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 March 10, 2026 – 6:30 PM AUSTIN CITY HALL, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS - ROOM 1101 301 W 2ND STREET, 78701 AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the CDC may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live 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, contact Miguel Lopez, (512) 975-1575, Miguel.lopez@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Noe Elias, Chair, Montopolis Nyeka Arnold, North Austin Tisha-Vonique Hood, Public Sector Raul E. Longoria, South Austin Cassandra Medrano, South Austin Jo Anne Ortiz, Public Sector Lyric E. Wardlow, Public Sector Jenny E. Achilles, Vice Chair, Private Sector Taniquewa S. Brewster, Rosewood-Zaragosa Cynthia Jaso, Dove Springs Sonia Martinez, East Austin Valerie Menard, St. John’s Ebonie Oliver, Colony Park 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 1. Approve the minutes of the CDC Regular meeting on February 10, 2026. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. 3. Staff briefing regarding Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) activities and outcomes. Presentation by Angel Zambrano, Program Manager III, Austin Public Health. Staff briefing regarding Austin Housing activities and outcomes will be included in Item 5 “Update on the Austin Housing Community Initiated Solutions (CIS) and Anti-Displacement Community Acquisition Program (ADCAP) programs”. Presentation by Nefertitti Jackmon, Community Displacement Prevention Officer, Austin Housing. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. 5. Update on the CDC Annual Retreat. Discussion led by Miguel Lopez, Planner I, Austin Housing. Update on the Austin Housing Community Initiated Solutions (CIS) and Anti-Displacement Community Acquisition Program (ADCAP) programs. Discussion led by Nefertitti Jackmon, Community Displacement Prevention Officer, Austin Housing. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 6. 7. 8. Elections of CDC Officers. Discussion led by Chair Noe Elias. CDC recommendations for City of Austin budget. Discussion led by Chair Noe Elias. Memorandum concerning the City of Austin Equity Overlay. Discussion led by Chair Noe Elias. WORKING GROUP UPDATES 9. 10. Update from the CDC Strategy Working Group. Discussion led by Commissioner Tisha. Update from the …
Community Services Block Grant 2026 Contract Programmatic/Financial Report March 10, 2026 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 seven (7) Neighborhood Centers. 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 2026 Contract Budget Cumulative Expenditures as of 1/31/26 % of Total Personnel Fringe Benefits Other Total $62,818.34 $38,987.40 $382,620 $101,805.74 27% 1 Transition Out of Poverty Goal Goal Achieved TOP Individuals who transitioned out of poverty 41 2 Success Rate% 5% Austin Public Health Report on PY26 Community Action Plan MISSION: To prevent disease, promote health, and protect the well-being of our community. TOP 5 NEEDS: Housing; Basic Needs; Employment; Health; Income Report Date: January FNPI Outcome Description Target #Enrolled #Achieved Success Rate % 4 4E 5 5B 5D SRV 4C 4I 5A 5JJ 7A 7B 7D 7N 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 Service Description Rent Payments Utility Payments Immunizations (Flu) Food Distribution Case Management Eligibility Determinations Transportation Emergency Clothing 3A.1 Total number of volunteer hours donated to the Agency Programmatic/Administrative Updates 700 12 12 2% #Enrolled #Achieved Success Rate % 20 50 10 7 70% Number Served 12 A Year Ago 7 …
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION DRAFT MEETING MINUTES FEBRUARY 10th, 2026 The COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION convened in a REGULAR MEETING on February 10th, 2026, at CITY HALL, BOARDS AND COMMISSION ROOM, in Austin, Texas. Some members of the commission participated by video conference. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Cynthia Jaso Jenny Achilles Jose Noe Elias (Chair) Lyric Wardlow Raul Longoria Valerie Menard Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Cassandra Medrano Ebonie Oliver Tisha-Vonique Hood Sonia Martinez Board Members/Commissioners Absent: JoAnne Ortiz Nyeka Arnold Taniquewa Brewster Staff Members in Attendance: Angel Zambrano Lorena Lopez Chavarin (Remotely) Mandy DeMayo Miguel Lopez CALL TO ORDER Chair Elias called the meeting to order at 6:36 PM, with 9 members present. Commissioner Menard joined the dais at 6:48, bringing the total number to 10 members present. 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. Angelina Alanise provided public comment regarding construction near Festival Beach Food Forest APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the CDC Regular meeting on January 13, 2026. On Vice Chair Achilles’ motion, Commissioner Longoria seconded, and the January 13th, 2026, minutes were approved on an 8-0-1 vote. Commissioner Menard was off the dais. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) activities and outcomes. Presentation by Angel Zambrano, Program Manager III, Austin Public Health. Angel Zambrano presented on the Community Services Block Grant. 3. Staff briefing regarding Austin Housing activities and programs. Presentation by Nefertitti Jackmon, Community Displacement Prevention Officer, Austin Housing. Caleb Brown presented on the Austin Housing activities and programs. DISCUSSION ITEMS 4. Discussion on the City of Austin Equity Overlay. Discussion led by APD Urban Planning Management and Alan Pani, Planner Principal, from Austin Planning. Alan Pani presented on the Austin Equity Overlay. 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 512-974-3108. CDC Commissioners may contact CTM for email/technology assistance: 512-974-4357. …
