Item 3- Final Draft Action Plan FY 25-26 — original pdf

Backup

CITY OF AUSTIN 2024 – 2025 2025 – 2026 2026 – 2027 2027 – 2028 2028 – 2029 FY 25-26 Annual Action Plan PREPARED BY Housing Department PO Box 1088 Austin, Texas 78767 City of Austin, Texas Draft Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Annual Action Plan Prepared by: City of Austin Housing Department P.O. Box 1088 Austin, TX 78767 512-974-3100 www.austintexas.gov/housing Austin City Council Kirk Watson Mayor Vanessa Fuentes, District 2 Mayor, Pro Tempore Council Members Natasha Harper-Madison, District 1 José Velásquez, District 3 José "Chito" Vela, District 4 Ryan Alter, District 5 Krista Laine, District 6 Mike Siegel, District 7 Zohaib "Zo" Qadri, District 9 Marc Duchen, District 10 FY 2025-2026 Action Plan AP-05 Executive Summary - 24 CFR 91.200(c), 91.220(b) PR-05 Lead & Responsible Agencies – 91.200(b) AP-10 Consultation – 91.100, 91.200(b), 91.215(l) AP-12 Participation – 91.105, 91.200(c) AP-15 Expected Resources – 91.220(c)(1,2) AP-20 Annual Goals and Objectives AP-35 Projects – 91.220(d) AP-38 Project Summary AP-50 Geographic Distribution – 91.220(f) AP-55 Affordable Housing – 91.220(g) AP-60 Public Housing – 91.220(h) AP-65 Homeless and Other Special Needs Activities – 91.220(i) AP-70 HOPWA Goals– 91.220 (l)(3) AP-75 Barriers to affordable housing – 91.220(j) AP-85 Other Actions – 91.220(k) AP-90 Program Specific Requirements – 91.220(l)(1,2,4) Attachment I: Citizen Participation IA: Citizen Participation Plan IB: Public Engagement Summary Attachment II: Grantee Unique Appendices IIA: Resale and Recapture Policies IIB: ESG Program Standards IIC: Monitoring Plan 2 13 15 39 44 53 57 60 88 89 93 100 107 108 116 121 Executive Summary AP-05 Executive Summary - 24 CFR 91.200(c), 91.220(b) 1. Introduction The City of Austin submits this FY 2025-26 Action Plan as the second of five Action Plans within the FY 2024-29 Consolidated Plan. The following section provides a concise summary of the FY 2025-26 Action Plan. The final document will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) no later than August 16, 2025. In FY 2025-26, the City of Austin expects to receive continued funding from HUD through four entitlement grants: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG); HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME); Emergency Solutions Grant Program (ESG); and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). In addition to federal funding from HUD, the City of Austin (City) appropriates local funds to the Housing Department, formerly the Housing and Planning Department (HPD), for affordable housing and community development activities. HUD's guidance regarding the inclusion of non-federal funding sources in a Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan is that non-federal sources are to be included if they are reasonably expected to be made available to address the needs outlined in the plan. This Action Plan is not intended to confer any legal rights or entitlements to any persons, groups, or entities, including those named as intended recipients of funds or as program beneficiaries. The terms of the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan are subject to amendment and to the effect of applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. Statements of numerical goals or outcomes are for the purpose of measuring the success of programs and policies and do not impose a legal obligation on the City to achieve the intended results. Actual funding of programs and projects identified in this plan are subject to completion of various further actions, some of which involve discretionary determinations by the City or others. These actions include HUD approval of this plan; appropriations by the United States Congress and the Austin City Council; reviews and determinations under environmental and related laws; and results of bidding and contracting processes. 2. Summarize the objectives and outcomes identified in the Plan The City’s FY 2024-29 Consolidated Plan establishes funding priorities for the FY 2025-26 Action Plan in the following high priority need areas: Special Needs Assistance; Homeless Assistance; Renter Assistance; Homebuyer Assistance; Homeowner Assistance; Housing Development Assistance; Other Community Development Assistance. These funding priorities were established based on the housing and community development needs identified through public and stakeholder input while developing the FY 2024-29 Consolidated Plan, the 2019 Housing Market Analysis, a Regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI), and City Council direction. All the proposed funding priorities 2 of 130 will serve very-low, low and moderate-income households in the City of Austin. See Exhibit 1 on page 4 of this document for a listing of FY 2024-29 Consolidated Plan programs and descriptions. City of Austin Ordinance 820401-D ("The Austin Housing and Community Development Block Grant Ordinance") dated April 1, 1982, sets forth requirements and provisions for the administration of funds received by the City under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, as amended, including the assertion that "the primary objectives of community development activities in the City of Austin shall be the development of a viable urban community, including decent housing, a suitable living environment, elimination of slums and blight and expanding economic opportunities, principally for persons of low- and moderate-income," and that in implementing the above, "the City's general obligation to provide capital improvements to the target areas is not diminished except in extraordinary circumstances. Capital improvements in the target areas are to be funded through the normal course of City-wide capital improvements." In 2017, the Austin City Council adopted the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint, a ten-year community plan to align resources, ensure a unified strategic direction, and facilitate community partnerships to reach the City’s affordable housing goals. The Blueprint identifies five community values along with key recommended actions the City could take to support them: ○ Prevent Households from Being Priced Out of Austin: Support legislation to allow flat dollar- amount Homestead Exemptions, create a preservation property tax exemption for properties to minimize displacement of low-income renters, expand the use of shared-equity ownership and mechanisms to preserve and create ownership options for households at 80-120% MFI, and invest in preservation strategies to combat gentrification. ○ Foster Equitable, Integrated and Diverse Communities: Promote strategic investments and create protections for low-income renters by developing a strike fund to preserve multi-family buildings to retain affordable housing units, implement Austin’s Fair Housing Action Plan, bolster enforcement of Fair Housing requirements, and undertake strategic land banking for affordable housing. Invest in Housing for Those Most in Need: Pursue future General Obligation Bonds and local fund appropriations for affordable housing, leverage low-income housing tax credits, challenge the private sector to fund affordable workforce housing, maximize the use of public properties for affordable housing, and expand housing for people with disabilities. ○ ○ Create New and Affordable Housing Choices Throughout Austin: Use the affordable housing goals in this plan to guide policy, implement consistent density bonus programs, streamline City codes and permitting processes, better utilize land for affordable housing, revise the S.M.A.R.T Housing Program, relax regulations on affordable housing products (including cooperatives and Accessory Dwelling Units), and create a Multifamily Property Tax Exemption Program. 3 of 130 ○ Help Austinites Reduce Household Costs: Connect housing with transportation choices, increase efforts to help households to reduce utility costs through weatherization of current residences, and ensure the future housing developments are close to healthy grocery stores, health care services, and social support agencies. In 2018 and 2022, voters approved two bonds valued at $250 million and $350 million, respectively, to support affordable housing programs administered by the City of Austin Housing Department. This substantial increase in resources has enabled the Housing Department to reprioritize and maximize the use of federal funds. The realignment of resources is also reflective of feedback received from the community during the community needs assessment period conducted for the FY 2024-29 Consolidated Plan. In 2024, the City of Austin’s Housing Department applied for and was awarded $7 million in federal grants, with the intention to update the Austin Housing Strategic Blueprint. In January 2025, City Council approved receipt and use of said grant. The updated Blueprint will ensure housing and community development priorities are aligned to up-to-date facts and figures. 4 of 130 Exhibit 1. 3. Evaluation of past performance This is an evaluation of past performance that helped lead the grantee to choose its goals or projects. The City of Austin’s Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Reports (CAPER) indicate a strong track record of setting and meeting goals for the Action Plan. The completed CAPER is presented to and 5 of 130 discussed with the City’s Community Development Commission annually. The most recent remote monitoring was conducted by HUD in 2021 for the CDBG Childcare Services and Senior Services programs, as well as the CDBG-CV RENT program. As a result, City staff and subrecipients received additional program and technical assistance training, and internal program guidelines, policies, and procedures were revised. All these actions were undertaken to improve program effectiveness, management efficiency and increase staff and subrecipient capacity and performance. In 2024, the City created a new department, the Intergovernmental Relations Office (IGRO), which works to improve effectiveness throughout governmental relations, including grants. IGRO will continue to work with City staff on best practices for grants acquisition and management. Also in 2024, the Housing Department launched a Policy & Data Analytics unit to strengthen the Department's capacity to monitor past performance and enhance future outcomes through policy research. The alignment of the Consolidated Plan with the City’s housing plan required the City to take an interdisciplinary planning approach by collaborating with internal and external partners to focus federal dollars where the need is the greatest. Ongoing collaboration is fundamental to leveraging all resources to maximize programs that offer the deepest affordability and have a long-lasting and sustainable effect. Collaborative efforts with internal and external stakeholders and the community are discussed further in this section. This and future Action Plans will be followed by an end of year Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), made available to HUD and the public. 4. Summary of Citizen Participation Process and consultation process Outreach The Housing Department consulted with various boards, commissions and representative organizations to receive feedback on the needs of Austin’s resident communities. For these purposes, representative organizations are a body of stakeholders who are part of, provide not-for-profit services to, or organize on behalf of very-low, low and moderate income populations. Public hearings were held at the Community Development Commission and the Austin City Council to capture public input during the development of the Action Plan. The Community Development Commission advises the Austin City Council on the development and implementation of programs designed to serve low-income communities and the community at large, with an emphasis on federally funded programs. For the FY 2025-26 Action Plan’s Community Needs Assessment and Public Comment periods, information about the Action Plan process and opportunities for the community to participate were published in the local newspapers Austin American Statesman and El Mundo, in English and Spanish, respectively. For the Public Comment period, information was also shared in the City’s public utilities newsletter, Austin Utilities Now, as well as the Austin Housing Newsletter, and flyers were distributed to all public libraries. Additionally, information about the Action Plan process was available on a dedicated 6 of 130 Speak Up Austin web page (www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds) during both the Community Needs Assessment and Public Comment periods. Overall, community members had the opportunity to provide feedback through either virtual or in-person attendance at meetings and public hearings, through the Action Plan’s Speak Up Austin web page, via email sent to the Housing Department, postal mail and phone. More details about the community engagement process are discussed in sections AP- 10: Consultation, AP-15: Citizen Participation, and Attachment 1B in this document. Community Needs Assessment Period The Housing Department conducted the FY 2025-26 Community Needs Assessment April 4 through May 9, 2025. During this time, input on community needs and funding priorities was received via in-person and virtual meetings with community stakeholders. A total of fourteen events were conducted successfully for the Community Needs Assessment period, with more attempted that did not meet quorum. Additionally, two public hearings were conducted in this period at the City of Austin Community Development Commission on April 08, 2025 and Austin City Council on May 08, 2025. During the Community Needs Assessment period, 18 boards, commissions, committees and community representative organizations received a presentation on the Action Plan process and funding priorities. A full list of stakeholders can be found below in sections AP-10: Consultation and AP-15: Citizen Participation in this document. Full summaries of the meetings are included in Attachment 1B. Draft Action Plan Public Comment Period In accordance with the City’s Citizen Participation Plan, the draft Action Plan was available for review and comment by the public from May 26 to June 30, 2025. Notice of the public comment period and public hearings were posted on the City’s Housing website, The City of Austin Speak Up Austin webpage, at all libraries and through the Austin Housing Newsletter. The draft plan was accessible online at the Speak Up Austin webpage. The public was able to provide feedback through the Speak Up Austin webpage, and via email, postal mail, and phone. Paper copies of the plan were available at public facilities throughout the City. Public hearings took place on June 10th with the Community Development Commission, and June 5th with the Austin City Council, to receive feedback on the draft plan. 5. Summary of public comments Community Needs Assessment Feedback The community needs assessment for the FY 25-26 Action Plan was conducted April 4 through May 9, 2025. The City received a total of 6 responses to the community needs survey on the SpeakUp Austin website, with 359 total visits to the webpage. Comments advocated for neighborhood improvements, faster responses to the homeless crisis, support for small businesses, tax relief and single resident 7 of 130 occupancy housing. A full report of the survey responses is included in Attachment IB of this Action Plan. At the April 8, 2025 Public Hearing on the draft Action Plan with the Community Development Commission, no members of the public testified. Commissioners on the CDC had questions and recommendations for the community needs assessment. The meeting summary is included in Attachment 1B of the Action Plan. At the May 8, 2025 City Council meeting, a public hearing was held by the Austin City Council. One member of the public provided input: I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S APPROXIMATELY $70 MILLION THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING OVERALL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, IN BACKUP IT DOES HAVE THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN. BUT I JUST WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT MANDY DE MAYO CIRCUMVENTED THAT REQUIREMENT. WHEN THIS PLAN WENT BEFORE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION,. SHE ACTUALLY RAN OUT THE TIME AND THERE WERE NO RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO HER. SHE UNILATERALLY ACTUALLY USED THE 15% OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES FOR CHILDCARE. BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE, AND I DO RESPECT THAT YOU ARE HAPPY ABOUT SLAUGHTER LANE. THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 7, MIKE SIEGEL'S AREA. UP AT THE TOP, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT 15% COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN USED FOR CONNECTIVITY AND SAFETY. THERE IS NO PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON IN NORTH LAMAR, NORTH OF US, 180 3 BY THE METROPOLITAN PARK, WALNUT CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK. BUT DOWN BELOW, YOU CAN SEE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN ON 46TH STREET, THERE ARE TWO PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS. IT IS SAFE. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE THIS IS THE AREA WHERE DONALD NORTON WAS KILLED. THERE'S STILL NO SIDEWALK AND YOU'VE RECEIVED OVER $47.5 MILLION FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL. SO IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE STUDENTS GETTING TO SCHOOL SAFELY, NOW YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL IS ON THE LEFT SIDE. YOU CAN'T SEE IT IN THE PICTURE, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT WAS ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 30TH, 2016 WHEN MR. NORTON WAS KILLED. AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM HUD. IT IS DISINGENUOUS AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS ALWAYS, THAT YOUR INEQUITIES VIOLATE TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS 8 of 130 DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN. AND I WOULD ASK MANDY DE MAYO TO RESIGN. Public Comment on the Draft Action Plan The public comment period for the draft FY 22-23 Action Plan took place from May 26 to June 30, 2025. The public comment period was announced on the Housing and Planning department website, in the Austin Housing Newsletter, through Austin Energy bill inserts and flyers in libraries. A copy of the draft Action Plan was available online and in person at community centers around the city. During the comment period, 3 comments were received through the Speak Up Austin webpage. The following comments were received during the public comment period - “The housing repair programs have a set limit of up to $20,000 (Go Repair), etc. This has been the same amount for at least 10 years. The cost for repairs, etc., has risen, but the funding has stayed the same.” - “Regarding affordable housing- why is the focus almost exclusively on keeping renters in their homes?? What about home owners that own their home that are needing help?? Property taxes are forcing us to do without in order to stay in our homes, WHILE YOU ARE USING MY PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT TO KEEP OTHERS IN THEIR HOUSING!!! That's just wrong!! I am not a pocket you can pick for every little want. Like pocket parks over a polluted highway!@ for a very limited group that can access them. CUT PROPERTY TAX!” - “Everything I have asked you not to do you have done. Everything I have asked you to undo you refused. You say you want my input but your vote says otherwise. I am a no vote on everything until you actually start listening to ME.” At the June 5, 2025 City Council meeting, a public hearing was held by the Austin City Council. One member of the public of the public testified. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE HUD ACTION PLAN 2025 -2026. WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THE COMMISSION ON AGING IS ACTUALLY ON PAGE 34. THE DOCUMENT 99 TO 100 TELLS YOU ABOUT THE BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE THE ITEM THAT YOU ACTUALLY HEARD AS IT RELATES TO OUR SENIORS MAY FEEL GOOD, IT ACTUALLY IS DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT TRANSPORTATION FOR THE SENIORS IN SERVICE PLAN 2035. 2025 SERVICE PLAN IS WHAT'S BEFORE YOU. I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THIS IS AN ELDER WHO SPOKE, RUBY TYRONE, AND SHE BASICALLY SAID, METRO DON'T CARE ABOUT US. AND SPECIFICALLY, SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE ROUTE 300 ROCKY AND MANOR, WHERE CAPITAL METRO ELIMINATED THAT UNILATERALLY. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SPECIFICALLY ON THE SCREEN, CAITLIN DALTON, 9 of 130 WHO IS NOW YOUR TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT MANAGER IN A TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UNILATERALLY ELIMINATED 240 RUTLAND, AND THE INFORMATION IS BEFORE YOU. SHE ELIMINATED SERVICE TO ST. DAVID'S AND THERE WAS NO INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT SHE VIOLATED FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION CIRCULAR 4 7 0 2 0.1 B FOUR DASH 16, SPECIFIED THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO FIND THE LEAST DISCRIMINATORY ALTERNATIVE I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL IN THE RIGHT UPPER CORNER, YOU'LL SEE IN 2017, OUR SENIORS DID GO BEFORE CAPITAL METRO. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 2017, THEY HELD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE CAPITOL METRO ACTUALLY COLLECTED SURVEYS ABOUT 5,000 FROM WHITE CHOICE RIDERS, AGE 25 TO 35. THEY MADE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEY ACTUALLY HAD ACCESS TO TWO VEHICLES, AND THEN THE SERVICE CHANGED FOR THEM. SO IT IS DEEPLY DISTURBING AND DISINGENUOUS FOR YOU TO NOW CONSIDER THE MINORITIES AND OUR SENIORS. IT IS A HALF MILE WALK FROM COLLIN WOOD TODAY. OUR SENIOR CITIZENS PAY $7 FOR UBER TO GET FROM BREAKER IN NORTH LAMAR. PLEASE DO BETTER, MAYOR. At the June 10, 2025 Public Hearing on the draft Action Plan with the Community Development Commission, one membes of the public testified. MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE FY 25 26 PLAN. I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION SINCE YOU MENTIONED PROJECT CONNECT. IT IS MENTIONED 12 TIMES IN YOUR PACKET, AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020, THE VOTERS ACTUALLY APPROVED PROJECT CONNECT, WHICH WAS A PERMANENT AVALOR TAX INCREASE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY VOTED TO INCREASE THEIR RENT IN PERPETUITY. I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THE SERVICE IS DISCONNECTED, IT'S UNRELIABLE, INFREQUENT, AND DISCONNECTED NORTH OF US 180 AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE 15% THAT YOU HAVE FOR PUBLIC SERVICES COULD BETTER SPENT IN THIS AREA AS OPPOSED TO CHILDCARE, WHICH WAS UNILATERALLY DECIDED BY MANDY DE MAYO AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH. IF YOU LOOK HERE, YOU'LL SEE SPECIFICALLY THE CRITERIA FOR PROJECT CONNECT FOR THE LIGHT RAIL LINE. AND I DO BELIEVE IT'S FRAUD. FRAUD IS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION. THE CITY CONTINUES TO STATE WITHIN ONE MILE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CIG, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS CRITERIA, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT IS A HALF MILE RADIUS FROM THE STATIONS. I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT AT NO, AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDE, THE NORTH PART OF THE SLIDE HERE, THAT'S THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY FINISH THE STUDENT HOUSING BELOW, YOU'LL SEE A BLACK MAN, OR YOU PROBABLY CAN'T SEE HIM. IT IS THAT DARK. AND DESPITE THE CITY GETTING $47.5 MILLION FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, THIS IS NOT SAFE. AND YOU WOULDN'T TAKE YOUR CHILD ON THIS ROUTE TO COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY ON ROUTE 392. I JUST WANTED TO PUT UP THE ACTUAL EMAIL ADDRESS. IF YOU LOOK AT SECRETARY INVITES@HUD.GOV FOR YOU TO INVITE THE SECRETARY TO COME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I'VE WRITTEN TO HIM SPECIFICALLY, I WILL JUST TELL YOU, UH, THAT THE MORE OF US WHO WRITE, THEN PERHAPS THE TRUTH WILL BE TOLD. IT'S APPROXIMATELY $70 MILLION THAT YOU'RE 10 of 130 GETTING OVER FIVE YEARS. I WOULD ASK THIS COMMISSION TO ACTUALLY PUT FORTH A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY REQUEST A CHANGE FROM THIS CHILDCARE BEING PRIORITY NUMBER ONE. THAT WAS NEVER DISCUSSED. YOU MAY RECALL LAST YEAR, MANDY DEMAYO CAME BEFORE YOU WITHOUT ANY RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMISSION. AND NOW MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO JUST ACCEPT THAT CHILDCARE IS NUMBER ONE. I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT TRAVIS COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED FUNDING FOR CHILDCARE. THERE WAS MONEY FROM WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR CHILDCARE. AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHY CHILDCARE IS A PRIORITY, AND I WOULD ASK YOU FOR YOU TO GET SOME TYPE OF CLARIFICATION BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS THAT THE PUBLIC INPUT IS NOT BEING SENT TO HUD, THEREFORE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN. IF YOU GO BACK TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS IN THE DARK, YOU WILL SEE THAT. AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE SPECIFICALLY THIS IS DOBY MIDDLE SCHOOL, NO BUS STOP, NO SHELTER. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME. Commissioners on the CDC had questions and recommendations regarding the draft plan. The meeting summary is included in Attachment 1B of the Action Plan. 6. Summary of comments or views not accepted and the reasons for not accepting them All comments received on the Action Plan were accepted and considered. 7. Summary The Action Plan is designed to help participating jurisdictions assess their affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions to make data-driven, place-based investment decisions. The consolidated planning process serves as the framework for a community-wide dialogue to identify community needs, resources and priorities for the City’s affordable housing, community development, homeless, public services and economic development priorities that align and focus funding from the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). The Consolidated Plan is carried out through annual Action Plans, which provide a concise summary of the actions, activities and the specific resources that will be used each year to address the priority needs and specific goals identified by the Consolidated Plan. Grantees report on accomplishments and progress toward Consolidated Plan goals in the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). 11 of 130 Exhibit 2. 