES • COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT • COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS PROGRAM GOALS ENSURE ALIGHNMENT WITH CITY ANTI- DISPLACEMENT INITIAITVES SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS BEFORE & DURING THEIR RELOCATION COLLECT QUALITIATIVE AND QUANITATIVE DATA COMPLIANCE WITH ORDINANCE NO.20160901-050 3 LINES OF SERVICES DEMOLITION | REHABILITATION | SPECIAL POPULATIONS • NEEDS ASSESSMENT • HOUSING LOCATOR SERVICES • FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE • CASE MANAGEMENT • MOVE PLAN DEVELOPMENT • LANDLORD RECRUITMENT • COMMUNITY PARTNER OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT • HOUSING MARKET RESEARCH 4 TENANT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE MOBILE HOME PARK FEES & SITE PREP APPLICATION FEES APPROVED LEASE RELATED EXPANSES FIRST MONTH’S RENT DEPOSIT FEES Up to �6k in Financial Assistance STORAGE & LOGISTICS Learn to infuse energy into your delivery to leave a lasting impression. One of the goals of effective communication is to motivate your audience. REFERRAL APPLICANT OUTREACH & INTAKE APPLICATION ONGOING RELOCATION CASE MANAGEMENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SURVEY & EVALUATION CLOSE OUT PROGRAM PIPELINE 6 THANK YOU! Laveer Logix Austin Tenant Relocation Assistance Program Team
The Austin Community Development Commission supports the Historic Landmark Commission’s ordinance to designate 1500 E. 12th St. as a City of Austin Historic Landmark. Dear Mayor and Council, From Preservation Austin: “Builtbetween1889and1911,thestoreat1500E.12thSt.tracesthediverseheritageofEastAustin.The building’searlyhistoryreflectstheGermanheritageofAustinandCentralTexas–initiallyconstructed bygrocerandpoliticianChristianJ.Willhem,itwaslateracquiredbyDessaumerchantsErnestand LouisaEisenbeiser,whooperatedaproduceanddrygoodsstore,asaloon,andarestaurantthere. In1950,BlackbusinessmanBufordJohnsonpurchasedthebuilding,transformingitintoacommunity hubforEastAustin’sAfricanAmericanpopulationduringtheJimCrowera.Bythemid-1950s,the buildinghousedtheFifteenHundredBeautyandBarberShops,aswellasClubFifteenHundred,abar andmusicvenue.ItlaterbecamethehomeoftheGammaEtaAlphachapteroftheAlphaPhiAlpha fraternity,theoldestfraternityinAmericatoadmitBlackmembers.Thebuildingisprominently situatedatthecornerofE.12thandComalStreets,directlyacrossfromtheI.Q.Hurdleand Southgate-LewisHouses–bothlandmarksofAustin’sBlackheritage–reflectingthegreaterimportance ofthisintersectiontothestoryofBlackEastAustin.“ This property has been part of the many changes in East Austin and deserves to be preserved and designated a historic landmark for the City of Austin. We urge the Austin City to support the ordinance. -The Austin Community Development Commission
December 4, 2024 The Hon. Kirk Watson, Mayor Austin City Hall 301 W. Second Street, Austin, TX Re: Zoning Change Review, Case Number: PR-2024-064274; GF-2024-073040 Dear Mayor Watson and Council Members: We are writing to endorse the efforts of the Austin Historic Landmark Commission to recognize one of East Austin's oldest buildings, Eisenbeiser's East End Saloon, located at 1500 E. 12th Street, as a local historic landmark. We support the application of historic zoning to the property because it clearly meets the criteria required to be eligible for local landmark listing. The building is architecturally significant as a rare example of a vernacular commercial building in Austin, and has historical significance as an important example of the diverse economic and social history of East Austin. The 2016 East Austin Historic Resource Survey recognizes the property's significance due to its association with prominent German grocers and African-American business owners. The property is also noted for its unique contribution to the neighborhood's cultural identity, having served as a popular gathering place in East Austin. Furthermore, it is part of a historically important urban cultural landscape at the intersection at 12th and Comal Streets, situated across from two other notable African-American landmarks. The rehabilitation of the building is feasible. Across Austin and Texas, we've seen historic buildings in a similar condition successfully restored and adapted for modern use while preserving their integrity and character. The city has a wealth of preservation architects, consultants, and contractors capable of expertly restoring such structures, demonstrating that no building's condition is beyond revival. Also, the State of Texas and federal government provide historic tax credit incentives of up to 45% of project costs for income-producing historic properties if the building were to be designated at the state or federal level as well. The East End Saloon deserves recognition and preservation, not only for East Austin but for all Texans who value landmarks that narrate our state's history. As the statewide advocate for historic preservation, we are committed to collaborating with you and the residents of Austin to secure the future of this historic site. Sincerely, Evan R. Thompson Executive Director
BETHANY CEMETERY Association To : Austin City Council Dear Council Members, November 19, 2024 I am writing on behalf of the Bethany Cemetery Association to express our strong support for preserving the historic property located at East 12th Street and Comal in the East Austin Historic District. This building, which dates back to the late 1800s, has long served as a cornerstone for the Black community in Austin, operating over the years as a grocery store, a meeting place, and a vital social center of community life. East Austin’s historic Black landmarks are rapidly disappearing due to ongoing gentrification, erasing vital cultural markers and diminishing the stories of the Black communities that built and thrived in this city. This building is more than a historic structure; it embodies the resilience, resourcefulness, and unity of Austin’s Black community, a story that is worth protecting for future