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Recommendation 2026-2027 Date: March 10, 2026 Subject: Budget Recommendations for FY26-27 Budget Motioned by: Chair Noe Elias Seconded by: Commissioner Raul Longoria WHEREAS, The Austin Community Development Commission is tasked with reviewing programs designed to serve the poor and the community at large, and providing recommendations to the Austin City Council; WHEREAS, the Community Development Commission has discussed topics with Austin Public Health, the Austin Housing Department, the Austin Planning Department, additional city departments, and community organizations that coordinate with community development programs; and WHEREAS, throughout the course of those discussion various departments have expressed programmatic and departmental needs; and WHEREAS, Austin Public Health, the Austin Housing Department, and the Austin Planning Department provided backup materials and briefings throughout the 2025-2026 Community Development Commission Regular Called Meetings on their program activities, outcomes, and recommendations; and WHEREAS, several community development departments’ identified unmet needs; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Community Development Commission recommends allocation of funds and use of all available means to incorporate the following community development priorities into the FY26-27 Budget: ● AUSTIN CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT ○ Project Delivery Support Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for mobility infrastructure, project control and reporting, capital improvement project development ● AUSTIN HOMELESS STRATEGIES AND OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT ○ Homeless Diversion Services Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for permanent supportive housing, homeless diversion services, and emergency shelter services ○ Pay for Success Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for wrap around support services and permanent supportive housing ● AUSTIN HOUSING DEPARTMENT ● Displacement Prevention Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for home repair services, eviction protection, and rental assistance ● Housing Development Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for acquisition and development, development assistance, rental housing development assistance, and community housing development ● AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ○ Building Renovation and Replacement Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for renovation/rehabilitation of facilities, acquisition of land, and park infrastructure ○ Infrastructure Improvements Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for parkland (existing and acquired) improvements, maintenance and management, project design, and project oversight ● AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ○ Community Services Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for student travel safety improvements, infrastructure collaboration, and project delivery ○ Sidewalk Infrastructure Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for sidewalk development, City Pedestrian Plan and ADA Master …
To: Mayor and Members of the Austin City Council From: Austin Community Development Commission Date: March 10, 2026 Re: Completion of Council Charge Regarding Equity/Anti-Displacement Overlay Study Dear Mayor and Council Members, The Austin Community Development Commission (CDC) appreciates the opportunity to review the final presentation of the Austin Equity Overlay Study delivered to our Commission on February 10, 2026. We recognize the significant work undertaken to analyze displacement risk, community concerns, and potential anti-displacement strategies related to the HOME Phase 2 Ordinance. However, after careful review, the Commission finds that the original Council charge has not been fully satisfied. Council directed staff to “study the feasibility, merits, and risks of applying an equity/anti- displacement overlay and the impacts that such an overlay could have on affordability, displacement, and property values.” While the presentation reiterates this charge (see Project Understanding, p.3), the analysis seems to have focused on an analysis of existing policies, displacement risk and programmatic recommendations to displace risk. While these may be valuable analyses, they do not encompass the original directive to specifically explore an overlay to the ordinance, focused on mitigating displacement. At no point does the report analyze the feasibility, legal considerations, implementation mechanics, fiscal implications, or property value impacts of establishing a geographic equity overlay. The omission is particularly significant given the study’s own findings: • • “H.O.M.E. permits are more frequent in lower-value submarkets, generally east of I-35” (p.16). “Approximately 70% of H.O.M.E. permits on properties without homestead exemptions show development indicators, mostly concentrated east of downtown, in primarily Active Displacement Risk census tracts” (p.16) • The displacement risk typology identifies areas classified as Vulnerable, Active Risk, and Chronic Risk (p.15) These findings underscore the importance of evaluating targeted mitigation tools. Yet the report does not assess whether an equity overlay could serve as such a tool, nor does it examine its potential impacts. The Commission is concerned that without completing the feasibility component of the charge: 1. Council’s directive remains unfulfilled; 2. The City’s equity commitments risk appearing incomplete; and 3. Community trust may be further eroded, particularly in neighborhoods historically affected by gentrification and displacement. This concern is procedural as well as substantive. The presentation does not acknowledge that the scope was narrowed, nor does it explain that the overlay feasibility analysis was not undertaken. Given the public interest surrounding HOME Phase 2 and its impacts, transparency regarding the scope and …