12 of 130 PR-05 Lead & Responsible Agencies – 91.200(b) 1. Agency/entity responsible for preparing/administering the Consolidated Plan Describe the agency/entity responsible for preparing the Consolidated Plan and those responsible for administration of each grant program and funding source. Agency Role Lead Agency Name AUSTIN Housing Department Department/Agency AUSTIN Housing Department and Austin Public Health AUSTIN Austin Public Health AUSTIN Housing Department AUSTIN Homeless Strategy Office Table 1 – Responsible Agencies CDBG Administrator HOPWA Administrator HOME Administrator ESG Administrator Narrative The Housing Department, formerly the Housing and Planning Department (HPD), is designated by the Austin City Council as the single point of contact for HUD and is the lead agency for the CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA grant programs. The Housing Department administers the CDBG affordable housing and community development programs and HOME programs. The Housing Department is directly responsible for developing the five-year Consolidated Plan, the annual Action Plan, and the annual end- of-year Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) was created in 1979 as a public, nonprofit corporation organized pursuant to Chapter 394 of the Texas Local Government Code. The Austin City Council serves as the AHFC’s Board of Directors. The mission of the AHFC is to generate and implement strategic housing solutions for the benefit of low- and moderate-income households of the City of Austin. Employees of the Housing Department manage the funding and operations of AHFC through an annual service agreement executed between the City and AHFC. 13 of 130 The Austin City Council designates Austin Public Health (APH) to administer CDBG Public Services and HOPWA programs. APH is a nationally accredited Public Health department and works in partnership with the community to prevent disease, promote health, and protect the well-being of the community. When we support well-being we ensure that everyone can reach their potential and contribute to the community. Programs must be evidence-based, research-based, or promising practices which promote self-sufficiency across a life continuum, from birth to old age. The Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) will begin administering the ESG program in FY 2025-26. HSO was established in 2023 as part of the City of Austin’s homelessness response, and collaborates with agencies, community organizations, and individuals working to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Economic Development Department (EDD) administered the Family Business Loan Program (FBLP) funded with Section 108 funds. Section 108 is a loan guarantee provision of the CDBG Program. The Family Business Loan Program and related lending programs were designed to provide a low-cost financing option to Austin-based small businesses seeking to expand and hire that commit to provide employment opportunities to Austin’s low- and moderate-income communities. As of FY 2025-26 this program has been discontinued. The Community Development Commission (CDC) advises City Council in the development and implementation of programs designed to serve low to moderate-income households, and the community at large, with an emphasis on federally funded programs. The CDC also oversees the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program managed by Austin Public Health. CSBG regulations require that the CDC consist of 15 members, including representatives from eight geographic target areas: Colony Park, Dove Springs, East Austin, Montopolis, Rosewood-Zaragosa/Blackland, St. Johns, North Austin and South Austin. The CDC’s eight neighborhood representatives are elected through a neighborhood-based process and all 15 are formally appointed by the Austin City Council. The Urban Renewal Board (URB) consists of seven members appointed by the City of Austin Mayor with consent from the Austin City Council. The URB oversees the implementation of, and compliance with, Urban Renewal Plans that are adopted by the Austin City Council. An Urban Renewal Plan's primary purpose is to eliminate slum and blight within a designated area of the City. Council adopted Resolution No. 971119-34 on November 19, 1997, declaring the East 11th and 12th Streets Revitalization Area appropriate for an urban renewal project. Subsequently, Council adopted an Urban Renewal Plan. The City of Austin and the Urban Renewal Agency, in the shared interest of completing the Urban Renewal Project, entered into an agreement that identifies each party’s roles and responsibilities for the completion of the revitalization for these two corridors. 14 of 130 AP-10 Consultation – 91.100, 91.200(b), 91.215(l) 1. Introduction The Housing Department, Austin Public Health (APH) and the Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) regularly consult with internal and external partners in administration of affordable housing, economic development, homelessness and public services programs and activities. Partners include City boards and commissions, City staff or consultants with relevant expertise, residents, resident groups and providers who serve them, as well as advocacy organizations. A detailed listing of the agencies and organizations consulted during this fiscal year can be found in this section. Provide a concise summary of the jurisdiction’s activities to enhance coordination between public and assisted housing providers and private and governmental health, mental health and service agencies (91.215(l)) The City of Austin provides funding to, and works closely in partnership with, the Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care (CoC), composed of relevant stakeholders of the Austin/Travis County geographic area. Relevant organizations include nonprofit homeless assistance providers, victim services providers, faith-based organizations, governments, businesses, advocates, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing developers, law enforcement, organizations that serve veterans, as well as homeless and formerly homeless individuals. Relevant stakeholders compose the Homelessness Response System Leadership Council, the local CoC Board, tasked with providing strategic direction to the Austin/Travis County community regarding issues that impact persons experiencing homelessness. The City of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Officer and an Equity Office staff representative hold a standing seat on the Leadership Council. The Leadership Council has appointed the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) as the Collaborative Applicant, HMIS Lead Agency, and Lead Agency of the CoC, to plan and coordinate system efforts. ECHO executive leadership participates in planning partnerships with psychiatric stakeholders, criminal justice executives and employment specialists led by Central Health, Austin-Travis County Integral Care, Travis County Public Safety and Justice, and Goodwill Industries. In 2018, the CoC Board and Austin City Council adopted Austin’s Action Plan to End Homelessness that outlines specific objectives and strategies needed to end homelessness in the community. City and ECHO staff coordinate regularly regarding issues such as affordable housing developments, access to information about affordable housing, fair housing, and homelessness. The Housing Department coordinates with ECHO to administer a contract with the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) to provide Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) utilizing HOME funding. This contract assists households experiencing homelessness. 15 of 130 Describe coordination with the Continuum of Care and efforts to address the needs of homeless persons (particularly chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans, and unaccompanied youth) and persons at risk of homelessness. Various departments within the City of Austin coordinate closely with the Continuum of Care to provide and coordinate services to those experiencing homelessness. Departmental summaries relevant to this funding are found in this section. The Housing Department works closely with ECHO, the CoC Lead Agency, to develop ways to incentivize the development of housing units that serve people experiencing homelessness. Through the Housing Department’s competitive Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) program, which provides funding for nonprofit and for-profit affordable housing developers, the Housing Department provides additional points through the standard scoring criteria for developments that dedicate affordable units to people experiencing homelessness. In order to receive the additional points, the Housing Department requires a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the developer and ECHO. The MOU establishes the number of units, the population to be served, the process for filling the units, the monitoring and reporting criteria, among other items. All resident referrals to RHDA CoC units come from the Austin / Travis County’s Coordinated Entry System, ensuring coordinated efforts and shared information with among relevant stakeholders. The Housing Department also has a contract with ECHO to administer the locally funded Low-Barrier Permanent Supportive Housing Program. This program enables individuals experiencing homelessness who have multiple barriers to housing (including criminal history, eviction history, behavioral health issues, among other challenges) to access housing units in the private market. ECHO has established relationships with private landlords who own Class B and C properties throughout the City of Austin. Landlords agree to reduce their tenant screening criteria and provide below market rent. ECHO provides eligible tenants who have access to intensive support services needed. The Housing Department pays the rent subsidy up to the applicable Fair Market Rent. Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) and Housing Department staff provide expertise on the development of the annual CoC application through participation in the CoC Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Independent Review Team. Staff also participate in ongoing CoC stakeholder meetings coordinated by ECHO, the CoC Lead Agency, including the CoC & ESG Committee, Policy and Practice Committee, CoC Rapid Rehousing Workgroup, and the CoC governing board, Leadership Council. As lead administrative agency for ESG grant programming beginning in FY 2025-26, HSO participates in key Continuum of Care planning groups, and other stakeholder meetings. During development of the Consolidated Plan and annual Action Plan, and throughout the year, HSO staff will engage with ECHO to gather information that informs decisions on ESG allocations, 16 of 130 performance standards, and evaluation outcomes. ECHO, the Housing Department and HSO will also meet regularly to discuss ways to coordinate City and CoC-funding that serves people experiencing homelessness, including data expectations, outcome measures, and written standards for program interventions. Describe consultation with the Continuum(s) of Care that serves the jurisdiction's area in determining how to allocate ESG funds, develop performance standards for and evaluate outcomes of projects and activities assisted by ESG funds, and develop funding, policies and procedures for the operation and administration of HMIS HSO and ECHO work together to evaluate outcomes and more closely align Continuum of Care (CoC) and ESG programs. All ESG funded programs enter data into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and accept referrals for rapid rehousing through the Coordinated Entry system administered by ECHO. HSO staff analyze data and report progress on ending homelessness to the City and other community entities. In addition, ESG-funded programs are required to submit to the City the outcome measure: percent of case-managed households that transition from homelessness into housing. HSO and ECHO partner to ensure that all rapid rehousing programs and shelter programs are entering data into HMIS in a manner that allows system-wide and City outcomes to be measured and evaluated. The City of Austin has taken an active role in supporting a more effective HMIS so that data sourced from the system can inform policy decisions and be used to evaluate program effectiveness. The FY 2025-26 ESG award budget includes funding for improvements to the Homeless Management Information System, including continuation of the Scan Card program at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless (ARCH) - an emergency shelter which is the first point of entry into the homeless social service system for many of Austin’s adults experiencing homelessness. The City also contributes local funding to support ECHO staff positions. City staff have taken an active role with ECHO in developing coordinated assessment and improving other components of the Continuum of Care. Describe Agencies, groups, organizations and others who participated in the process 2. and describe the jurisdiction’s consultations with housing, social service agencies and other entities See chart below. 17 of 130 Agency/Group /Organization /Subject Matter Expertise African American Resource Advisory Commission (AARAC) Agency/Group/ Organization Type What section of the Plan was addressed by Consultation? Civic Leaders Civic Leaders Board/Commission Other- Housing Affordability Residents Other- Board/Commission How was the agency/group/organization consulted? What are the anticipated outcomes of the consultation or areas for improved coordination? The African American Resource Advisory Commission (AARAC) is charged with advising the Austin City Council on issues relating to the quality of life for the City's African American community and recommends programs designed to alleviate any inequities that may confront African Americans in social, economic and vocational pursuits - including health care, affordable housing, home ownership, homelessness, employment, entertainment and cultural venues. Housing Department staff attended the AARAC meeting on April 1, 2025 as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment. Housing Department staff presented information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. 18 of 130 Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission Civic Leaders Civic Leaders Board/Commission Other- Housing Affordability Residents Other- Board/Commission Austin Public Health (APH) Grantee Department Early Childhood Needs - Families with children Mental Health Wrap Around Services - Youth Aging Services Needs- Seniors Aged 55+ HOPWA Strategy The Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission (AAQOL) advises the Austin City Council on issues related to the Asian American Resource Center and provides on-going guidance and support for the City’s Asian American quality of life initiatives. Housing Department staff attempted to attend AQOL meetings as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment, but were unable to do so. The Austin City Council designates Austin Public Health (APH) to administer CDBG Public Services and HOPWA funded programs. The Housing Department and APH meet quarterly to discuss the administration of these programs and meet as needed to collaborate on the development of the Consolidated Plan, Action Plan and Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). This includes discussing budgeting priorities, program metrics and funding changes. The Housing Department and APH continue to collaborate to improve and enhance the overall Consolidated Plan, Action Plan and CAPER execution processes for future fiscal years. 19 of 130 Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) Grantee Department Homeless Needs - Chronically homeless The Austin City Council designates Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) to administer the ESG program. Homeless Needs - Families with children Homelessness Needs - Veterans Homelessness Needs - Unaccompanied youth Homelessness Strategy Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable Regional Organization Residents Housing Needs Assessment Non-homeless Special Needs The Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable is a coalition working to promote a community that supports formerly incarcerated persons and individuals with criminal histories. The Housing Department partners with the Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable on projects to increase access to services for formerly incarcerated people, like the Rental Housing Development Assistance guidelines. Housing Department staff met with Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on March 28, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. 20 of 130 Building and Strengthening Tenant Action (BASTA) Services – Housing Housing Need Assessment Residents Tenants' Rights Caritas Services- Homelessness Homeless Needs- Chronically Homeless Homeless Needs- Veterans The goal of Building and Strengthening Tenant Action (BASTA) is to create sustainable and autonomous tenant associations by cultivating leadership in tenant communities. BASTA provides one- on-one guidance and group training in the following areas: outreach methods, facilitation techniques, negotiation strategy, campaign planning and property research. City staff collaborate with BASTA to improve homelessness and low- income housing programs. Housing Department staff met with BASTA as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 17, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. Caritas is a non-profit service provider that focuses on assisting the homeless community with stable housing, food access, education, employment and veteran’s assistance. Housing Department staff met with Caritas as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 7 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. 21 of 130 Services- Homelessness Homeless Needs – Chronically Homeless Catholic Charities of Central Texas (CCCTX) Catholic Charities of Central Texas (CCCTX) is a non-profit service provider that provides services to low-income residents, including counseling services, immigration legal services, veteran services. Housing Department staff met with CCCTX as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 14, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. Central Health Services- Homelessness Housing Needs Assessment Homeless Needs- Chronically Homeless Homelessness Strategy Created in 2004 by the voters of Travis County, Central Health is the local public entity that provides access to high-quality care. Central Health works with a network of partners to eliminate health disparities in Travis County. Housing Department staff met with Central Health as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 21, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. 22 of 130 Agency – Displacement Prevention Housing Department Displacement Prevention Division Housing Need Assessment The Housing Department’s Displacement Prevention Division is tasked with developing and leading programming and outreach to prevent the displacement of vulnerable communities. Agency – Emergency Management Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Housing Need Assessment The City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) plans and prepares for emergencies, educates the public about preparedness, develops volunteers, manages grant funding to improve homeland security and public safety capabilities, coordinates emergency response and recovery, supports planned events, and works with public and partner organizations to protect our whole community when it needs us the most. 23 of 130 Housing Needs Assessment Watershed Protection Department Agency - Managing Flood Prone Areas Agency - Management of Public Land or Water Resources The City of Austin operates under The Watershed Protection Strategic Plan which helps the City understand and address existing flooding, erosion, and water quality problem, in addition to helping the City and the community prepare for future challenges. Commission on Aging (formerly the Commission on Seniors) Board/Commission Housing Need Assessment Homelessness Strategy The Commission on Aging (CoA) advises City Council on issues related to the senior population in the Austin area; evaluates and recommends programs, policies, and practices that create a positive impact and reduce the burden on seniors; determines the needs of seniors in the Austin community and advises council regarding these needs; and promotes the contributions of seniors to the cultural, economic and historical value of Austin. Housing Department staff met with Commission on Aging as part of the FY 25- 26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 09, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. 24 of 130 Community Development Commission (CDC) Board/Commission Housing Need Assessment Homeless Needs - Chronically homeless Homeless Needs - Families with children Non-Homeless Special Needs Economic Development Household Affordability Services - Narrowing the Digital Divide Digital Needs of the Community Community Technology and Telecommunicat ions Commission (CTTC) The Community Development Commission advises the City Council on the development and implementation of programs designed to assist low to moderate-income Austinites and the community at large with emphasis on federally funded programs. The Community Development Commission serves as policy advisors and provides oversight and guidance on federally funded initiatives and programs. The Housing Department provides staffing support to the Commission and regularly consults with the group on issues affecting low and moderate-income Austinites. Housing Department and APH staff met with the CDC as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 08, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. More public hearings and visits are planned to the CDC throughout this process. The Technology Commission advises the city council on community technology, telecommunications services, new sources of funding for access television projects, new sources of funding for community technology projects, allocation of annual financial support and evaluation of the performance of franchise holders, access television contractors, and other community 25 of 130 Early Childhood Council (ECC) Board/Commission Housing Need Assessment Non-Homeless Special Needs Economic Development technology contractors, including development of criteria to be used for evaluations. It promotes access to telecommunications services and community technologies. Housing Department staff met with CTTC as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 30, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. The Early Childhood Council (ECC) makes recommendations to City Council for the creation, development and implementation of programs that promote optimal development for young children; and programs and activities that contribute to the continued development of a system of high-quality early care and education and after-school programs for Austin's children. Austin Public Health provides staffing support to the ECC and regularly consults with the group on issues affecting childcare and high-quality early education for Austin families with low income. Housing Department staff met with the ECC as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 09, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this 26 of 130 Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) Services- Homeless Housing Need Assessment Homeless Needs - Chronically homeless Homeless Needs - Families with children Homelessness Needs - Veterans Homelessness Needs - Unaccompanied youth Homelessness Strategy board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. The City of Austin provides funding and works closely in partnership with the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), who is the CoC Lead Agency, CoC Collaborative Applicant, and the Lead HMIS Agency for local Continuum of Care (CoC)/homeless system. Leadership from the City and County Health and Human Services Department attend and participate in voting seats during the monthly CoC governing board, called Leadership Council, meetings coordinated by ECHO. City staff also serve on the CoC NOFA Independent Review Team and other coordinated activities serving the homeless system. ECHO is an active contributor to the information provided in the Consolidated Plan, Action Plan and CAPER regarding homeless needs and strategies. City staff coordinate with ECHO to present at CoC committee and workgroup meetings to engage various stakeholders in annual consultation procedures and are used for system planning and reporting updates as needed. Housing Department staff met with ECHO as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 07, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the 27 of 130 Google Fiber Services – Broadband Service Providers Digital Needs of the Community Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Commission Civic Leaders Civic Leaders Board/Commission Other- Housing Affordability Other- Board/Commission HIV Planning Council Services-Persons with HIV/AIDS Homelessness Strategy HOPWA Strategy needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. Google Fiber is an internet service provider in the Austin area. Google fiber provides free gigabit speed services in 14 housing complexes subsidized by the Housing Authority of the City of Austin, comprising about 1,200 units and serving over 3,600 residents. The Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Commission (HLQoL) advises the Austin City Council on issues relating to quality of life for the City’s Hispanic/Latino community and recommends programs and policies designed to alleviate any inequities that may confront Hispanics and Latinos in social, economic, and vocational pursuits including education, youth services, housing and community development, cultural arts, economic development, health, civic engagement, and transportation. Housing Department staff attempted to meet with HLQoL as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment but were unable to do so. The HIV Planning Council’s main goal is to plan and decide how to distribute the Ryan White Part A grant funds in the community through various services. The goal is to efficiently fund services that meet the multiple care needs of HIV clients with limited resources. Housing Department staff met with HIV Planning Council as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on March 12, 2025. Housing 28 of 130 Public Housing Authority Public Housing Needs Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) Integral Care Services- Homelessness Homeless Needs- Chronically Homeless Homelessness Strategy Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) is a partnering agency in the development of the Regional Analysis of Impediments, Housing Market Analysis, and Consolidated Plan. City and HACA staff coordinate regularly regarding issues such as affordable housing developments, access to information about affordable housing, fair housing, and homelessness. As a Public Housing Authority serving the City of Austin, input from and coordination with HACA is valuable to address community needs efficiently. Housing Department staff met with HACA as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 02, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. Integral Care is the local mental health authority, and supports adults and children living with mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities in Travis County. 