generations. While the mission of the Bethany Cemetery Association is centered on the preservation of Bethany Cemetery, we also advocate for the protection of Austin's cultural landmarks that highlight the significant contributions of the Black community. The historical property on East 12th Street and Comal is a rare surviving example of an establishment from Austin’s early days, marking a time when East Austin served as a self-sustained, vibrant center for Black families and businesses. In an area that has rapidly changed, often to the detriment of its original residents, these landmarks offer an enduring testament to the strength and heritage of Austin’s Black presence and are essential to maintaining our city’s true historical and cultural story and identity. The Bethany Cemetery Association supports the Historic Landmark Commission’s efforts to recognize this historic building as a landmark, securing its future as a part of Austin’s cultural narrative and saving it from demolition. Thank you for your dedication to preserving Austin’s history and for considering this property for historic landmark status. Sue E. Spears President of the Bethany Cemetery Association of Austin bethanycemeteryofaustin@gmail.com 7318 Colony Park Drive Austin, Texas 78724 512-300-3675
November 12th 2024 TRAVIS COUNTY HISTORICAL COMMISSION Austin, Texas City Council, City of Austin Texas Re: Letter of support for 1500 E. 12th Street, Austin, TX Greetings, The Travis County Historical Commission is in support of preserving the building at 1500 E. 12th Street and allowing for a zoning change to historic zoning or until such time as proper documentation of its history can be made, and measures taken, to provide context and interpretation to the site. According to the Zoning Change Review Sheet, the property has served as a German neighborhood grocery/retail outlet, beauty parlor/barber shop, saloon/restaurant and African American fraternity house. It is linked to a variety of notable persons and has served different ethnic groups over time, illustrating the complex and changing nature of the East Austin community. We feel that a rush to develop might unintentionally truncate the possibility of learning more about the history of the tract and how it provides a narrative into the diversity and significance of this building to the neighborhood and larger community. It is eligible for landmark status due to several criteria, such as architecture, historical associations and community value. Austin is quickly losing its historic fabric to rapid and uncontrolled development. While some preservation initiatives do not warrant objection, we feel that this property is unique in that it is illustrative of the multiple uses and owners that made up the East Austin community. This area witnessed the evolution of Austin from a multi-ethnic enclave to a post 1928 African American District to the gentrification of more recent years. In so doing, it tells a rich historical narrative that both explains and expands our knowledge of the Austin history. The Travis County Historical Commission supports the nomination of the property at 1500 E. 12th Street as an historic landmark for the City of Austin and if any additional support is requested on this or other matters, please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerely, Bob Ward, Chair Travis County Historical Commission
Statement from Howard Ware, longtime coach at Austin Striders Running Club November 22, 2024 That building is a strong face of Austin, Texas. Please let history live on. We appreciate our history as one of the grand cities in the USA. Coach Howard Ware
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20241210-005 Date: 12/10/2024 Subject: Letter of Support from the Community Development Commission Motioned By: Commissioner Bertha Delgado Seconded By: Commissioner Tisha-Vonique Hood Recommendation Letter of Support from the Community Development Commission regarding historic zoning at 1500 E.12th Street Description of Recommendation to Council Dea r Ma yor a n d Coun cil, The Aust in Community Development Commission suppor t s t he Histor ic La n dma r k Commission’s or dina nce t o designa t e 1500 E. 12t h St . a s a Cit y of Aust in Hist or ic La ndma r k. From Preservation Austin: “Built between 1889 and 1911, the store at 1500 E. 12th St. traces the diverse heritage of East Austin. The building’s early history reflects the German heritage of Austin and Central Texas – initially constructed by grocer and politician Christian J. Will was later acquired by Dessau merchants Ernest and Louisa Eisenbeiser, who operated a produce and dry goods store, a saloon, and a restaurant there. In 1950, Black businessman Buford Johnson purchased the building, transforming it into a community hub for East Austin’s African American population during the Jim Crow era. By the mid-1950s, the building housed the Fifteen Hundred Beauty and Barber Shops, as well as Club Fifteen Hundred, a bar and music venue. It later became the home of the Gamma Eta Alpha chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the oldest fraternity in America to admit Black members. The building is prominently situated at the corner of E. 12th and Comal Streets, directly across from the I.Q. Hurdle and Southgate-Lewis Houses – both landmarks of Austin’s Black heritage – reflecting the greater importance of this intersection to the story of Black East Austin. “ This property has been part of the many changes in East Austin and deserves to be preserved hem, it 1 of 2 and designated a historic landmark for the City of Austin. We urge the Austin City Council t o suppor t t he or dina nce. - Communit y Developmen t Commission, Aust in, TX Vote: Unanimous on an 8-0-0 For: Chair Cheryl Thompson, Vice Chair Jose Noe Elias, and Commissioners Jenny Achilles, Nyeka Arnold, Bertha Delgado, Tisha Vonique Hood, Raul Longoria and Julia Woods. Against: Abstain: Absent: Commissioners Cynthia Jaso, Jo Anne Ortiz, Gavin Porter and Michael Tolliver Attest: 2 of 2