Austin Housing Updates: ADCAP & CIS NOFA Austin Housing | March 10, 2026 ADCAP Update Austin Housing Presentation to CDC with recommendations (August 2025) Austin Housing / AHFC Actions Plan to re-open program Questions from CDC Commissioners Next steps 2 CIS NOFA Update AHFC Addendum No.2 – December 3, 2025 AHFC cancelled the NOFA, pausing to “conduct a comprehensive review of existing contracts, including their scopes of work, deliverables, and return on investment (ROI). This evaluation will determine whether resources need to be realigned or reallocated to better support organizational goals.” Project Connect Community Advisory Committee Memo to Council – February 12, 2026 Project Connect anti-displacement funds allocation recommendations for the next 3 years Existing program analysis and enhanced communication 3 Creation 2020 community advocacy for rapid acquisition funds for 501(c)3 community development organizations, allocated from the $300 million in Project Connect Anti-Displacement Funding ADCAP created in December 2021 after direction from Council Resolution No. 20210204-062 $8 million allocation 2 main functions of ADCAP: – Protect housing and land from speculation in gentrifying areas – Support nonprofit community development organizations 4 ADCAP Guideline Overview Zero-interest forgivable or non-forgivable loans (AHFC discretion) for real property acquisition Rolling application with a relatively quick award timeline Available to 501(c)3 nonprofit developers Small sites (1 acre or less) May only be used within a Displacement Risk Census Tract and within 1 mile of a Project Connect bus or rail line Income requirements: – At least half of the housing units must be affordable to households earning 50%MFI (rental) or 80%MFI (owner) – Affordability periods are 40 years for rental and 99 years for ownership 5 Causes for Program Review Relatively few awards to a few organizations Few homes created and preserved relative to other programs Program paused in October 2024 to evaluate and identify opportunities for improvement Fiscal Year 2022 2023 2024 Number of Awards 1 3 3 Number of Units 4 12 9 Projects Awarded 7 Total Units Preserved Units New Units* 25 20 5 Ownership Units 5 Rental Units 20 ADCAP Funding per Unit $111,120 Family-sized Units 21 * Proposed new units are not yet constructed. 6 Findings Lack of program awareness Inconsistent understanding of ADCAP requirements and intent Timeline pressures Lack of small nonprofit …
. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Community Development Commission Recommendation Number: 20260310-007- Budget Recommendations for FY26-27 Budget WHEREAS, The Austin Community Development Commission is tasked with reviewing programs designed to serve the poor and the community at large, and providing recommendations to the Austin City Council; WHEREAS, the Community Development Commission has discussed topics with Austin Public Health, the Austin Housing Department, the Austin Planning Department, additional city departments, and community organizations that coordinate with community development programs; and WHEREAS, throughout the course of those discussions, various departments have expressed programmatic and departmental needs; and WHEREAS, Austin Public Health, the Austin Housing Department, and the Austin Planning Department provided backup materials and briefings throughout the 2025-2026 Community Development Commission Regular Called Meetings on their program activities, outcomes, and recommendations; and WHEREAS, several community development departments’ identified unmet needs; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Community Development Commission recommends allocation of funds and use of all available means to incorporate the following community development priorities into the FY26-27 Budget: ● AUSTIN CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES DEPARTMENT ○ Project Delivery Support Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for mobility infrastructure, project control and reporting, capital improvement project development ● AUSTIN HOMELESS STRATEGIES AND OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT ○ Homeless Diversion Services Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for permanent supportive housing, homeless diversion services, and emergency shelter services ○ Pay for Success Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for wrap around support services and permanent supportive housing ● AUSTIN HOUSING DEPARTMENT ● Displacement Prevention Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for . home repair services, eviction protection, and rental assistance ● Housing Development Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for acquisition and development, development assistance, rental housing development assistance, and community housing development ● AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ○ Building Renovation and Replacement Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for renovation/rehabilitation of facilities, acquisition of land, and park infrastructure ○ Infrastructure Improvements Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for parkland (existing and acquired) improvements, maintenance and management, project design, and project oversight ● AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT ○ Community Services Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for student travel safety improvements, infrastructure collaboration, and project delivery ○ Sidewalk Infrastructure Program - budget assessment and additional dollars for sidewalk development, City Pedestrian Plan and ADA Master Plan development and implementation, with a priority for high-need …