29 of 130 Housing Department staff met with Integral Care as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 21, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. LifeWorks Austin Services- Homelessness Housing Needs Assessment Services – Housing Homeless Needs- Chronically Homeless LifeWorks Austin is an advocate for youth and young adults pursuing a life they love and a stable future for themselves and their families. Homelessness Strategy Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Board/Commission Services- Persons with Disabilities Other- Board/Commission Housing Department staff met with LifeWorks Austin as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on March 28, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities is the advisory body to the Austin City Council and City Manager regarding problems affecting persons with disabilities in the Austin area. The Committee was established to encourage, assist and enable persons with disabilities to participate in the social and economic life of the City, achieve maximum personal independence, become gainfully 30 of 130 employed and to use and enjoy fully all public and private facilities available within the community. Housing Department staff met with the Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on March 07, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. The SAFE Alliance is a merger of Austin Children’s Shelter and SafePlace, both long-standing human service agencies in Austin, TX serving the survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and exploitation, and domestic violence. Housing Department staff met with SAFE as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on March 28, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. SAFE Alliance Services- Victims Services- Housing Services- Homelessness Homelessness Needs- Chronically Homeless Homelessness Needs- Families with Children Homelessness Strategy Sunrise Navigation Center Services- Housing Services- Homelessness Homelessness Needs- Chronically Homeless Homelessness Strategy Sunrise offers pathways to housing for people experiencing homelessness through low-barrier access to wraparound services by providing innovative, trauma- 31 of 130 Table 2 – Agencies, groups, organizations who participated informed, and person-centered programming that engages our communities and leads system-wide transformation. Housing Department staff met with Sunrise Navigation Center, for the first time, as part of the FY 25-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment on April 14, 2025. Housing Department staff made available information on the Action Plan, answered questions regarding the Action Plan and requested input on how the needs of residents represented by this board may be impacted by FY 25-26 Action Plan activities. 32 of 130 Identify any Agency Types not consulted and provide rationale for not consulting No agencies were intentionally excluded from consultation. Other local/regional/state/federal planning efforts considered when preparing the Plan Name of Plan Lead Organization How do the goals of your Strategic Plan overlap with the goals of each plan? Continuum of Care Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) Austin's Action Plan to End Homelessness Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) Age Friendly Action Plan City of Austin Commission on Aging The Continuum of Care (CoC) is the local collective of networks, institutions, and organizations that provide and coordinate services across the homeless response system, supporting people who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness. The CoC is led by a governing body of stakeholders. The Leadership Council is tasked with the coordination of the response system, and funding and policy decisions. Planning and implementation of action items across the CoC occurs through ongoing and short-term committees, workgroups, and task groups to ensure system collaboration at all service provisions levels. The primary goal of the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is to end homelessness through the efficient coordination of efforts and resources dedicated to those experiencing homelessness. These goals align with the City of Austin Consolidated Plan which includes two prevention objectives: 1) Assist persons experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless; and 2) Assist persons living with HIV/AIDS to achieve stable housing and increase access to medical care and supportive services. The CoC's governing body also partners with the City to increase equity and leadership opportunities for persons with lived experience of homelessness. Austin's Action Plan to End Homelessness calls for a systematic approach to ending homelessness. The plan specifically outlines implementation of five system elements that, combined, will work effectively in ending homelessness for individuals and families, while making the community stronger for all. Those system components are 1) outreach services and shelters, 2) addressing disparities, 3) providing housing and support services, 4) strengthening our response system, and 5) building wide community commitment from both the public and private sector. This Action Plan itself seeks to mobilize public and private resources in order to fill system gaps used to end homelessness. Progress is captured through annual reports that support progress within the 5 Action Plan components. The action plan is used to strategically coordinate system interventions to end homelessness and ensure that funding sources are aligned to effectively and efficiently meet community needs. The City of Austin's Age Friendly Action Plan was published in 2017 and ultimately adopted as an amendment to Imagine Austin. The Age Friendly Action (AFA) Plan is made up of eight domains of livability including Outdoor Spaces and Buildings, Transportation, Housing, Social Participation, Respect and Social Inclusion, Civic 33 of 130 Imagine Austin City of Austin Housing Department Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint Participation and Employment, Communication and Information, and Community Support and Health. The AFA Plan contains goals and strategies in each domain focused on promoting support, respect, protection, and recognition of the needs of older adults in the Austin community. The plan encourages other City departments to consider the needs of Austin’s aging community when developing plans in their respective departments to ensure that Age-Friendly is a natural part of Austin culture. The City is in its last year of implementation of the 2021-2025 AFA plan and will be submitting its 5-year progress report. The City will submit a new AFA plan in July 2026. On June 15, 2012, City Council voted unanimously to adopt Imagine Austin, the City's comprehensive plan for Austin's future. The plan includes implementation guidelines and the following priority programs: 1) a compact, connected Austin with improved transportation options; 2) sustainably managed water resources; 3) investments in Austin's workforce, education systems and entrepreneurs; 4) protection of environmentally sensitive areas and integration of nature into the City; 5) investments in Austin's creative economy; 6) household affordability throughout Austin (the Housing Department is lead in implementing the Household Affordability priority program and will continue to partner with other City departments and community entities to guide implementation of Imagine Austin through its strategic plan); 7) creation of a 'Healthy Austin' program; and 8) revision of Austin's land development regulations and processes. Council adopted the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint which helps align resources, ensures a unified strategic direction, and facilitates community partnerships to achieve this shared vision. The plan identifies funding mechanisms, potential regulations, and other creative approaches the City of Austin should utilize to achieve housing goals - including the creation of 60,000 affordable units over the current decade for households earning approximately $60,000 or less per year - in line with Imagine Austin. To meet these goals, City Council identified specific affordable housing goals within each Council district and along transit corridors. The Blueprint also calls for at least 75% of new housing to be located within half a mile of Imagine Austin Centers and Corridors. It also sets a goal for 90% of newly built or preserved affordable housing to be located within 3/4 of a mile of transit service. Putting affordable housing near transit corridors is an important component of increasing affordability. The Blueprint identified five community values to guide the process, including: Prevent households from being priced out of Austin; Foster equitable, integrated, and diverse communities; Invest in housing for those most in need; Create new and affordable housing choices for all Austinites in all parts of Austin; and Help Austinites reduce their household costs. Austin Public Health The Austin/Travis County Austin Public Health (APH), in collaboration with local agencies, manages a comprehensive community health planning initiative titled the Austin/Travis County Community Health Plan, consisting of a Community Health Assessment (CHA) and a 34 of 130 Community Health Plan Opportunity360 Enterprise Community Partners City of Austin Long Range Capital Improvement Strategic Plan Project Connect Capital Metro, City of Austin (CAMPO) Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) as a core component of receiving Public Health Department accreditation. In 2022 APH began their third iteration of the CHA/CHIP cycle along with core agencies, including Travis County Health and Human Services, Capital Metro, Central Health, Integral Care, St. David's Foundation, Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White Health, The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, City of Austin Transportation Department, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Public Health Austin Regional Campus. The 2022 CHA was completed to identify new priority areas. The 2022 CHA and the subsequent stakeholder’s summit showed two principal domains: 1) Mental Health and 2) Social Determinants of Health. In addition, there are few themes that deserve attention: housing, education, language access, and cultural competency. Community forums were held in July 2023 to gather community inputs to assist in finalizing the new community health area prioritization. CHIP development was developed over the period spanning from December 2022 through June 2024 based on findings from the 2022 CHA and was completed for implementation by October 2024 with the release of the 2024 CHIP. Community service providers throughout the Austin/Travis County area continue to work collectively to address community needs through their annual action plans and regular workgroup meetings. Opportunity360 allows the City to understand and address community challenges by identifying pathways to greater opportunities using cross-sector data, community engagement and measurement tools. Tools and resources in the platform provide a comprehensive view into a neighborhood's access to basic needs and facilitate a strategic, asset-building approach to community development. The tool is used by the City to determine emerging and high opportunity areas. The City of Austin Housing Department coordinates updates of the Long-Range Capital Improvement Program Strategic Plan. The Plan is updated on a two-year cycle in cooperation with the Public Works Department, the City of Austin Budget Office, and capital departments. The plan has a 10-year planning horizon and provides the basis for identifying both ongoing capital needs and strategic opportunities for CIP investment over the long term, including investments in affordable housing. The plan was created to further align the City's CIP investments with the Imagine Austin 30-Year Comprehensive Plan. Project Connect is the vision for the Central Texas high-capacity transit system. Linking activity centers within the fastest growing region in the country, Project Connect aims to connect people, places and opportunities in an easy, efficient way. The vision unites efforts to develop the best solutions for getting around Central Texas and addressing growth challenges. Analysis of Impediments to City of Austin and Travis County AI goals are part of the five-year Consolidated Plan goals. The Regional Analysis of Impediments, or AI, is a planning process for local governments and public housing agencies to take meaningful actions to overcome historic patterns of segregation, 35 of 130 Fair Housing Choice 2024 CSBG Community Needs Assessment Report Austin Public Health promote fair housing choice, and foster inclusive communities that are free from discrimination. This study was conducted for the Central Texas Region in 2018 and 2019 as a joint effort among three cities, two counties, and five housing authorities. Austin Public Health conducts a Community Needs Assessment every three years in accordance with the requirements of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). The 2024 CSBG Community Needs Assessment Report identified several Strengths and Assets, as well as Challenges, highlighted below. Strengths and Assets- 1) Neighborhood Centers utilize a multidisciplinary team approach to addressing the needs of the community. Our diverse staff brings a wealth of experience and training to their work with clients, 2) Community Workers and Administrative Associates use their experience and knowledge of social services and community resources to help clients meet their basic needs. Licensed Social Workers provide self-sufficiency and quality of life case management and crisis intervention services to increase our clients’ stability, self-sufficiency, and overall quality of life. Registered nurses conduct health screenings and prevention education to help prevent chronic disease and educate the community about how to better care for their health. Center Managers bring experience and knowledge from the fields of Social Work, Professional Counseling, and Organizational Leadership. Additionally, our staff represent a diverse range of backgrounds and work together to provide wraparound services to clients and leverage CSBG funds to maximize capacity, 3) Staff consistently receive high marks for the quality customer service they provide to the community, 4) A variety of Health & Wellness activities are incorporated into team and unit trainings and are also promoted through Unit wide TEAMS and e-mail communications, 5) In 2023, the Neighborhood Centers met 100% of the CSBG organizational standards, 6) Neighborhood Centers offer a wide range of programs that help low-income individuals and families meet basic needs, increase their self-sufficiency or family stability and take better care of their health. The Neighborhood Centers used Emergency Rental Assistance funds to help eligible people avoid eviction in 2023, 7) The Neighborhood Centers have a team of Social Workers dedicated to crisis intervention who have helped Austin respond to crises such as Winter Storm Uri and other severe weather events and public health concerns, such as MPOX and COVID-19 response, 8) The Neighborhood Services Unit (NSU) provides robust outreach activities. These activities range from hosting to attending numerous community events, offering public health nursing services in the community, participating in other City of Austin celebrations, and maintaining a listserv to keep community partners informed of services and events at the Neighborhood Centers. These efforts have resulted in further developing and strengthening our community relationships and increasing the awareness of Neighborhood Center services, 9) The NSU has a board consisting of 8 elected Austin residents/members representing the low-income populations of Travis County. They serve on Austin’s Community Development Commission. Each representative is 36 of 130 nominated and elected by their community and bring their unique skills and ideas to the work of the Commission. 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. Challenges- 1) In recent years, the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding has been continually at risk at the Federal level. CSBG currently funds 13 of the 54 staff of the Neighborhood Centers, leading to uncertainty about future programming and availability of services. Additionally, this grant is level-funding even though the personnel costs continue to rise each year. The 5-Year and Annual Public Housing Agency (PHA) Plans provide a ready source for interested parties to locate basic PHA policies, rules, and requirements concerning the PHA's operations, programs, and services. Each PHA Plan informs HUD, families served by the PHA, and members of the public, of the PHA's mission, goals and objectives for serving the needs of low-income, very low-income, and extremely low-income families. The Watershed Protection Strategic Plan is the guiding blueprint for the Watershed Protection Department (WPD). The Strategic Plan helps WPD understand and address existing flooding, erosion, and water quality problems. It helps WPD tackle urgent challenges like climate change, population growth, and racial inequities. Watershed Protection is preparing to update its strategic plan. The initiative is called Rain to River: A Strategic Plan to Protect Austin's Creeks and Communities and will incorporate many opportunities for community input. 2020 PHA Five Year Plan Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) Watershed Protection Strategic Plan City of Austin Watershed Protection Department Digital Inclusion Strategy City of Austin Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs Office (TARA) The City of Austin vision includes every Austinite having an opportunity to be fully engaged in digital society, accessing and using digital and communications technology. The purpose of the plan is to address access and adoption of digital technology, and to serve as a guiding document for providing digital inclusion opportunities in affecting the City's goals to ensure all Austinites are served. Housing Department City of Austin Displacement Mitigation Strategy The Displacement Mitigation Strategy was adopted into the Strategic Housing Blueprint in 2018 to address Austin’s continuing challenge with displacement. The strategy incorporates recommendations from various community studies, reports, and assessments to develop an actionable plan that ensures a short-term impact on displacement. The plan includes 15 displacement mitigation strategies, including incorporating robust tenant protections for all rental properties receiving City support, recalibrating density bonus programs to serve renters at or below 60% MFI, and engaging directly with communities vulnerable to displacement. Narrative (optional) 37 of 130 The City of Austin works to enhance coordination through interdepartmental, interorganizational, and intergovernmental planning. The City of Austin continues to promote awareness that household affordability and community development challenges can directly or indirectly affect access to public services, education, health and human services, transportation, environmental sustainability, economic development, community vitality, arts and culture. 38 of 130 AP-12 Participation – 91.105, 91.200(c) Summary of citizen participation process/Efforts made to broaden citizen participation 1. Summarize citizen participation process and how it impacted goal-setting Each year, the City improves its efforts to create a more intentional, transparent and community- centered process for setting goals. With a vision to shift the engagement strategy beyond simply meeting the requirements laid out in the Citizen Participation Plan, tools to enable a broader, longer- term approach have been created. As part of the 2024 Community Needs Assessment for the FY25-29 5- year Consolidated Plan, Housing Department staff created a new, comprehensive page on SpeakUp Austin that could follow the life of federal dollars from year to year, and keep the public informed through each phase of the funding cycle. Community members can visit www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds at any point to learn about the federal dollars the City receives and how they are used, find out what stage the process is currently in, read current and past Plans, review each year’s CAPER, and share about the needs of their community. New graphics continue to be created and shared on the site to make the information more understandable. For example, as part of the FY23-24 CAPER process, a funding chart was created to show how much funding was allocated to each program area, and how goals compared to outcomes. In addition, engagement reports are available on the site so that the members of the public can see what feedback has been collected from year to year, and how it has been used. In response to community feedback received during the 2024 needs assessment, an evergreen survey was created to collect input year-round. This survey launched in alignment with the timing of the 2025 Community Needs Assessment, and will remain on the My Community Needs site. A survey specific to the FY25-26 Action Plan Draft was added to the site for the Public Comment Period. In addition, the My Community Needs page sits within a larger “Housing Engagement Hub.” The creation of this hub was also in response to input from the community about the need for more transparent, easily accessible information as well as closing feedback loops. When members of the public visit www.SpeakUpAustin.org/HousingHub, they can sign up for the Austin Housing Newsletter, find events to come and visit with staff, weigh in on a variety of initiatives, read about past engagement initiatives and download program flyers. Through the Austin Housing Newsletter, relaunched in 2024, more than 6200 community members receive monthly updates from the Housing Department about ways to get involved and/or connect with resources. This has significantly broadened the department’s reach during the community needs assessment and public comment period for the Action Plan. While these new digital tools will not reach everyone, they allow staff the ability to easily share information in-person via tablets when out in the community, and give community partners the tools to more easily spread the word as well. The process for consulting with community organizations has been enhanced over the past couple of years as well, with the goal to have more meaningful dialogue with long-term 39 of 130 impact. Following the 2024 Community Needs Assessment, a thorough report was created, with summaries from all 57 meetings. This report was published on the new My Community Needs page so that all the feedback was available for anyone to read. This report helped continue the dialogue during the 2025 needs assessment. Organizations were shown the feedback they gave last year, and staff addressed which pieces of feedback have been used, and which need continued discussion. This creates space for more open and honest conversations about how to set goals with the community’s input. 17 meetings were held with community leaders during the 2025 needs assessment, including Boards, Committees, and Commissions as well as community organizations that represent special populations of the Austin community. In accordance with the City’s Citizen Participation Plan (CPP), a total of four public hearings were held- two by the Community Development Commission and two by the City Council- to receive input on community needs, and feedback on the draft Action Plan. The draft Action Plan was made available for public comment for 30 days from May 26, 2025 until June 30, 2025 in accordance with the CPP. The table below displays detailed information about the steps taken to continue the community engagement process, and community member participation during the development of the Action Plan. The community engagement strategy and a comprehensive list of all public comments received during the community needs assessment and public comment period are featured in Attachment IB: Citizen Participation. All comments are considered and accepted in the development of the Action Plan. Mode & Target of Outreach Summary of response/ attendance Summary of comments received URL (If applicable) 40 of 130 Internet/ Digital Outreach: Non- targeted/ broad community During the community needs assessment period, the Speak Up Austin “My Community Needs” Survey received 15 responses, including 6 comments. The survey page had 359 views. During the public comment period, the Speak Up Austin “FY25-26 Action Plan” Survey received 3 comments, and the page had 181 views. Internet/ Digital Outreach: Non- targeted/ broad community The City developed a unique SpeakUp Austin webpage designed to both inform the public and receive community feedback about federal funding. Community members could provide input about their needs and the needs of their community during the community needs assessment period and 30- day Public Comment period. Survey responses and comments indicated the need for support to keep people in their homes (both immediate support and ongoing help maintaining stability), with a specific mention of high property taxes. Other needs included neighborhood improvements, such as side walks and cross walks, support for small businesses, quicker responses to the homeliness crisis and the need for more single resident occupancy housing. The City developed a unique SpeakUp Austin page to share the draft of the FY25-26 Action Plan and offer the opportunity for community members to provide input. The page was available May 26, and was open for comments through June 30. Comments addressed the lack of response to feedback, the need to keep homeowners in their homes in addition to renters, the need to cut property taxes, and the need to increase the amount available for home repairs to reflect the rising cost of repairs. www.speakupa ustin.org/myco mmunityneeds www.speakupa ustin.org/myco mmunityneeds survey www.speakupa ustin.org/actio nplan2026 41 of 130 N/A Internet/ Digital Outreach: Non- targeted/ broad community Printed Notification N/A Non- targeted/broad community The City announced information about opportunities to provide feedback about HUD funding through the Austing Housing Newsletter which has a subscriber base of over 6200. https://publicinp ut.com/Email/i16 7440 The City provided print and digital advertising with the Austin American Statesman and El Mundo Newspaper in both English and Spanish detailing the Action Plan and listing Public Hearing dates, times, and locations. www.speakupaust in.org/mycommun ityneeds https://www.austinte xas.gov/page/atxn- video-archive Public Meetings: Non- targeted/ Broad community As part of the community needs assessment, City staff met with 7 boards and commissions. Each of the following meetings were open to the public: - African American Resource Advisory Commission - Commission on Aging - Community development Commission - Community Technology Commission - Early Childhood Council - HIV Planning Council - Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities Themes from community consultations included: - Concerns about changes at the federal level - Data and evaluation needs - Service navigation and Communication - Equity - Access Gaps - Community-specific concerns Community Partner Meetings: Housing and human services providers As part of the community needs assessment, City staff met with leaders from 10 community organizations. - BASTA - Catholic Charities of Central Texas - Central Health - Homeless Response System Council - Housing Authority of the City of Austin - Integral Care - Lifeworks - SAFE Alliance - Reentry Roundtable Themes from community consultations included: N/A - Concerns about changes at the federal level - Data and evaluation needs - Case Management and wrap around services - Access Gaps - Community-specific concerns 42 of 130 - TRLA - Strategic Opportunities 43 of 130 AP-15 Expected Resources – 91.220(c)(1,2) Introduction Expected Resources In addition to funding received from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the City of Austin allocates revenue to the Housing Department or affordable housing and community development activities. HUD's guidance regarding the inclusion of non-federal funding sources in an Annual Action Plan is that non-federal sources are to be included if they are reasonably expected to be made available to address the needs outlined in the plan. In 2018 and 2022, voters approved two bonds valued at $250 million and $350 million, respectively, to support affordable housing programs administered by the City of Austin’s Housing Department. This substantial increase in resources has enabled the Housing Department to reprioritize and maximize the use of federal funds. In March 2021, the Austin City Council authorized the negotiation and execution of an interlocal grant agreement with the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP) for the City to accept funding from ATP to administer and implement Project Connect anti-displacement programs, for the term March 25, 2021 through September 30, 2033, in an amount not to exceed $300,000,000. These dollars will be used for affordable housing programs and initiatives specifically for communities in risk of displacement. See Table 5 for proposed resource allocations. This plan is not intended to confer any legal rights or entitlements on any persons, groups, or entities, including those named as intended recipients of funds or as program beneficiaries. The terms of this Annual Action Plan are subject to amendment, and to the effects of applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. Statements of numerical goals or outcomes are for the purpose of measuring the success of programs and policies, and do not impose a legal obligation on the City to achieve the intended results. Actual funding of particular programs and projects identified in this Plan are subject to completion of various further actions, some of which involve discretionary determinations by the City or 44 of 130 others. These include HUD approval of this Plan; appropriations by the United States Congress and Austin City Council; reviews and determinations under environmental and related laws; and results of bidding and contracting processes. Anticipated Resources Program Source of Funds Uses of Funds Expected Amount Available Year 1 Annual Allocation: $ Program Income: $ Prior Year Resources: $ Total: $ Narrative Description Expected Amount Available Remainder of Con Plan $ CDBG Public - Federal Acquisition Admin and Planning Economic Development Housing Public Improvements Public Services $7,362,354 $105,000 $0 $7,467,354 $0 The primary objective of CDBG is the development of viable communities by: Providing decent housing; Providing a suitable living environment; Expanding economic opportunities. Any activity funded with CDBG must meet one of three national objectives: Benefit low- and moderate-income persons; Aid in the prevention of slums or blight; Meet a particular urgent need. 45 of 130 HOME Public - Federal HOPWA Public - Federal Acquisition Homebuyer assistance Homeowner rehab Multifamily rental new construction Multifamily rental rehab New construction for ownership TBRA Permanent housing in facilities Permanent housing placement Short term or transitional housing facilities STRMU Supportive $3,601,868 $900,000 $0 $4,501,868 $0 $2,762,259 $0 $0 $2,762,259 $0 The three objectives of the HOME Program are: Expand the supply of decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing to very low- and low-income individuals; Mobilize and strengthen the ability of state and local governments to provide decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing to very low- and low- income individuals; Leverage private sector participation and expand the capacity of nonprofit housing providers. The Housing Opportunity for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program was established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to address the specific needs of low- income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families. HOPWA makes grants to local communities, states, and nonprofit organizations. HOPWA funds provide housing assistance 46 of 130 ESG Public - Federal services TBRA Financial Assistance Overnight shelter Rapid re- housing (rental assistance) Rental Assistance Services Section 108 Public - Federal Economic Development $647,073 $0 $0 $647,073 $0 $3,000,000 $426,116 $0 $3,126,116 $0 Other Public - Local Acquisition Homeowner rehab Housing N/a- Funding source is local - - - - and related supportive services in partnership with communities and neighborhoods. Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program is designed to be the first step in a continuum of assistance to help clients quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. Section 108 offers state and local governments the ability to transform a small portion of their CDBG funds into federally guaranteed loans large enough to pursue physical and economic revitalization projects. In 2018 and 2022 Austin voters approved $250 million and $350 million, respectively, in general obligation bonds for affordable 47 of 130 Multifamily rental new construction Multifamily rental rehab New construction for ownership Table 5 - Expected Resources – Priority Table housing. These funds will be utilized for construction, renovation, and improvements to housing for low-income persons and families, acquiring land interest in land and property necessary to do so; and funding affordable housing programs. Explain how federal funds will leverage those additional resources (private, state and local funds), including a description of how matching requirements will be satisfied The City will satisfy its matching requirements for HOME funding through General Obligation (G.O.) Bond Funding and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Funds. The Homeless Strategy Office matches the ESG funding dollar for dollar with general fund dollars that are allocated to homeless services provided to subrecipients. 48 of 130 If appropriate, describe publicly owned land or property located within the jurisdiction that may be used to address the needs identified in the plan 208.16 Acres on Loyola Lane (Colony Park) - Site of the HUD Community Challenge Planning Grant. The site has been master-planned and zoned as a Planned Unit Development. The City is in negotiations with the selected developer to enter into a formal Master Development Agreement for the development of the site. The site will include long-term affordability on a minimum of 20% of the total residential units constructed. 5.15 Acres on Tillery Street and Henninger Street - a request for proposal solicitation was released in FY 2020- 21 following robust public engagement. A preferred proposal and development partner was selected by the AHFC Board of Directors and agreements to develop the property with 66 multifamily rental units reserved for low-, very low-, and extremely low-income households have been executed. The project began construction in FY 2022-23 and is expected to be completed in FY 2025-26. 8.48 Acres on Levander Loop/Gardner Road - a request for proposal solicitation was released in FY 2020- 21 following robust public engagement. A preferred proposal and development partner was selected by the AHFC Board of Directors and agreements to develop the property with 198 multifamily rental and 30 duplex ownership units reserved for moderate-, low-, very low-, and extremely low-income households have been executed. The project began construction in FY 2022-23 and is expected to be completed in FY 2025-26. 1.3 Acres at Doris Drive and Hathaway Drive - this property was purchased from Austin Independent School District and is currently in design. The development will include two duplex units that will be offered for rent to households at or below 50% median family income. The development plan also included four single-family homes to be sold to households at or below 80% median family income as part of AHFC’s Community Land Trust program. As of April 2023, AHFC is contemplating a re-design to replace the four single-family units with a denser housing product utilizing the Affordability Unlocked Ordinance. AHFC hopes to at least double the number of units. Construction of the units is currently slated to begin in early 2024, which will include the extension of electrical service and water/wastewater service to the project as well as a detention facility. 7.96 acres at Tannehill Lane and Jackie Robinson Street - a request for proposal solicitation was released in FY 2020-21 following robust public engagement. A preferred proposal and development partner was selected by the AHFC Board of Directors. Agreements to develop the property with 156 multifamily rental and 32 duplex ownership units reserved for moderate-, low-, very low-, and extremely low- income households have been executed for the multifamily portion; an agreement for the ownership portion is expected to be executed in the spring of 2023. The multifamily project began construction in FY 2022-23 and is expected to be completed in FY 2025-26. The ownership project is expected to begin 49 of 130 construction in FY 2025-26 and is expected to be completed in FY 2025-26. 3.94 acres at Pecan Park Boulevard - This property was acquired in FY 2020-21 and will be developed with long-term affordable housing. 8.95 acres at West Slaughter Lane - This property was acquired in FY 2020-21 and will be developed with long-term affordable housing. 3.15 acres at Kramer Lane - This property was acquired in FY 2020-21 and will be developed with long- term affordable housing. 8.78 acres at Cullen Lane - This property was acquired in FY 2021-22 and will be developed with long- term affordable housing. 4.93 acres at Menchaca Road - This property was acquired in FY 2021-22 and will be developed with long-term affordable housing 5.76 acres at Convict Hill Road - This property was acquired in FY 2021-22 and will be developed with long-term affordable housing. 3.00 acres at Manor Road - This property was acquired in FY 2021-22. A request for proposal solicitation was released in FY 2021- 22 following robust public engagement. A preferred proposal and development partner was selected by the AHFC Board of Directors and agreements to develop the property with 264 multifamily rental units reserved for low-, very low-, and extremely low-income households are currently being finalized with the property expected to break ground in FY 2025-26. .097 acres at 3000 Funston- This property has been permitted for the construction of one single-family dwelling. The property will be sold to a household at or below 80% median family income as part of AHFC’s Community Land Trust. Construction will commence pending legal proceedings. As of April 2023, the project is still on-hold as the legal proceedings continue. 20 single-family dwellings were purchased from HACA. The dwellings will be fully renovated and sold to households at or below 80% median family income as part of AHFC’s Community Land Trust. The renovations will occur in phases with the last of the homes being completed sometime in FY 2021-22. As of April 2022, seven of the single-family dwellings Phase One have been fully renovated and ready to be inhabited. Three more units have been completed as of April 2023. The ten remaining units should be 50 of 130 completed by early FY 2025-26. Pro-Lodge 5 (Rodeway Inn at 2711 South IH-35)- AHFC purchased a Rodeway Inn in May 2020 for $6.3 million. The 87-room facility is being renovated in phases and is currently being used as a non- congregate shelter for homeless individuals that are part of the City’s HEAL program. Phases 1-3 have been completed with Phase 3 including all major renovations to the interior and exterior of the facility. Phase 4 has seen the permitting reviewing phase completed with construction expected to begin in late FY 22-23. Phase 4 includes Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) updates, creating a usable open space and installing permanent security fencing. The Candlewood Suites was purchased in August 2021 for $9.5 million. In June 2022, The City of Austin entered into an agreement with Family Eldercare in the amount of $3.9 million to renovate the Candlewood Suites into 78 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for seniors who have experienced homelessness. The hotel project has been renamed Pecan Gardens and is scheduled to begin lease up in Fall 2023. The project was awarded 50 Project Based Vouchers through HACA in Feb 2022 and will also incorporate 28 Local Housing Vouchers, funded by the Housing Trust Fund. The Texas Bungalows Hotel was purchased in February 2021 for $6.5 million. In June 2022, The City of Austin entered an agreement with Integral Care in the amount of $1.6 million to renovate The Texas Bungalows into 60 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for adults who have experienced homelessness. The hotel project has been renamed Bungalows at Century Park and is scheduled to begin lease up in Winter 2023 or Spring 2024. Renovations have been delayed due to the foundation needing repair. This work should be completed by Fall 2023. The project was awarded 50 Project Based Vouchers through HACA in March 2021. Balcones Terrace, a partnership with Foundation Communities, was awarded $16 million for acquisition in August 2021. Balcones Terrace will include 123 affordable units, with 60 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for adults who have experienced homelessness. 5.30 acres at S. Pleasant Valley Road - This property was acquired in FY 2021-22. A request for proposal solicitation was released in FY 2022- 23 following robust public engagement and is still currently open. Once a preferred development partner is selected AHFC will finalize agreements to develop the property with long-term affordable housing, and is expected to begin construction in FY 2025-26. 18.48 acres at Grove Boulevard – This property was acquired in FY 2022-23. AHFC is currently planning public engagement and the release of a solicitation to develop the property with long-term affordable housing in FY 2025-26. Midtown Flats – AHFC acquired this 40-unit naturally occurring affordable housing development in FY 51 of 130 2021-2022 with the intention of preserving the long-term affordability at this property. Soco 121 – AHFC acquired this 52-unit expiring Low Income Housing Tax Credit funded development in FY 2022-23 with the intention of maintaining and preserving the long-term affordability at this property City View at the Park Apartments – AHFC acquired this 70-unit, 55 years and over, expiring Low Income Housing Tax Credit-funded development in FY 2022-23 with the intention of maintaining and preserving the long-term affordability at this property, and with the intention of developing a second phase on excess land on the site. The second phase is anticipated to include 100 units of permanent supportive housing. 52 of 130 Annual Goals and Objectives AP-20 Annual Goals and Objectives Goals Summary Information See Table 5 Goal Descriptions 1 Goal Name Homeless Assistance Goal Description Persons experiencing homelessness are a high priority for services. This decision was made based on feedback from the public process, including stakeholder input from homeless needs providers, public hearings, and the Consolidated Plan survey. Homeless Assistance provides services to persons experiencing homelessness, persons living with HIV/AIDS, victims of domestic violence, persons experiencing mental illness, unaccompanied youth, persons with chronic substance abuse, and veterans. 2 Goal Name Special Needs Assistance Goal Description Special Needs activities will assist low to moderate-income Austinites by providing mental health services for at-risk youth, childcare services, and services for seniors. This decision was made based on feedback from the public process, including stakeholder input from homeless and special needs providers, public hearings, and the Consolidated Plan survey. 3 Goal Name Renter Assistance Goal Description The City of Austin’s update of the 2019 Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis identifies the need for affordable rental housing in Austin. This analysis was echoed in every aspect of the public input process from service providers, government 53 of 130 partners, policy makers, and community members. Renter Assistance, therefore, is a high priority for the City. Renter Assistance activities will provide assistance that can make rent more affordable; tenants’ rights services; and financial assistance for necessary rehabilitation to make rental units accessible. 4 Goal Name Homebuyer Assistance Goal Description The City identified assistance to homebuyers as a high priority in the Consolidated Plan. The 2019 Housing Market Analysis illustrates the difficulty for low to moderate-income households to transition from renting to buying a home with the rising real estate market in Austin. Homebuyer Assistance provides counseling to renters wishing to become homebuyers. This category includes the Down Payment Assistance program, which offers loans to qualifying low and moderate-income homebuyers to help them buy their first home. 5 Goal Name Homeowner Assistance Goal Description Homeowner Assistance is designed to: preserve the safety and livability of the housing of low-income homeowners, allowing owners to stay in their homes; improve the City’s aging housing stock; and repair homes for existing homeowners. These activities were identified as high priorities by stakeholders and community members. Overall, Homeowner Assistance is a high priority in the Consolidated Plan. 6 Goal Name Housing Development Assistance Goal Description The need for affordable housing for low to moderate-income renters, including special needs populations, and homebuyers, was reflected in the 2019 Housing Market Analysis and public input received from the community. The City’s main tool to create affordable housing is through financing to non-profit and for-profit developers. In addition, the City encourages the development of affordable housing through developer incentives. The City has established Housing Development Assistance as a high priority for the Consolidated Plan. 7 Goal Name Other Community Development Goal Description Other Community Development Assistance includes capacity-building activities for non-profit organizations that are focused on affordable housing development and workforce development, as well as support for small business development. 54 of 130 55 of 130 Estimate the number of extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income families to whom the jurisdiction will provide affordable housing as defined by HOME 91.215(b) The following chart depicts the income limits for HOME programs by household size in Fiscal Year 2025-2026, as determined by the Housing and Urban Development Department. FY 25-26 Income Limits Household Size Median Income Limit 1 Person 2 Person 3 Person 4 Person 5 Person 6 Person 7 Person 8 Person Extremely Low-Income Households (0-30% of MFI) Very Low—Income (50% of MFI) $24,550 $28,050 $31,550 $35,050 $37,900 $40,700 $45,420 $50,560 $40,900 $46,750 $52,600 $58,400 $63,100 $67,750 $72,450 $77,100 Low Income: 80% of MFI $65,450 $74,800 $84,150 $93,450 $100,950 $108,450 $155,900 $123,400 56 of 130 Projects AP-35 Projects – 91.220(d) Introduction The City of Austin's planned projects are based on the City’s assessment of community needs as identified in this Consolidated Plan, in related plans and policy documents, and on the ability of funds identified in the Consolidated Plan to be leveraged or combined with other funds to meet the identified needs. To the greatest extent possible, targeted funds will be used while resources with more discretionary latitude will be used to address needs and activities that lack their own targeted funding source. For instance, while the development of affordable housing is a critical issue for Austin, not all Consolidated Plan funds will be used for the creation or preservation of affordable housing. The City continues to require a high level of data quality, increased outcomes for persons exiting to permanent housing, and a shortened length of stay. National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) is contracting with OrgCode Consulting to work with the shelter administrator to address shelter client workflow, data quality, staffing changes, and housing case management for all shelter clients, and to ensure that all client services are housing-focused with a rapid exit from shelter. In accordance with the Federal Register Notice dated March 7, 2006, outcome measures are established for each activity as follows: Objectives: ● Create Suitable Living Environment; ● Provide Decent Affordable Housing; ● Create Economic Opportunities Outcomes: ● Availability/Accessibility ● Affordability ● Sustainability Additionally, the HEARTH Act, dated May 20, 2009, Division B - Homelessness Reform, established the following outcomes for McKinney-Vento funded Homelessness Assistance programs, including ESG in section 427: Length of Time Persons remain Homeless; Returns to Homelessness from Permanent Housing Destinations; Number of Homeless Persons; Employment and Income Growth for Homeless 57 of 130 Persons; Persons First time Homeless; Homelessness Prevention; Successful Housing Placement. Projects # Project Name 1 Child Care Services 2 Senior Services 3 Mental Health Services 4 ESG 25 City of Austin 5 HOPWA AIDS Services of Austin 6 HOPWA Project Transitions 7 HOPWA Integral Care 8 HOPWA Ashwell 9 HOPWA Administration 10 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance 11 Architectural Barrier Removal (ABR) Program - Renter 12 Tenants’ Rights Assistance 13 Down Payment Assistance (DPA) 14 Architectural Barrier Removal (ABR) Program - Owner 15 Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP) 16 Minor Home Repair Program 17 GO Repair! Program 18 Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) 19 Ownership Housing Development Assistance (OHDA) 20 CHDO Operating Expense Grants 58 of 130 21 Family Business Loan Program (FBLP) 22 Debt Service 23 HOME Administration 24 CDBG Administration 25 Acquisition and Development Table 7 - Project Information Describe the reasons for allocation priorities and any obstacles to addressing underserved needs Allocation priorities are based on the planning conducted for the FY 2024-2029 Consolidated Plan and the FY 2025-26 Action Plan, the 2019 Housing Market Analysis, and guidance from the City Council. The top affordable housing and community development priorities identified by the community via the Consolidated Plan survey were: availability of affordable housing, services to prevent homelessness, job training and/or job opportunities, mental health care and counseling, and affordable child care. See Attachment I for a summary of the public comments received from the FY 2025-26 Action Plan community needs assessment. 59 of 130 AP-38 Project Summary Project Summary Information Project Title Child Care Services Project ID 1 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Special Needs Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Special Needs Assistance Description The City of Austin contracts with childcare providers to increase the supply of and access to affordable, quality childcare for families with low-income, including teen parents so they can attend school; and families who are homeless, near homeless, or have disabled children in need of temporary respite childcare, or need emergency childcare, or have a parent who is participating in a residential substance abuse treatment program. The programs serve children (ages: 0-12 years) from low to moderate median -income families with gross incomes less than 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines who reside within the Austin City limits. Target Date 09/30/26 Expected Resources CDBG: $768,583 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit: 192 families Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities Child Care Services will increase the supply of and access to affordable, quality childcare for families with low-income. Social service contracts through APH will provide: 1) direct childcare services for teen parents who are attending school; and 2) direct childcare services through the Early Head Start child development program, including services to 60 of 130 families in crisis, including homeless and near-homeless families, and parents enrolled in self-sufficiency programs Project Title Senior Services Project ID 2 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Special Needs Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Special Needs Assistance Description The City of Austin contracts with a sub-recipient to provide financial and housing-focused services that promote aging in place and help prevent and protect seniors from becoming victims of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. Clients must meet income, age, and residential eligibility requirements. Target Date 09/30/26 Expected Resources CDBG: $130,814 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit: 125 clients Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The Senior Services program provides case management; money management services such as bill-payer; general public benefits enrollment assistance or specialized assistance for SSI/SSDI income; and housing stabilization services including homelessness prevention and housing retention. 61 of 130 Project Title Mental Health Services Project ID 3 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Special Needs Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Special Needs Assistance Description The Mental Health Services program provides access to holistic, wraparound services and support to youth designated as at-risk, and their families. The program's three components provide varying levels of intervention: school-based intensive wraparound services, community-based wraparound services, and summer camps. The program, in partnership with the youth and their families, addresses the needs and challenges of each youth's situation to improve their functioning in school, the community, and at home. Target Date 09/30/26 Expected Resources CDBG: $198,819 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit: 159 clients served Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities Mental Health Services will be provided to at-risk youth and their families. Services and support are customized to the needs of the youth and family and are delivered utilizing a wraparound model. Interventions focus on areas of basic needs, mental health services, educational support and social enrichment. Services include mental and behavioral health, self-sufficiency supports, enrichment services, parental support and education; accessed through designated schools and community centers. 62 of 130 63 of 130 Project Title ESG 25 City of Austin Project ID 4 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Homeless Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Homeless Assistance Description Shelter Operations and Maintenance: The City has contracted with the Salvation Army to operate a low-barrier shelter for homeless women and women with children, all clients served in the planned shelter for the FY 2025-26 Action Plan have low-to-moderate income and will be at or below 50% of MFI. Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds will be used to provide maintenance and operations for this program. Rapid Rehousing programs: There are currently two ESG-funded rapid rehousing programs connecting homeless individuals referred through Coordinated Entry system with safe and stable housing: The Communicable Disease Unit of Austin Public Health (targeted to people experiencing homelessness with HIV/AIDS); And the Downtown Austin Community Court. HMIS funding will support HMIS-eligible expenses at all ESG-funded programs and the project also includes funding for administration. Target Date 09/30/26 Expected Resources ESG: $634,865 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Homeless Person Overnight Shelter: 375 Rapid Re-housing: 50 Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The Austin Shelter for Women and Children will serve individuals with its night sleeping and case management services. All clients will be entered into the Homeless Management Information Systems database. The Rapid Re-Housing program provides housing location, housing stability case management and direct financial assistance to rapidly 64 of 130 rehouse people experiencing homelessness who are receiving services from ESG-funded programs at the Downtown Austin Community Court. Administration activities will support all of the above. 65 of 130 Project Title 2025 - 2028 HOPWA AIDS Services Austin (ASA) Project ID 5 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Special Needs Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Special Needs Assistance Description The City of Austin contracts with AIDS Services Austin to deliver services for the HOPWA program. The goal of the HOPWA program is to prevent homelessness and to support independent living of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Target Date 09/30/26 Expected Resources HOPWA: $ 1,072,873 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Public Service Activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit (Permanent Housing Placement): 30 Public Service Activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit (Supportive Services/Housing Case Management): 29 Tenant Based Rental Assistance/Rapid Rehousing: 29 Homelessness Prevention (Short-term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance): 280 Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities AIDS Services Austin will provide Housing Case Management, Tenant Based Rental Assistance, Permanent Housing Placement Services, and Short-Term Rent, Mortgage and Utility Assistance. 66 of 130 Project Title 2025 - 2028 HOPWA Project Transitions (PT) Project ID 6 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Special Needs Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Special Needs Assistance Description The City of Austin contracts with Project Transitions to deliver services for the HOPWA program. The goal of the HOPWA program is to prevent homelessness and to support independent living of persons living with HIV/AIDS. With the opening of the new facility-based housing, Project Transitions will no longer utilize master leasing, but instead offer facility based housing along with wraparound services. Target Date 09/30/26 Expected Resources HOPWA: $1,430,498 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Facility Based Housing: 88 Public Service Activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit (Supportive Services/Housing Case Management): 101 Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities Project Transitions will provide Facility-Based Housing and Supportive Services. 67 of 130 Project Title 2025 - 2028 HOPWA Austin Travis County Integral Care (ATCIC) Project ID 7 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Special Needs Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Special Needs Assistance Description The City of Austin will contract with Integral Care to deliver services for the HOPWA program. The goal of the HOPWA program is to prevent homelessness and to support independent living of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Target Date 09/30/26 Expected Resources HOPWA: $161,322 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Public Service Activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit (Permanent Housing Placement): 5 Public Service Activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit (Short Term Supportive Housing): 24 Homelessness Prevention (Short-term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance): 70 Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities Integral Care will provide Permanent Housing Placement, Short Term Supportive Housing, and Short-term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance. 68 of 130 Project Title 2025 - 2028 HOPWA ASHwell (ASH) Project ID 8 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Special Needs Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Special Needs Assistance Description The City of Austin will contract with ASHwell to deliver services for the HOPWA program. The goal of the HOPWA program is to prevent homelessness and to support independent living of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Target Date 09/30/26 Expected Resources HOPWA: $67,736 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Homelessness Prevention (Short-term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance): 18 Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities ASHWell will provide Short-term Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Assistance. 69 of 130 Project Title 2025 - 2028 HOPWA Administration (COA) Project ID 9 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Special Needs Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Special Needs Assistance Description Target Date Funds provide administrative costs for programs. 09/30/26 Expected Resources HOPWA: $84,353 N/A- Funds provide administrative costs for programs. Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities Administration of federal programs. 70 of 130 Project Title Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Project ID 10 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Homeless Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Homeless Assistance Description The Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program provides rental- housing subsidies to eligible individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The Housing and Planning Department oversees the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), a local Public Housing Authority, as the subrecipient of HOME TBRA funds, and works with ECHO (TX-503 Continuum of Care Lead Agency) to use the funding source as a Permanent Housing program (RRH) by braiding with other unrestricted local funds. This allows the HOME TBRA program to serve households experiencing literal homelessness who have been identified through the local Coordinated Entry (CE) system and to track program outcomes in the local HMIS database. HACA administers the TBRA subsidies for the program. Through the CE process, ECHO sends eligible program referrals to service providers with agencies who have established a Moratorium of Understanding to leverage existing funds for supportive services, allowing the creation of a RRH program. Current direct service providers, such as Caritas of Austin and The Salvation Army, work together to ensure that at least 95 households move into permanent housing and are served through the program annually. Target Date 09/30/23 Expected Resources HOME: $1,419,448 71 of 130 Tenant-based rental assistance/Rapid Rehousing: 65 Households Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) will oversee the TBRA program and will contract with The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) to administer the program. 72 of 130 Project Title Architectural Barrier Removal (ABR) Program - Renter Project ID 11 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Renter Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Renter Assistance Description The Architectural Barrier Removal (ABR) program for renters modifies or retrofits the living quarters of eligible, low-income elderly and disabled renters. ABR increases the accessibility of the residences through the removal of architectural barriers in their homes. ABR modifications will allow clients to remain in their homes and increase self-sufficiency. Target Date 09/30/25 Expected Resources HTF: $185,000 N/A- fund source is local Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities Physical improvements in rental housing units that are limited to improvements that remove the material and architectural barriers that restrict mobility and accessibility, and that are part of the structure and permanently fixed such as wheelchair ramps, handrails and more. 73 of 130 Project Title Tenants’ Rights Assistance Project ID 12 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Renter Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Renter Assistance Description Tenants' Rights Assistance provides services to tenants residing within Austin City limits. Objectives of this program include: 1) provide direct counseling and technical assistance to low-income renters regarding tenant/landlord issues; 2) provide public education and information through workshops and public forums on landlord/tenant relationships and educate renters on their rights as well as their responsibilities under the law; and 3) identify fair housing complaints that can be investigated and may assist in resolving, reducing or minimizing discriminatory housing practices. Target Date 09/30/24 Expected Resources Pending Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Public service activities other than Low/Moderate Income Housing Benefit: 300 Persons assisted Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities This program will provide counseling, public information, and assistance to help the community identify fair housing complaints. The program also furthers fair housing in the elimination of discrimination, including the present effects of past discrimination, and the elimination of de facto residential segregation. 74 of 130 Project Title Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Project ID 13 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Homebuyer Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Homebuyer Assistance Description The purpose of the Down Payment Assistance (DPA) program is to assist low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers by providing them with down payment and closing cost assistance. The program increases housing opportunities to eligible households. Eligible income is at or below 80% of MFI. Target Date 09/30/25 Expected Resources HOME: $1,472,830 HOME Program Income: $400,000 Direct Financial Assistance to Homebuyers: 25 Households Assisted Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The DPA program provides a Standard DPA in the form of a 0% interest, deferred-forgivable loan in an amount no less than $1,000 and up to a maximum amount of $14,999, with a minimum affordability period of five years. Shared Equity DPA provides funding of no less than $15,000 and up to a maximum amount of $40,000, with a minimum affordability of 10 years. The loan will be forgiven at 10 years, and the borrower will still be responsible for paying a percentage of equity gained that is equal to the percentage of the Housing Department’s portion of the original sales price will be added to the payoff balance. The loan is forgiven after 10 years and the shared equity is forgiven after 10 years. A lien will be placed on the property to ensure repayment. Shared 75 of 130 equity loans include three components: shared equity, a purchase option, and right of first refusal. 76 of 130 Project Title Architectural Barrier Removal (ABR) Program - Owner Project ID 14 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Homeowner Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Homeowner Assistance Description The Architectural Barrier Removal (ABR) program for owners- The ABR program for owners modifies or retrofits the living quarters of eligible, low-income elderly and disabled homeowners. The program increases the accessibility of the residences through the removal of architectural barriers to mobility. ABR modifications allow clients to remain in their homes and increase self-sufficiency. No more than $20,000 per home per year can be provided to a single home through the program. Eligible income is at or below 80% of MFI. Target Date 09/30/25 Expected Resources CDBG: $1,210,594 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Homeowner Housing Rehabilitated: 60 Unduplicated Household Housing Units. Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The ABR program for homeowners, funds physical improvements in housing units; funded activities are limited to improvements that remove architectural barriers that restrict mobility and accessibility, and that are part of the structure and permanently affixed, such as wheelchair ramps, handrails and more. 77 of 130 Project Title Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP) Project ID 15 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Homeowner Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Homeowner Assistance Description The purpose of the Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP) is to assist low- and moderate-income homeowners with bringing their homes up to building code standards, with repairs to the foundation, roof, plumbing, HVAC system, electrical system, and other major interior and exterior repairs. The property must be located within the City limits of Austin. The program provides financial assistance to address substandard housing conditions that exist on a homeowner's property. The result is that decent, safe and sanitary housing is restored. Eligible income is at or below 80% of MFI. Target Date 09/30/25 Expected Resources CDBG: $428,939 CDBG Revolving Loan: $40,000 HOME Program Income: $100,000 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Homeowner Housing Rehabilitated: 6 Household Housing Units will be serviced. Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The HRLP assists low-income homeowners in the form of a 0% interest, deferred-forgivable loan, in an amount not less than $7,500 and up to a maximum of $75,000 for rehabilitation, and $110,000, for historical preservation. If it is determined that it is economically infeasible to rehabilitate a property, reconstruction is necessary. For reconstruction, assistance is provided up to a maximum amount of $350,000 or 125% loan-to-value based on the after-reconstruction appraised market 78 of 130 value. A twenty (20) year lien will be placed on properties reconstructed. There will be a shared equity, purchase option, and right of first refusal component to the lien. Project Title Minor Home Repair Program Project ID 16 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Homeowner Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Homeowner Assistance Description The Minor Home Repair Program makes repairs to alleviate life- threatening living conditions, and health and safety hazards for low- to moderate-income homeowners. Households residing within Austin City limits and with incomes at or below 80% of MFI are eligible. Eligible households can receive up to $7,500 for home repairs per year. Target Date 09/30/25 Expected Resources CDBG: $619,405 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Homeowner Housing Rehabilitated: 82 Household Housing Units will be serviced. Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The program provides minor home rehabilitation activities related to maintaining a healthy, safe, affordable and sustainable housing stock for low- to moderate-income homeowners. Eligible program services include electrical, plumbing, roof, heating/cooling systems, structural carpentry, and other interior and exterior minor home repairs 79 of 130 Project Title GO Repair! Program Project ID 17 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Homeowner Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Homeowner Assistance Description The GO Repair! program addresses substandard housing conditions for low- and moderate-income homeowners residing within Austin City limits. The program provides financial assistance to make repairs that will eliminate health and safety hazards and/or provide improved accessibility. Target Date 09/30/25 Expected Resources General Obligation Bond N/A- fund source is local Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The program will provide up to $20,000 per home for repairs. 80 of 130 Project Title Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) Project ID 18 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Housing Development Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Housing Development Assistance Description The Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) program provides opportunities to create and retain affordable rental units for low- and moderate-income households, and low-income persons with special needs. RHDA provides below-market-rate financing to nonprofit and for-profit developers for the acquisition, new construction, or rehabilitation of affordable rental housing. RHDA serves households at or below 50% of MFI with a target of serving households at or below 30% of MFI. The City of Austin currently has four certified CHDOs developing rental housing through the use of HOME CHDO funds- Blackland Community Development Corporation, Accessible Housing Austin. Blackshear Neighborhood Development Corporation and Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation (GNDC). Target Date 09/30/25 Expected Resources CDBG: 0 HOME CHDO: $245,441 HOME Program Income: $200,000 Rental units constructed: Federal Funds: 6 Other (CHDO): 4 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities RHDA will increase the supply of affordable rental units for income- eligible households. Units created will be restricted to households with incomes at or below 50% MFI. Depending on the project, the units may 81 of 130 be for one or more of several underserved populations: seniors, children, persons with disabilities, and people experiencing chronic homelessness, including veterans experiencing chronic homelessness. 82 of 130 Project Title Ownership Housing Development Assistance (OHDA) Project ID 19 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Housing Development Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Housing Development Assistance Description The Ownership Housing Development Assistance (OHDA) program works with lenders, and nonprofit and for-profit developers to leverage City and federal funds to increase homeownership opportunities for low- to moderate-income buyers. Activities include: 1) the acquisition and development of land; 2) the acquisition and rehabilitation of residential structures; 3) the acquisition of new or existing housing units; and 4) the construction of new housing, all for sale to income- eligible households at or below 80%of MFI. Target Date 09/30/25 Expected Resources CDBG Revolving Loan: $55,000 HOME CHDO: $245,441 Other (CHDO): 1 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities OHDA will increase the supply of affordable homeownership units for income-eligible households. OHDA activities using HOME funds that provide direct financial assistance to homebuyers will use the "recapture" method combined with a shared equity model. This ensures that HOME funds are returned for other HOME-eligible activities. For OHDA activities using HOME funds that provide funding to a developer, the "resale" method will be used to ensure affordability throughout the affordability period. 83 of 130 Project Title CHDO Operating Expense Grants Project ID 20 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Other Community Development Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Other Community Development Assistance Description The Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO) Operating Expenses Grant program provides financial support to eligible, City- certified CHDOs actively involved in housing production or expected to begin production within 24 months. Under the terms of the grant, CHDOs must access CHDO set-aside funds to produce affordable housing for the community. Funding can only be used for the organization's operating expenses and cannot be used on project- related expenses. Target Date 09/30/24 Expected Resources HOME (CO): $163,627 Other: 2 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities CHDO Operating Expenses Grants are used to supplement a CHDO's operating funds. HOME regulations prohibit the use of these funds on project-related costs, and therefore, no families will directly benefit from this activity. Eligible CHDOs will receive financial assistance to support their operations as affordable housing providers. Financial support to CHDOs 84 of 130 allows them to maintain or increase their capacity to create affordable rental and homeownership units. 85 of 130 Project Title Family Business Loan Program (FBLP) Project ID 21 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Other Community Development Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Other Community Development Assistance Description The FBLP is a public-private partnership between the City of Austin, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) certified community lenders, and private banks. Target Date 09/30/24 Expected Resources Section 108: $0 Section 108 Program Income: $0 Jobs created/retained: 0 Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities The Family Business Loan Program (FBLP) makes low-interest loans to qualified Austin small business owners who are ready to expand their businesses and create jobs. 86 of 130 Project Title Debt Service Project ID 22 Target Areas Throughout the City of Austin Annual Goals Supported Other Community Development Assistance Priority Need(s) Addressed Other Community Development Assistance Description East 11th and 12th Street Debt Service: The city secured a $9,035,000 HUD Section 108 Loan Guarantee to implement the East 11th and 12th Streets revitalization project. A portion of these funds were used by the City of Austin for acquisition, relocation, demolition and other revitalization expenses on East 11th and 12th Street. Funds were also loaned to the Austin Revitalization Authority (ARA) for the construction of the Street-Jones and Snell Buildings on E 11th Street. The debt service will be paid from small business loan repayments through 2026. Target Date 09/30/24 Expected Resources Section 108 PI: $300,000 N/A- Funding reflects estimated program income Estimate the number and types of families that will benefit from the proposed activities Location Description Throughout the City of Austin Planned Activities Debt Servicing for Revitalization 87 of 130 AP-50 Geographic Distribution – 91.220(f) Description of the geographic areas of the entitlement (including areas of low-income and minority concentration) where assistance will be directed The City of Austin does not currently direct its investments in specific target areas. Geographic Distribution Target Area Throughout the City of Austin Table 8 - Geographic Distribution Percentage of Funds 100 Rationale for the priorities for allocating investments geographically The City of Austin does not currently direct its investments in specific geographic areas. Discussion While the City of Austin does not currently target investments to specific geographic areas, it considers the geographic dispersion of affordable housing to be a core value in the investment of affordable housing-related activities with federal and local funds. The City supports providing affordable housing in areas outside of low-income neighborhoods, thereby reducing racial and ethnic segregation, deconcentrating poverty, and providing for more economic opportunities for low-income households. The City’s Housing Department provides funding preference through a scoring matrix system which awards points to projects that assist in the dispersion of affordable housing stock throughout the community, to focus on areas in Austin where there is a shortage of affordable housing. As a result of this focus, the Housing Department has achieved greater geographic dispersion in the units it has funded in recent years. In 2019, Council adopted geographic affordable housing goals by both Council District and by 2016 Mobility Bond Corridors. These goals have resulted in revisions to program guidelines and other city policies to ensure affordable housing is created throughout Austin as articulated by the community in both the Housing Blueprint and Imagine Austin, the City’s Comprehensive Plan. 88 of 130 Affordable Housing AP-55 Affordable Housing – 91.220(g) Introduction Affordable housing is a critical priority for the City of Austin. The need for affordable housing for extremely low and moderate-income renters, special needs populations, and homebuyers is evident in the 2019 Housing Market Analysis and in public input received from the community. Feedback received during the FY 2025-26 Action Plan Community Needs Assessment period makes clear that this is still a prioritized need in Austin. Housing affordability in Austin has continued to decline among many segments of the population but particularly among very low-income households making between 30% and 50% MFI, and extremely low-income households making between 0% and 30% MFI. Many service providers cited the lack of affordable housing as having a ripple effect, negatively impacting the ability to provide a stable foundation of opportunity for the clients they serve. The Action Plan must specify goals for the number of homeless, non-homeless, and special needs households to be provided with affordable housing within the program year. The plan must also indicate the number of affordable housing units that will be provided by program type, including rental assistance, production of new units, rehabilitation of existing units, or acquisition of existing units. For the purpose of this section, the term “affordable housing” is defined in the HOME regulations at 24 CFR 92.252 for rental housing and 24 CFR 92.254 for homeownership. 89 of 130 Discussion Long-term Affordability The Housing Department and Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) use a shared equity model to allow income-eligible homebuyers and homeowners to obtain substantial mortgage assistance or housing reconstruction services, in exchange for provisions that preserve affordability in Austin by recapturing funds to assist another subsequent low to moderate-income buyer to purchase the home. The City has prioritized resources for its long-term affordability program through expanding AHFC’S portfolio of Community Land Trust homes (CLT). A Community Land Trust (CLT) preserves public investment in affordability, allowing preservation into perpetuity. The CLT retains ownership of the land, while the homeowner owns the home. The CLT limits the sales price and requires subsequent buyers be income eligible. CLT homeowners receive a predetermined share of the appreciation when the unit is re- sold. This model provides opportunities for low to moderate-income households to buy the home at an affordable price. The Austin Community Land Trust (ACLT) was designed with policies to further the City’s obligation to affirmatively further fair housing and includes a method to prioritize applicants affected by gentrification and displacement. ACLT will implement a lottery and application process for the available homes through the website, ACLT-Homes.org. ACLT-Home.org is the online platform to educate the community on the Austin Community Land Trust, how to apply, and how to move through the home-buying process. ACLT currently has 15 homes occupied and 28 homes for sale throughout FY 21-22 and 22-23. AHFC receives a 100% property tax exemption on all land it owns. AHFC may partner with affordable housing developers through purchase of land and a long-term leasehold deed of trust held by AHFC. The benefit of AHFC's property tax exemption helps sustain the project viability and affordability. This structure is typically used when the affordable housing development meets several key criteria, among them: location on/near a transit-oriented development or transit corridor, proximity to critical services and amenities, placement in a high-opportunity area and a commitment to serve low-income households. Preservation of Affordable Housing The Housing Department regularly examines the loss of existing affordable housing stock in the community and recently joined the Texas Affordable Housing Preservation Coalition. The Housing Department will develop and share data to strengthen coordination and increase opportunities for preservation in high opportunity areas (places with access to amenities or community attributes that can increase economic mobility for their residents). Additional strategies to preserve affordable housing 90 of 130 include: ● Maximize partnerships to promote programs and services, and preserve affordable housing stock ● Explore educational and outreach initiatives to ensure low-income households have avenues through education to remain in affordable housing ● Pursue strategies to bring forward resources and to increase long-term, permanent affordability ● Develop data regarding the condition of Austin's housing units, including unit counts for subsidized properties The Housing Department is working to produce a comprehensive strategy to preserve affordability by coordinating with local partners to identify and preserve affordable housing. Geographic Dispersion The City balances investment in gentrifying areas with the need for creating affordable housing in high opportunity areas - a strategy recommended in Uprooted: Residential Displacement in Austin’s Gentrifying Neighborhoods & What Can be Done About It. Investment in affordable housing in areas outside of low-income neighborhoods is being prioritized, with the goal of reducing racial and ethnic segregation, deconcentrating poverty and providing economic opportunities for low-income households. The City offers development incentives which provide waivers to site development regulations in exchange for affordable housing. The majority of these policies apply to geographic areas including high opportunity areas. Other Initiatives In 2017, the Austin City Council adopted the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint, a ten-year community plan to align resources, ensure a unified strategic direction, and facilitate community partnerships to reach the City’s affordable housing goals. The Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint set a goal of creating 135,000 housing units by 2028, with housing available at each level of income distributed across the council districts. The Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecard for 2020, produced by HousingWorks Austin, demonstrates the City’s progress in meeting various goals set in the plan. The City continues working towards meeting the following goals established in the Strategic Housing Blueprint, using both federal and local funding, by 2028. The following progress is outlined in the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecard for 2020. ● 20,000 Housing Units Affordable to 30% MFI and Below- 28 units affordable to households 91 of 130 earning at or below 30% MFI were produced in 2020, 90 fewer than the 118 built in 2019. The 28 units built in 2020 brings the three-year total number of units affordable to households earning at or below 30% MFI produced to 238. ● 25,000 Housing Units Affordable to 31-60% MFI and Below- 911 housing units affordable to households earning between 31-60% MFI were produced in 2020, 1,780 fewer than those built in 2019. A total of 4,884 units affordable to households making between 31-60% MFI have been constructed over the past three years. ● 15,000 Housing Units affordable to 61-80% MFI and below- 1,283 housing units affordable to households earning between 61-80% MFI constructed in 2020. Over the past three years, 1,888 units affordable to households earning 61-80% MFI have been constructed. In 2019, Council adopted geographic affordable housing goals by Council District and by 2016 Mobility Bond Corridors. These goals have informed revisions to program guidelines to ensure affordable housing is created. 92 of 130 AP-60 Public Housing – 91.220(h) AP-60 Public Housing – 91.220(h) Introduction The City of Austin is served by two Public Housing Authorities (PHAs): The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) and the Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC). These agencies work independently of the City of Austin and Travis County, but share updates on progress through regular meetings with City staff. HACA is a partnering agency in the development of the Regional Analysis of Impediments, Housing Market Analysis, and Consolidated Plan. HACA administers the City’s tenant based rental assistance (TBRA) program. Currently, the TBRA program provides vouchers for households experiencing homelessness, with referrals taken from the Coordinated Assessment system. The program blends HOME TBRA housing coupons and supportive services through General Fund activities, known locally as the Armadillo Avenue Program, and has enabled households experiencing homelessness to access Permanent Housing. The TBRA program will serve all the City of Austin addresses including those in both the City’s full purpose and extra-territorial jurisdictions. Considering the great need for affordable housing to house the homeless, in FY 25-26, HACA will enter into an agreement for Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) Contracts with ten properties to provide permanent supportive housing to people experiencing homelessness in the City of Austin. The ten properties comprise projects recommended to receive housing choice voucher (HCV) project-based vouchers (PBV) and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) housing choice project-based vouchers based on a request for proposal. Foundation Communities’ Burleson Studios will receive 30 regular PBVs and 20 VASH PBVs. Foundation Communities’ Skyline Terrace will receive 10 regular PBV units. The Cairn Point project by Caritas of Austin and the Vecino Group will receive 30 regular PBVs and 20 VASH PBVs. SAFE Alliance was awarded regular PBVs at two projects – 30 at The Lancaster, and 25 at The Sasha. Lifeworks’ The Works at Tillery will receive 25 PBVs. Family Eldercare’s Real Gardens will receive 25 regular PBVs and and10 VASH PBVs. The Rozz with SGI Ventures received 25 regular PBVs and 15 VASH PBVs. Ten VASH PBVs were awarded to the Austin Housing Finance Corporation’s Country Inn hotel Conversion project. Finally, Elizabeth Properties’ Kensington Apartments will receive 25 VASH PBVs. Committing these new 200 PBVs and 100 VASH PBVs reflect HACA's dedication to expanding supportive housing and services to vulnerable homeless individuals and those experiencing chronic homelessness. HUD regulations and HACA's HCV Administrative Plan allows HACA to project-base up to 20 percent of its allocated vouchers plus an additional 10% above the 20% limit to units designated to serve the homeless or veterans. The 200 PBV and 100 VASH PBVs, coupled with the existing 441 PBVs, reflects a total of 741 PBVs or 12.3% of HACA's overall voucher allocation. 93 of 130 HACA’s PHA Annual and Five-Year Plan provides comprehensive information on actions that HACA has planned or considered for implementation in the next year to address the need for low-income subsidized housing. Actions planned during the next year to address the needs to public housing In FY 2025-26, HACA is introducing a revamped homeownership program. The new HACA Homeownership Program engages and supports HACA resident families (Housing Choice Voucher participants as well as our residents in Project Based Rental Assistance properties) as they seek to purchase their first home. Support is provided to help families understand and navigate HACA’s homeownership opportunities. These include: Prospect Heights at Rosewood: Through HACA’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity, homeownership opportunities will be available to twelve HACA resident families at the newly redeveloped Pathways at Rosewood Courts. By 2025, HACA expects twelve townhome style homes to be built at Rosewood for sale to qualified residents and their families. Down Payment Assistance Program: HACA’s down payment assistance program will contribute up to $10,000 towards closing costs and/or the down payment to qualified applicants when they purchase a Rosewood home. Assistance is provided in the form of a deferred second mortgage with no monthly payments and forgiven once program requirements are fulfilled. Eligibility requirements for these programs include: First time homebuyer (or have not owned a home in the past three years) HACA resident in good standing U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident Income from stable employment over the last two years Credit and income requirements based on household size The HACA homeownership team also supports families in connecting them to community partners for assistance with credit counseling, financial education, and helping connect with and navigate other first time home buying programs. Prospect Heights at Rosewood is currently under construction and the projected completion date is in 2025. HACA continues to support the coordination of Resident Councils at each of the 18 low-income subsidized housing properties. All property residents are considered members of their Resident Council 94 of 130 and are encouraged to participate in meetings and decision-making at their properties. The opportunity to become leaders at their properties, voice concerns about program operations, and advocate for necessary changes often serves as a springboard for households to become further involved in the community and plan specific goals for achieving economic and housing self-sufficiency. Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC) HATC administers the Continuum of Care Grant (homeless), Housing Choice Voucher (HCV); Mainstream Voucher Program; Emergency Housing Vouchers (ARPA); Project Based Rental Assistance Program (PBRA); Manor Town Apartment Homes; and Carson Creek Duplexes. The largest of these programs is the Housing Choices Vouchers serving 680 units. HATC receives a Continuum of Care (COC) Grant for 74 units to provide assistance for homeless individuals and families in the Austin Travis County Metropolitan area. HATC is a collaborative participant in the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) community to assist in developing a financial model for a multi-jurisdictional solution to fund PSH in Austin. To further assist housing the homeless population in the county, HATC adopted a homeless preference for the waiting list and subsequently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ECHO for direct referral to the HCV waiting list from coordinated entry. This preference allows the most vulnerable homeless participants to receive housing without needing to wait for the waiting list to open. In June 2021, HATC was awarded 34 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) through The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The EHV vouchers are provided to help assist individuals and families who are one of the following: homeless; at risk for homelessness; fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; or recently homeless. HATC entered into MOUs with two partnering agencies within the community to ensure households receive wrap around services to address each family’s individual needs. In 2021, HATC was selected by HUD for admission to Cohort 1: Overall Impact of Moving to Work Flexibility of the Moving to Work (MTW) Demonstration Program. The MTW designation provides HATC the opportunity to design and test innovative, locally designed housing and self-sufficiency strategies. The redesign of the HCV program must meet three statutory objectives which include: reduce cost and achieve greater cost effectiveness in federal expenditures; promote self-sufficiency; and increase housing choice for participants. The City of Austin is committed to continuing its support of partnerships and efforts that will improve public housing and resident initiatives and will continue coordinating with both HACA and HATC in FY 2025-26 to inform public housing residents of affordable housing programs and opportunities. On March 7, 2019, AHFC-approved a $1 million loan to HATC for the rehabilitation of one of its public housing properties, Eastern Oaks. The 30-unit multifamily property was built in 1982 and was in need of substantial rehabilitation. AHFC provided $1,000,000 in local Housing Trust Fund dollars, as part of 95 of 130 HATC’s $3.25 million rehabilitation project. All 30 units will be affordable to households at or below 30% MFI for 99 years. Actions to encourage public housing residents to become more involved in management and participate in homeownership [SB1] The City of Austin collaborates closely with local PHA officials to ensure that City housing programs are responsive and linked to the needs of public housing households. As previously noted, each of HACA’s 18 low-income subsidized housing properties maintains a Resident Council designed to directly involve individuals in their community’s management and decision-making process. Participation in community management empowers households to become further involved in their communities, and to plan specific goals for achieving economic and housing self-sufficiency. The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) continues to move families toward self-sufficiency. HACA’s down payment assistance program provides qualified families participating in the Project Based Rental Assistance properties or Housing Choice Voucher programs with a $10,000 forgivable loan to be applied towards the down payment on a new or existing home. If the applicant meets all program criteria for the first five years, then the loan is forgiven. Through HACA’s subsidiary, Austin Affordable Housing Corporation (AAHC), HACA’s Six Star program provides another alternative for those who are ready to move out of public housing but have not met all the criteria to purchase a home. The Six-Star program allows households to reside at one of AAHC’s apartment homes at a rate lower than the fair market rental rate. The rent amount increases slightly over the course of the three-year program, until the fair market rent is reached. The Six Star program allows participants to continue to learn financial management skills and work toward goals that will support sustainable economic and housing self- sufficiency and ultimately homeownership. If the PHA is designated as troubled, describe the manner in which financial assistance will be provided or other assistance Neither the Travis County Housing Authority nor the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) is designated as troubled. Discussion See the sections above. 96 of 130 AP-85 Other Actions – 91.220(k) Introduction Federal regulations require that participating jurisdictions include in their annual Action Plans how they will use Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant funds in conjunction with other HUD funding and local resources in order to improve the lives of low and moderate-income households. Federally mandated guidelines are outlined below, along with a brief description of a best practice, or an initiative underway or planned to begin in FY 2025-26 to meet the specific directive. Actions planned to address obstacles to meeting underserved needs Affordable housing remains an underserved need within the City of Austin. The 2019 Housing Market Analysis showed a gap of approximately 36,000 affordable housing units for renter households making less than $25,000 annually. To assist in closing that gap, the City will continue to prioritize resources to affordable housing projects. Through the City of Austin's Housing Development Assistance (HDA) programs, the Housing Department has partnered with various nonprofit and for-profit developers to increase and preserve the supply of affordable rental and homeownership opportunities that will benefit low- and moderate-income households. In 2018 and 2022, Austin voters approved $250 million and $350 million, respectively, in affordable housing bonds. Approximately half of the total of the 2018 bonds have been directed toward the HDA programs. As this is a competitive process, developers are incentivized to provide deeper affordability levels and more affordable units that will help to meet the identified needs. Actions planned to foster and maintain affordable housing Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) are nonprofit housing providers whose organizational mission includes the development of affordable housing for low and moderate-income households. The City works closely with CHDOs to help them meet their housing development goals and 97 of 130 provides them with CHDO Operating Expenses Grants to increase organizational capacity. The Housing Department administers a range of home repair programs, including Architectural Barrier Removal (ABR) - Rental and Owner, Minor Home Repair Program, Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP), and the G.O. Repair! Program. The Minor Home Repair program provides up to $5,000 in home repair assistance and is administered by the Austin Area Urban League. The G.O. Repair! Program is funded with general obligation bonds and provides up to $20,000 in home repair assistance. This program is administered by the City’s non-profit partners who comprise the Austin Housing Repair Coalition (AHRC). The remaining programs, ABR Owner, ABR Renter, and HRLP, are administered by AHFC staff. All home repair programs serve households at or below 80% MFI. Additionally, as part of the City’s comprehensive response to the February 2021 Texas Severe Winter Storm, the Housing Department (at the time known as the Housing and Planning Department or “HPD”) launched an Emergency Home Repair initiative, effective March 1, 2021, to address widespread damage to Austinites’ homes. Administered by Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), this initiative will be funded through a variety of public and private sources, including Austin Water, General Obligation Bonds, and a grant from Bank of America. The Housing Department and AHFC staff are responsible for application intake, eligibility review, and referral. Austin Housing Repair Coalition (AHRC) carries out approved repairs. Up to $10,000 in funding is provided directly to the non-profit after all approved work has been completed as agreed upon by the non-profit staff, the homeowner, and the contractor. Eligible participants include homeowners within the City’s full purpose jurisdiction, with household incomes at or below 80% Median Family Income (MFI). Participants must have experienced damage to their primary residence as a result of the Winter Storm, causing harm to the life, health, or safety of the occupants. Participants cannot receive duplicate benefits through FEMA or insurance proceeds. Eligible repairs include repair or replacement of: Wall/Floor removal; Sewer lines; Gas lines; Water lines and/or water damage; Roof; Electrical System; HVAC units; Plumbing fixtures – including sink pipes and toilets damaged by frozen conditions; Mold remediation. The Housing Department also collaborates with Austin Energy, Austin Water Utility and the City's Code Compliance department to offer comprehensive services promoting healthier homes. All of these City departments participate in the AHRC and are actively in cross-departmental collaboration. The Housing Department is actively working to preserve affordability. The Housing Department coordinates with local partners, including Affordable Central Texas (ACT), to identify and preserve affordable housing. ACT is a 501(c)(3) organization that manages a social impact private equity fund for investment in middle-income housing affordability. ACT’s mission is to purchase and preserve multifamily properties for the Austin workforce, including teachers, first responders, medical professionals and others vital to day-to-day livability. According to ACT, in 2018, they acquired 3 properties totaling nearly 800 units of naturally occurring (unrestricted) affordable housing. Households in ACT’s properties average less than 80% MFI. The Housing Department is working with ACT to 98 of 130 determine whether the Housing Department could subsidize deeper affordability in future acquisition transactions. Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) has acquired three existing multifamily apartments in FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23 totaling 162 units and will maintain and preserve the long- term affordability of these properties. 99 of 130 AP-65 Homeless and Other Special Needs Activities – 91.220(i) Introduction In December 2020, the City hired the Homelessness Strategy Officer to coordinate between public housing providers, mental health, and service agencies who address homelessness prevention and housing. The City of Austin Homelessness Strategy Office provides a coordinated implementation of responses to homelessness across City departments. The City coordinates the administration of the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding with local and state funding of homeless services. ESG funding serves adult single women and women with children with emergency shelter, and the single adult homeless population with rapid rehousing services. User licenses and eligible equipment for the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) and administration for the program are also provided with grant funding. The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) is the lead planning entity on homeless issues in Austin/Travis County. As the Collaborative Applicant and HMIS Lead Agency, ECHO completes Austin's Continuum of Care (CoC) NOFA Collaborative Application and annual reports. ECHO also coordinates the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count, as well as the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). The City allocates general fund dollars to support ECHO staff and programs. ECHO manages the Coordinated Entry System (CE)–a standardized intake process. The CE system simplifies the client referral process for Permanent Housing and ESG funded programs. ECHO follows the Continuum of Care CE Written Standards. The Downtown Austin Community Court (DACC) works to address the quality-of life issues of all residents in downtown Austin through swift sentencing of public order offenders. DACC’s Case Management provides long term services to individuals experiencing homelessness. Austin Public Health (APH) currently oversees DACC’s ESG funded rapid rehousing program (RRH). Through RRH, DACC serves the homeless through basic needs provision, financial assistance, housing relocation and stabilization assistance, and support services so clients can stay in permanent housing. The City has provided subsidies for the creation of 1,500+ permanent supportive housing (PSH) units since 2017. Between 2017 and 2023 the City of Austin has created 472 PSH units through tenant-based and project-based subsidies. There is expected to be an additional 300+ PSH site-based units and 15 Continuum of Care units (i.e., reserved for referral from the CoC) leasing up before the end of 2023. An additional estimated 960 units of PSH and 21 Continuum of Care units are in development and are expected to lease up by the end of 2026. The City also has a dedicated staff member to work closely with ECHO in promoting this PSH goal. The Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint also supports the production of 100 PSH units each year, with half of those units housing people experiencing homelessness. In order for Austin to address homelessness, all programs across the system strive to achieve performance benchmarks; programs 100 of 130 target resources to households that would become homeless if assistance were not provided; and persons in transitional housing rapidly exit into permanent housing within 12 months. In 2020, the City began the hotel conversion strategy to help reach the goal of generating PSH units. The Housing Department worked with the Office of Real Estate Services (ORES) to acquire existing hotel properties to convert to PSH. The first of the acquisitions was the 85 room Rodeway Inn at 2711 S. I-35. The hotel, now known as Pro-lodge 5, was acquired in April 2020, renovated to allow for use as a protective lodge during the pandemic, and began to house individuals at risk for contracting COVID-19 in July of 2020. The Candlewood Suites was purchased in August 2021 for $9.5 million. In June 2022, The City of Austin entered into an agreement with Family Eldercare in the amount of $3.9 million to renovate the Candlewood Suites into 78 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for seniors who have experienced homelessness. The hotel project has been renamed Pecan Gardens and is scheduled to begin lease up in Fall 2023. The project was awarded 50 Project Based Vouchers through HACA in Feb 2022 and will also incorporate 28 Local Housing Vouchers, funded by the Housing Trust Fund. The Texas Bungalows Hotel was purchased in February 2021 for $6.5 million. In June 2022, The City of Austin entered an agreement with Integral Care in the amount of $1.6 million to renovate The Texas Bungalows into 60 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for adults who have experienced homelessness. The hotel project has been renamed Bungalows at Century Park and is scheduled to begin lease up in Winter 2023 or Spring 2024. Renovations have been delayed due to the foundation needing repair. This work should be completed by Fall 2023. The project was awarded 50 Project Based Vouchers through HACA in March 2021. Balcones Terrace, a partnership with Foundation Communities, was awarded $16 million for acquisition in August 2021. Balcones Terrace will include 123 affordable units, with 60 units of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for adults who have experienced homelessness. Describe the jurisdictions one-year goals and actions for reducing and ending homelessness including reaching out to homeless persons (especially unsheltered persons) and assessing their individual needs In order to identify and engage with people experiencing homelessness in the Austin/Travis County area, the City partners with more than ten different street outreach teams and mobile navigation programs and ten local emergency shelters. Coordination with these partners occurs through the CoC’s Coordinated Entry System (CE) and the shared Homeless Management Information (HMIS) database. Street Outreach teams, Navigation Center staff, and Emergency Shelter staff are trained to administer the CE assessment to add clients to the shared community By-Name-List to prioritize the most 101 of 130 vulnerable clients for housing. One of these street outreach teams is the City-funded Homeless Outreach Street Team (HOST), an interdisciplinary outreach collaborative composed of representatives from law enforcement, mental health, and the court system, and dedicated to engaging the highest- need clients in the downtown area. Housing resources are prioritized based upon vulnerability, and the CoC has developed a CE system that uses Street Outreach teams to proactively document eligibility and keep households engaged while accessing services. The CoC provides assessment staff on a supplemental and temporary basis to close assessment need gaps while partners are developing internal assessment capacity. Many outreach and shelter programs prioritize hard-to-reach populations such as unsheltered families, chronically homeless veterans, unaccompanied youth, persons with HIV/AIDS, refugees/asylees, and clients with mental health needs. Austin also coordinates with diverse community partners to identify homeless individuals, such as libraries, community centers, schools, clinics, hospitals, law enforcement, and the local mental health authority. When necessary, Street Outreach teams complete the CE assessment directly in the field using mobile technology, and they can request help from other Street Outreach teams if an area of high need is identified. These teams meet monthly at a CoC-wide coordination meeting to discuss coverage areas, frequency, emerging practices and concerns, and individual cases. Austin’s Action Plan to End Homelessness [http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=292841] has identified several objectives regarding outreach and shelter. They include: 1) Outreach programs engage all persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness and connect them to crisis services as well as to stable housing, 2) All persons in unsheltered situations can access crisis services and can end their homelessness, and 3) Persons in unsheltered situations can meet their basic daily survival needs (i.e. a comfortable and safe place to be during the day including services to end their homelessness, access to showers and bathrooms during the day, and access to 24 hour storage space). Addressing the emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of homeless persons Austin Public Health (APH) funds the Salvation Army to operate a low-barrier shelter for homeless adult women and women with children using ESG and general fund dollars The City also funds other shelters, transitional housing and homeless services. All clients served in the Austin Shelter for Women and Children have low- to moderate-income and are at or below 50% of MFI. Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds are used to provide maintenance and operations for this program. In addition to the emergency shelter services directly funded by ESG, the City and CoC have collaborated to create common strategies and systems to document unmet emergency shelter needs and to expedite 102 of 130 the exit from emergency shelter to housing. These strategies include: ● Using the Coordinated Entry System (CE) to assist all shelter residents in applying for all possible housing programs ● Leading shelter transformation toward the housing-focused model ● Increasing documentation of exit data in HMIS for all projects, including emergency shelters where there are high rates of missing exit destination information ● Monitoring project performance by housing outcomes ● Partnering with landlords for prompt access to units that become available ● Training case managers to implement best practices that promote housing attainment and retention Helping homeless persons (especially chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth) make the transition to permanent housing and independent living, including shortening the period of time that individuals and families experience homelessness, facilitating access for homeless individuals and families to affordable housing units, and preventing individuals and families who were recently homeless from becoming homeless again The City of Austin’s Downtown Austin Community Court, Austin Public Health’s Communicable Disease Unit, and the finalized Rapid Rehousing awardee of the current Request for Proposal will all administer ESG Rapid Rehousing funds in coordination to move homeless individuals from the streets and shelters into permanent housing. This program brings together housing location, financial assistance, and housing stability case management, and leverages other funding sources like the General Fund dollars, to bring housing resources to unhoused people. In conjunction with the CoC, the City uses two primary strategies to get clients into housing as quickly as possible: Rapid identification and assessment through the Coordinated Entry System (CE); Rapid matching of RRH households with service-enriched housing programs (driven by active household choice in determining which combination of options is best suited to meet clients’ needs). The CE system creates a by-name list of homeless families using HMIS data, including date first homeless, and this information is used to affirmatively target households for engagement and housing. The CoC has adopted Written Standards for Service Delivery, including the Coordinated Entry Written Standards, which establish consistent prioritization and referral to permanent housing interventions as well as service delivery across intervention types. The CoC and City of Austin staff work closely to ensure the finalization of community service delivery standards. These standards expanded housing location efforts using a Housing First approach to minimize time spent homeless. Upon housing, these programs 103 of 130 utilize nationally recognized best practices to ensure that households with higher needs receive more intensive services to stabilize them. The CoC has established formal partnerships for needs such as mental health, substance use, HIV/AIDS, veteran services, SSI/SSDI SOAR applications, employment training, and medical care (through MAP, a locally funded indigent health program). Staff also market services such as subsidized childcare (through the local Workforce Solutions system), education services, SNAP, TANF, WIC, subsidized housing waitlists, and Medicaid. Austin’s Action Plan to End Homelessness proposes 72 actions across five strategies – Outreach and Shelter, Housing and Services, Addressing Disparities, System Effectiveness, and Community Commitment. The Plan recognizes that Austin’s high occupancy and high cost rental market are challenging when locating affordable, low barrier units. Housing objectives include for persons experiencing homelessness having immediate access to existing rental housing units that are affordable, low barrier, and geographically dispersed including high opportunity areas; all persons who have exited homelessness can maintain housing stability; persons experiencing homelessness have access to recovery services, mental healthcare and other healthcare services and increase access sustainable employment for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The City partners closely with ECHO’s Community Housing Department to support access to low barrier housing units through partnering with housing properties and providing landlord incentives for units dedicated to people experiencing homelessness. This also includes partnering with ECHO who provides housing barrier screening services by offering rent reports to support matching households to services, financial assistance tailored to ensuring households can find units regardless of financial and/or criminal background barriers. Helping low-income individuals and families avoid becoming homeless, especially extremely low-income individuals and families and those who are: being discharged from publicly funded institutions and systems of care (such as health care facilities, mental health facilities, foster care and other youth facilities, and corrections programs and institutions); or, receiving assistance from public or private agencies that address housing, health, social services, employment, education, or youth needs. The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) coordinates the Continuum of Care funded projects and submits the annual application to HUD. ECHO works with the Reentry Roundtable, Travis County Criminal Justice, Integral Care’s Behavioral Health Advisory Committee, ATCIC leadership and other community planning organizations. ECHO also convenes ongoing conversations addressing discharge planning from hospitals, treatment facilities, and jails to assist persons leaving mental/physical health facilities to locate support services and housing, and persons with mental/physical health challenges leaving other institutions to do the same. Central Health, the local healthcare taxing district has identified Permanent Supportive Housing as a top 10 strategy for improving mental health in Travis 104 of 130 County. ECHO staff participate in the Austin Travis County Behavioral Health and Criminal Justice Advisory Committee and have a voting seat. In August of 2019, ECHO began developing the Housing for Healthcare division consisting of 4-5 staff who support system-wide discharge planning and are liaisons with various institutions such as the criminal justice system and the hospital and medical systems. ECHO staff work closely with other systems of care to divert persons from entering homelessness when possible and to increase access to available resources (e.g., crisis beds, coordinated entry assessment). In addition, ECHO is one of the local SOAR Leads which has been vital in supporting access to housing resources through increased income and benefits. The City of Austin Emergency Solutions Grant funds are not allocated to homelessness prevention. Outreach and shelter staff utilize diversion strategies to find alternative housing options in order to prevent entries into homelessness and shelters. Hospital patients are offered and referred to transitional housing programs and/or respite beds. APH uses City general fund dollars for a centralized homelessness prevention program called Best Single Source Plus, which provides financial assistance and case management to families who are at-risk of homelessness due to acute housing crisis or chronic risk factors. The City of Austin funds a Fiscal Agent, Caritas of Austin, to oversee the funding collaboration which includes 12 agencies who provide financial assistance as a Housing Prevention program, targeting populations at highest risk of homelessness, including individuals with HIV/AIDS, families with minor children, elderly households, and transition-aged youth. As part of the joint work through the CoC, Austin/Travis County was also selected in 2017 as one of the first ten communities to participate in the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project, a newly funded initiative from HUD intended to test new and innovative housing interventions targeting unaccompanied, transition-aged youth experiencing homelessness. Austin/Travis County was awarded an initial, two-year, renewable grant of $5.2 million in programmatic funding, and a portion of this grant has been assigned to a “Deeper Diversion” program intended to prevent youth from entering homelessness from the Foster Care/Department of Family and Protective Services System, the Juvenile Justice system, and the Austin Independent School District system. During the FY19 CoC NOFA Competition, YHDP projects were transitioned into the CoC program funding competition for the first time since being awarded during the FY17 Round 1 YHDP Competition. All 3 youth dedicated projects were awarded as CoC-funded renewals and work in conjunction with each other to provide a diverse range of interventions to prevent and end youth homelessness. YHDP recipient agency, LifeWorks, closely works with schools, foster care, CPS, and juvenile justice to coordinate discharge planning to divert and prevent youth from entering homelessness and offering PH interventions to successfully exit youth into permanent housing solutions. These services are coordinated through partnerships with each of the respective agencies, and services comprise a combination of individualized case management, 105 of 130 minimal financial assistance, and family-based mediation and counseling services. The community is dedicated to ending youth homelessness through achieving functional zero for this population. The COVID-10 pandemic has forced the community to reassess its goal end date and providers are confident ending youth homelessness will be achieved. Discussion Please see the above sections. 106 of 130 AP-70 HOPWA Goals– 91.220 (l)(3) One-year goals for the number of households to be provided housing through the use of HOPWA for: Short-term rent, mortgage, and utility assistance to prevent homelessness of the individual or family Tenant-based rental assistance Supportive Services Housing Case Management Facility Based Housing Units provided in permanent housing facilities developed, leased, or operated with HOPWA funds Units provided in transitional short-term housing facilities developed, leased, or operated with HOPWA funds Total 197 29 101 29 101 35 24 516 107 of 130 AP-75 Barriers to Affordable Housing – 91.220(j) The City of Austin has many initiatives to remove the barriers to affordable housing examined as part of the 2019 regional Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI). The impediments identified in the AI are summarized below. City and County capacity to address fair housing challenges is limited. The rapidly growing housing crisis throughout the region is taxing public resources, as governments and housing authorities implement programs and policies that address housing needs. Harm caused by segregation is manifested in disproportionate housing needs and differences in economic opportunity. Past actions that denied housing opportunities and perpetuated segregation have limited opportunities for members of protected classes. Differences in poverty rates are highest in areas where early policies limited where people of different races and ethnicities could live. African American and Hispanic families in these areas have poverty rates averaging 17% greater than Non- Hispanic White and Asian families. The homeownership gap between Black and Non-Hispanic White households is close to 20% in many jurisdictions. There is also a significant overrepresentation of Black and Hispanic families within the population experiencing homelessness, compared to the Austin general population. Affordable rental options in the region are increasingly scarce. Local population growth has raised demand for rental housing, pushing up rental costs and limiting areas where low-income households can afford to live. This perpetuates the limited economic opportunity that began with segregation. For Housing Choice Voucher holders, state law prohibits jurisdictions from including Source of Income as a protected class. Voucher holders have fewer options for using their vouchers than they did 5 years ago, and landlords have no requirement or incentive to accept voucher holders. Housing choice is increasingly limited for voucher holders, many of whom are persons of color. Even fewer options exist for households that are dependent on public transportation or need housing in specific areas to access jobs, schools, and services. These households often include very low-income households, refugees, and individuals with disabilities. Strict rental policies further limit options. The requirement to have income 3x the rent for rental units has a disproportionate effect on persons with disabilities whose incomes are primarily Social Security and Disability Insurance, as well as renters who receive income from unearned sources such as child support. Criminal look-back periods that do not consider the severity of a crime or the time period in which it was committed disproportionately impact persons of color and persons in recovery. State law does not allow renters to claim legal unearned income as eligible for the 3x rent income threshold. Past policies and practices have contributed to limited access to mortgage loans and limited economic opportunities for homebuyers of color. Implemented by financial institutions, these policies resulted in the refusal or reluctance to lend in lower income neighborhoods populated largely by people of color. 108 of 130 Denial rates for Black/African American applicants, Hispanic applicants, and other non-Asian minorities are significantly higher than for Non-Hispanic White applicants and Asian applicants. State regulations affecting zoning and land use limit housing choice. State regulations prohibit or limit the power of counties and cities to implement zoning and inclusionary zoning that could increase the supply of affordable housing. Some local units of government have vague regulations regarding treatment of group homes that prevent higher densities that could facilitate affordable housing options. Describe actions planned to remove or ameliorate the negative effects of public policies that serve as barriers to affordable housing such as land use controls, tax policies affecting land, zoning ordinances, building codes, fees and charges, growth limitations, and policies affecting the return on residential investment. The Housing Department administers programs to incentivize the creation of income-restricted affordable housing citywide, guided by the Strategic Housing Blueprint. The Housing Department also reviews proposed rules and regulations for their impact on housing affordability through Affordability Impact Statements and works with other departments to minimize or avoid negative impacts. City initiatives to address affordable housing challenges include: ● Increase capacity through regional coordination and new City offices focused on displacement prevention and civil rights; ● Substantial technical, legal, and financial support for tenants vulnerable to displacement; Increasing awareness of City resources, including affirmatively marketing programs; ● Preservation and expansion of affordable rental and homeownership options through a variety of measures, including purchasing and converting motels to permanent supportive housing, direct financial support for developments, and building the capacity of local organizations; Reducing housing barriers and increasing tenant protections for City-supported rental properties; Local code revisions, despite legal setbacks; and Improved public transportation access with linked affordable housing and anti-displacement plans and resources. Discussion: Continuation of Discussion of Barriers to Affordable Housing - Educational inequities persist in the region. African American children are significantly overrepresented in schools that did not meet educational standards, and Hispanic children have the largest disparities in school quality across K-12 schools. Neighborhood-driven school district boundaries that do not 109 of 130 accommodate open choice drive up housing prices in areas with schools that met or exceeded educational standards. - Public transportation access has not kept pace with growth. In addition to lack of affordable housing, lack of public transportation was the most common barrier to economic opportunity mentioned by participants in AI outreach. Contributing factors include insufficient resources to address demand for better transportation in outlying areas and the decline in affordable housing options in job-rich areas. The lack of transportation options affects all Austinites who must commute, but especially people who cannot drive or afford to own a car—people with disabilities and refugees—as well as low-income households living in outlying areas. Actions to Address Impediments The City of Austin is addressing the impediments identified in the 2019 AI through a variety of measures. This section organizes completed, planned, and in-progress initiatives by the impediments summarized in AP-75. Increase City and County capacity to address fair housing challenges - Regional coordination to address barriers. The City and its regional partners established the Central Texas Regional Fair Housing working group to address affordable housing barriers at a regional scale. The working group is composed of staff from each of the ten entities represented in the 2019 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. It hopes to consult with area experts on housing equity and economic opportunity, K-12 educational leaders, local and regional transit providers, and public works staff. The group faced many challenges creating cohesion, especially because many of the municipalities have small staff with limited ability to participate. Additionally, momentum came to a halt when the COVID-19 pandemic became an immediate priority for all entities. The group initially aimed to convene quarterly and develop a group charter and 5-year work plan. Some of that work has been completed. However, it will take leadership to resume the work. Resources may also be necessary to ensure that the work is re-prioritized for all municipalities. - Organizational focus on displacement prevention. In 2020, the City of Austin created the Office of Displacement Prevention and hired its first Community Displacement Prevention Officer to specifically focus on preventing the displacement of communities of color and low-income Austinites. The Community Displacement Prevention Officer oversees the strategic development, coordination, and administration of programs and policies to 1) advance a rigorous response to gentrification and 2) prevent the displacement of communities of color and low-income residents, both in coordination with community stakeholders. Over the last three years, the Displacement Prevention team has grown to a team of 11 and manages an annual budget in excess of $30 million, partnering with community organizations to provide a range of services including the following: 110 of 130 I Belong in Austin: Emergency rental assistance, negotiated settlements, moving, storage and relocation ($7,800,000) Eviction Representation: Legal and mediation services for tenants at risk of or experiencing eviction ($220,000) Tenant Relocation Services & Affordable Housing Locator Assistance: Relocation, moving and storage for tenants experiencing displacement from redevelopment ($700,000) Tenant's Rights Assistance Program: Tenant counseling ($298,938) Displacement Prevention Navigator Program: Navigators will serve as connectors, guides, and ambassadors for City and partner resources and programs that promote housing stability ($360,000) Capacity Building & Technical Assistance Contracts: A new program designed to assist nonprofit organizations that received Project Connect funding so that they are successful deploying funds, submitting reports, and establishing appropriate data reporting metrics, as well as other needs identified through our consultant led assessment. ($300,000) Project Connect Community Initiated Solutions (CIS): Tenant Stabilization, Expansion of homeownership and other anti-displacement services ($20,000,000) - New resources to address housing discrimination. The City of Austin created the Office of Civil Rights and hired its first Civil Rights Officer. The office’s many functions include receiving and responding to housing discrimination complaints. In March 2022, the Office of Civil Rights was assigned to lead a stakeholder engagement process with housing advocates and landlord associations, with the goal of developing policies responsive to two Council resolutions to allow tenant organizing and create a right to cure policy for tenants. In October 2022, following the stakeholder engagement process, The Austin City Council adopted two ordinances amending City Code Chapter 14-4 to require landlords to provide a ‘notice of proposed eviction’ at least seven days before issuing a notice to vacate, and allow tenants to establish or participate in a tenant organization without retaliation from the landlord. - Local coordination around displacement prevention. Housing collaborates with a group of community- based organizations, housing advocates, and community development corporations that seeks to prevent displacement throughout the city. Mitigate lasting and continuing harm caused by segregation: disproportionate housing needs and differences in economic opportunity - Housing for people experiencing homelessness. The city continues to invest in permanent supportive housing as part of a community-wide approach to end homelessness. More information about the investments can be found in AP-65 Homeless and Other Special Needs Activities – 91.220(i) 111 of 130 - Support for tenants vulnerable to displacement. The City funds organizations in providing eviction representation, tenant/landlord mediation services, tenant organizing and engagement, and legal and other assistance to tenants facing eviction or displacement. The City also issued $77 million in emergency rental assistance from 2020-22. Resources were increased during the Covid-19 pandemic in response to skyrocketing local need and increased federal funds. - Preference Policy. See description under Expand homeownership opportunities, below. - Project Connect anti-displacement funding. In 2020, Austin voters approved $7 billion for Project Connect, a generational investment in light rail, subway, and bus rapid transit, along with $300 million for anti-displacement projects. The Housing Department is administering the anti-displacement investments, which will focus on preventing displacement in vulnerable areas near transit lines. In 2022, Housing and the AHFC announced the implementation plan for the first $65 million of investments. This plan includes $23 million for Land Acquisition, $21 million for Housing Development and $20 million for other anti-displacement strategies that resulted in the creation of funding for Community Initiated Solutions. As of 2023, the following investments have been made by AHFC for Land Acquisition: Midtown Flats, 615 W. St. John's, $63,852.17 City View at the Park, 2000 Woodward St., 78741- $2,600,000.00 SOCO, 121, 121 Woodward St., $4,720,000.00 The Housing Department created the Anti-Displacement Community Acquisition Program and to date the following acquisition has been acquired by Austin Revitalization Authority: Garcreek Acquisition, 8402 Garcreek Circle 78724, $458,000 An additional $8 million was made available, by Council, to not-for-profit affordable housing developers. The following investments have been made by AHFC for Real Estate Development: Highland Studios, 5900 Airport Blvd, 78752 - $816,331.00 Libertad Austin @ Gardner, 900 Gardner Road, 78702 - $4,500,000.00 Parker Apartments, 2105 Parker Lane 78741 -$5,563,669.00 Pathways @ Rosewood Courts, 2001 Rosewood Ave. 78702 - $9,200,000.00 112 of 130 Loyola, 5301 Loyola Lane 78723, $920,000.00 On September 29, 2022, the AHFC board approved the recommended funding for 14 community organizations for Project Connect Community Initiated Solutions. Housing staff held meetings with all awarded organizations to establish the preliminary terms for each award. Organizations have received their contracts for review and negotiation. It is anticipated that all contracts will be finalized by the end of the third quarter of 2023. Appropriate marketing of programs and resources. Housing has adopted a comprehensive approach to deliver information and direct services to those in the community who are most at risk of displacement, have accessibility issues, and face other inequitable barriers. The department uses plain language and accessibility standards, direct mail and delivered print materials, expanding partnerships with local organizations to distribute materials in multiple languages to their clientele, mobile advertising in specific neighborhoods, digital/local radio/print advertising in targeted publications, public bus signage, social media ads and direct posts, TV interviews and produced videos in multiple languages, and targeted email campaigns. Other efforts have included the adoption of an equitable community engagement compensation policy, more frequent use of live interpreters and using GIS-based geo- demographic data to identify priority communities with multiple displacement risk factors. The Housing Department is launching the Displacement Prevention Navigator pilot program. This program aims to help homeowners and renters stay in their homes by hiring a team of community members as Navigators who will connect residents in two pilot neighborhoods with available housing resources. Navigators will be paid $25 per hour and work 10-15 hours a week to help their neighbors identify and prioritize housing resources, apply for programs, and track submitted applications. Navigators will be trained in Summer 2023, with community outreach and assistance beginning in Fall 2023. Expand and preserve affordable rental options - Build community developer capacity. The Housing Department awarded capacity-building grants to 13 community development corporations from local funds. This grant positioned organizations to increase affordable housing supply in the short term and prevent displacement in the long term. Additionally, AHFC recently retained the assistance of Housing Works and Capital Impact Partners to facilitate a four- month program that will provide developers with training, technical assistance, mentorship, networking, and potential pathways for financing. Applications are being accepted from April 24-May 19, 2023, for the Austin Small Developer Training program, which seeks to assist developers who have been historically excluded or overlooked. - Support for new and existing affordable rental units. The 2021 Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecard shows the Housing Department has made progress on key Strategic Housing Blueprint goals such as new housing near areas targeted for growth in the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan and for the 113 of 130 preservation of subsidized affordable housing units. However, greater progress is necessary to reach the desired benchmarks for all goals by 2028. - Incentives for creating affordable rental housing. The Housing Department administers fee waivers and density bonus programs to incentivize the creation of income-restricted affordable housing citywide. For example, the SMART Housing program provides permit fee waivers for development permits in exchange for dedicated on-site units affordable to households earning 80% of median family income. - Extend affordability periods. The Housing Department is proactively monitoring affordable properties at risk of losing affordability and seeking to extend their affordability periods through purchase or additional incentives. Successful efforts to preserve affordable housing have far exceeded the 2021 annual Blueprint goal of 1,000 affordable units preserved by over 50%. In fact, the 1,550 units preserved in 2021 were the most preserved in a single year since the Blueprint was adopted. - Central listing of affordable units. The Housing Department continues to work with vendors to maintain the Affordable Housing Search Tool (AHOST) which launched in November 2020. This tool offers a searchable map and listing of income-restricted affordable rental housing in Austin; users can enter household income and size to view units for which they are eligible. Modify and mitigate strict rental policies - Reduced housing barriers for people reentering society. In June 2020, City Council approved a resolution to lower the maximum criminal look-back periods. Rental Housing Development Assistance Program guidelines now include recommendations for minimum standards for criminal background screening provided by the Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable. The Housing Department facilitated a stakeholder engagement process to educate partnering developers about the new guidelines. - Robust tenant protections. Robust tenant protections have been incorporated into all rental properties receiving City support through the Rental Housing Development Assistance Program. Expand homeownership opportunities - Preference Policy for households with ties to Austin. The Preference Policy prioritizes income-qualified households that are appropriately sized to the unit and/or have ties to Austin for new City-subsidized units. The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) uses the Preference Policy for properties sold through the Austin Community Land Trust. - Support for new affordable homeownership units. The 2021 Strategic Housing Blueprint Scorecard shows the Housing Department has made progress on key Strategic Housing Blueprint goals such as new housing near areas targeted for growth in the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan and for the preservation of subsidized affordable housing units through programs such as the Ownership Housing 114 of 130 Development Assistance Program. However, greater progress is necessary to reach the desired benchmarks for all goals by 2028. - Increased developer capacity. Applications were accepted from April 24-May 19, 2023, for the Austin Small Developer Training program, which seeks to assist developers who have been historically excluded or overlooked. Develop zoning alternatives that comply with state-level prohibitions - Local code revisions. The City has been working on iterations of a comprehensive Land Development Code revision for 7 years. The revision sought to implement housing goals outlined in the Strategic Housing Blueprint, including incentivizing development of income-restricted affordable housing across the city, expanding housing choice, and reducing housing access barriers; and to encourage the development of complete mixed-income communities with quality transit access to jobs and services. In 2020 and 2022, rulings from a district judge and the appellate court voided past City Council actions regarding the code revision. City Council has subsequently initiated targeted code amendments to address the housing shortage in Austin, and has directed staff to propose amendments to the existing land development code to increase housing supply and affordability. Improving public transportation access - Major transit investments. The City has partnered with the Capital Metro Transit Authority and Austin Transit Partnership on Project Connect, which will expand and improve the public transportation network for the Central Texas region. Project Connect’s light rail, subway, and bus system will be completed over multiple decades to improve transit access to jobs, health care, and education. See Mitigate lasting and continuing harm caused by segregation, above, for more information on related displacement prevention efforts. - Equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD). The City, Capital Metro, and Austin Transit Partnership are collaborating on equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) plans for 98 stations along commuter rail, light rail, and bus rapid transit lines. The ETOD Policy Plan is the guiding development framework that was accepted by Austin City Council on March 9th, 2023, to usher future growth in Project Connect station areas. The ETOD Policy Plan includes a policy toolkit, a menu of future options that can be implemented to help Austin achieve our 6 ETOD goals. Policy tools will be implemented systemwide in the form of updates to the city’s land development code and Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, as well as in station-area specific geographies using the station area vision planning process. The ETOD station area vision plans and related policy toolkit will seek to increase affordable housing opportunities near stations. For FY 25-26, the city anticipates the initiation of station area vision planning for 13 stations of the 98 stations in the Project Connect system. 115 of 130 AP-85 Other Actions – 91.220(k) Federal regulations require that participating jurisdictions include in their annual Action Plans how they will use Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant funds in conjunction with other HUD funding and local resources in order to improve the lives of low and moderate-income households. Federally mandated guidelines are outlined below, along with a brief description of a best practice, or an initiative underway or planned to begin in FY 2025-26 to meet the specific directive. Actions planned to address obstacles to meeting underserved needs Affordable housing remains an underserved need within the City of Austin. The 2019 Housing Market Analysis showed a gap of approximately 36,000 affordable housing units for renter households making less than $25,000 annually. To assist in closing that gap, the City will continue to prioritize resources to affordable housing projects. Through the City of Austin's Housing Development Assistance (HDA) programs, the Housing Department has partnered with various nonprofit and for-profit developers to increase and preserve the supply of affordable rental and homeownership opportunities that will benefit low- and moderate-income households. In 2018 and 2022, Austin voters approved $250 million and $350 million, respectively, in affordable housing bonds. Approximately half of the total of the 2018 bonds have been directed toward the HDA programs. As this is a competitive process, developers are incentivized to provide deeper affordability levels and more affordable units that will help to meet the identified needs. Actions planned to foster and maintain affordable housing Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) are nonprofit housing providers whose organizational mission includes the development of affordable housing for low and moderate-income households. The City works closely with CHDOs to help them meet their housing development goals and provides them with CHDO Operating Expenses Grants to increase organizational capacity. The Housing Department administers a range of home repair programs, including Architectural Barrier Removal (ABR) - Rental and Owner, Minor Home Repair Program, Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP), and the G.O. Repair! Program. The Minor Home Repair program provides up to $5,000 in home repair assistance and is administered by the Austin Area Urban League. The G.O. Repair! Program is funded with general obligation bonds and provides up to $20,000 in home repair assistance. This program is administered by the City’s non-profit partners who comprise the Austin Housing Repair Coalition (AHRC). The remaining programs, ABR Owner, ABR Renter, and HRLP, are administered by AHFC staff. All home repair programs serve households at or below 80% MFI. Additionally, as part of the City’s comprehensive response to the February 2021 Texas Severe Winter Storm, the Housing Department (at the time known as the Housing and Planning Department or “HPD”) launched an Emergency Home Repair initiative, effective March 1, 2021, to address widespread damage 116 of 130 to Austinites’ homes. Administered by Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), this initiative will be funded through a variety of public and private sources, including Austin Water, General Obligation Bonds, and a grant from Bank of America. The Housing Department and AHFC staff are responsible for application intake, eligibility review, and referral. Austin Housing Repair Coalition (AHRC) carries out approved repairs. Up to $10,000 in funding is provided directly to the non-profit after all approved work has been completed as agreed upon by the non-profit staff, the homeowner, and the contractor. Eligible participants include homeowners within the City’s full purpose jurisdiction, with household incomes at or below 80% Median Family Income (MFI). Participants must have experienced damage to their primary residence as a result of the Winter Storm, causing harm to the life, health, or safety of the occupants. Participants cannot receive duplicate benefits through FEMA or insurance proceeds. Eligible repairs include repair or replacement of: Wall/Floor removal; Sewer lines; Gas lines; Water lines and/or water damage; Roof; Electrical System; HVAC units; Plumbing fixtures – including sink pipes and toilets damaged by frozen conditions; Mold remediation. The Housing Department also collaborates with Austin Energy, Austin Water Utility and the City's Code Compliance department to offer comprehensive services promoting healthier homes. All of these City departments participate in the AHRC and are actively in cross-departmental collaboration. The Housing Department is actively working to preserve affordability. The Housing Department coordinates with local partners, including Affordable Central Texas (ACT), to identify and preserve affordable housing. ACT is a 501(c)(3) organization that manages a social impact private equity fund for investment in middle-income housing affordability. ACT’s mission is to purchase and preserve multifamily properties for the Austin workforce, including teachers, first responders, medical professionals and others vital to day-to-day livability. According to ACT, in 2018, they acquired 3 properties totaling nearly 800 units of naturally occurring (unrestricted) affordable housing. Households in ACT’s properties average less than 80% MFI. The Housing Department is working with ACT to determine whether the Housing Department could subsidize deeper affordability in future acquisition transactions. Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) has acquired three existing multifamily apartments in FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23 totaling 162 units and will maintain and preserve the long- term affordability of these properties. Actions planned to reduce lead-based paint hazards The City of Austin does not have a lead-based paint program. However, the City addresses lead abatement through multiple programs and funding sources, including the Housing Department’s home repair programs and rehabilitations funded through the Housing Department’s Rental Housing Development Assistance program. Eligible Austinites that reside in a home that was built prior to 1978 will have their homes tested for the presence of lead-based paint and remediated, if necessary, as part of the scope of work for each program. The City of Austin remediates lead-based hazards in low to moderate-income homes and addresses 117 of 130 other household health and safety hazards such as mold, carbon monoxide, fire, tripping hazards and pest management. This more holistic approach to remediating household hazards allows community members to remain in their homes and benefit from a healthier environment. The City will continue testing properties built before 1978 for lead-based paint. Actions planned to reduce the number of poverty-level families All programs administered by the City of Austin aim to address critical needs of eligible households, including those in poverty, through housing, community development, and public services designed to increase their opportunities for self-sufficiency. HOPWA, ESG, and CDBG activities in particular assist households that fall under the special populations category outlined in the FY 2024-29 Consolidated Plan. Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Activities: Austin Public Health (APH) administers all HOPWA activities for the City of Austin. These programs provide housing assistance for income- eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS, and their families. The goals of these programs are to prevent homelessness and to support independent, self-sufficient living among persons living with HIV/AIDS. These programs ensure clients have improved housing stability, which has been shown to improve retention in primary medical care and other supportive services. Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Activities: The Homeless Strategy Office administers all ESG activities for the City of Austin. These programs are designed to be the first step in a continuum of assistance to help clients quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. ESG funds are also used to assist with the operational costs of the shelter facility, and for the administration of the grant. CDBG Public Service Activities: In FY 2025-26, Austin Public Health will continue administering the City’s public services contracts for Child Care, Mental Health Services, and Senior Services that are funded with CDBG funds. Public services offer supportive services to households with low to moderate median family incomes and gross incomes up to 250% of Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. Child Care Services provide direct childcare services for teen parents who are attending school, and direct childcare services through the Early Head Start child development program, including services to families in crisis, including homeless and near-homeless families, and parents enrolled in self-sufficiency programs. Mental Health Services provides access to holistic, wraparound services and support to youth designated as at-risk and their families. Senior Services offers services that prevent and protect seniors from becoming victims of abuse, neglect, and/or financial exploitation. An additional service to be offered through public services contracts and administered by the Housing Department will focus on advocacy to prevent and deter housing discrimination, tenant-landlord education and information, and 118 of 130 housing repair and rehabilitation. Actions planned to develop institutional structure The Housing Department administers housing, community, and economic development programs, which require interdepartmental coordination. The City’s Homeless Services Division is led by a Chief Homeless Services Officer who coordinates with City leadership, other departments, community-based organizations and private partners to address homelessness. The Homeless Services Division collaborates with stakeholders to implement cross- system coordination of funding, services, and programs to serve persons at risk of and currently experiencing homelessness. The City contracts with the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) to develop affordable rental and homeownership opportunities, and housing rehabilitation. Austin Public Health (APH) provides housing support and related support services to Austinites living with HIV/AIDS through the use of HOPWA grant funds. APH also assists clients in regaining stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis using Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds. The Economic Development Department fosters small business expansions in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods to stimulate job creation through the Family Business Loan Program (FBLP). Initiatives and programs that require interdepartmental coordination and that will be underway in FY 2025-26: East 11th and 12th Streets Revitalization; Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, Household Affordability Priority Program; Implementation of Strategic Housing Blueprint. Development Incentive Programs: Various programs provide incentives for the inclusion of affordable housing or community/economic development. S.M.A.R.T. Housing Program: The S.M.A.R.T. Housing program is a development incentive program that provides fee-waivers for development permits in exchange for units to be dedicated on-site at reasonably-priced levels. The program requires that reasonably-priced units be affordable to households earning 80% median family income. The amount of waived fees is dependent on the percentage of reasonably-priced units that are set aside. Certification in the S.M.A.R.T. Housing program is also a prerequisite for affordable housing developments that apply for the city’s housing development assistance programs, such as the Rental Housing Development Assistance and Ownership Housing Development Assistance programs. Redevelopment of Publicly Owned Land: Colony Park Sustainable Communities Initiative; Agreements between the City and developers that include affordable housing as a community benefit; AHFC Land Acquisition and Disposition Program; AHFC Community Land Trust and long-term Affordability Program. Home Repair and Other Initiatives: Austin Energy developed a referral tool for weatherization that will 119 of 130 enable both the Housing Department and Austin Energy to coordinate leads and referrals for home repair services targeted to low and moderate-income households. Austin Water Utility provides funding for plumbing repairs and Private Lateral repairs for low and moderate-income homeowners. The Housing Department administers the Private Lateral grant program, utilizing funding from Austin Water Utility. The Housing Department layered Austin Water Utility’s funding for plumbing repairs onto the G.O. Repair program. Code Compliance utilizes a referral system to address homes needing substantial and costly repairs. APH, ECHO and other key agencies collaborate on activities that support the Community Plan to End Homelessness. Actions planned to enhance coordination between public and private housing and social service agencies The Housing Department will continue to work closely with the following organizations to overcome gaps and enhance coordination efforts: African American Resource Advisory Commission (AARAC), Community Development Commission (CDC), Community Advancement Network (CAN), Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs), Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), Housing Authority of Travis County (HATC), HousingWorks, and the Urban Renewal Agency, as well as other key stakeholders and organizations. The Housing Department will also remain engaged with housing finance agencies, the National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA) and the Texas Association of Local Housing Finance Agency (TALHFA), to connect with other agencies whose missions address critical housing needs. In FY 2025-26, the Housing Department will continue to strive towards the goal outlined in the Strategic Housing Blueprint to locate 25% of new income-restricted affordable housing within High Opportunity Areas. These areas provide residents with comparatively greater economic security, housing stability, mobility options, educational opportunities, and improved health and wellbeing. The City of Austin utilizes the methodology developed by the Enterprise Opportunity 360 Index to analyze opportunity within Austin. The Housing Department and the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) analyze the proposed location of each application for housing development assistance funding and give additional weight to proposals within High Opportunity Areas. The Housing Department will continue to conduct opportunity mapping and evaluation to support community goals as well as the creation of affordable housing in all parts of Austin. Discussion: Section 108 Loan Guarantee/Family Business Loan Program (FBLP) The purpose of the Family Business Loan Program (FBLP) is to make low-interest loans to qualified Austin small business owners who are ready to expand their business and create jobs. The FBLP is a public-private partnership between the City of Austin, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) certified community lenders, and private banks. The City’s portion of the funding is provided by a U.S. 120 of 130 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 loan guarantee. Related lending programs includes the April 8, 2020 approval (HUD) of the Austin Economic Injury Bridge Loan Program (AEIBLP), designed to provide short-term “bridge” financing for Austin small businesses applying to receive permanent financing through federal disaster assistance (due to Covid-19) programs including but not limited to SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and the U.S. Treasury Paychecks Protection Program. The AEIBLP program ended on May 7th, 2020 with a total of 19 loans approved and funded for a total dollar amount of $645,000.00. During FY 2012, the City of Austin Economic Development Department (EDD) developed the FBLP program guidelines, and the guidelines were approved by HUD, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the Austin City Council. The Austin City Council and Texas Attorney General’s Office also approved acceptance of a $3 million Section 108 HUD loan guarantee to provide funding for the FBLP. In 2017 EDD accepted the remaining $5 million of a $8 million HUD Section 108 loan request from 2011. This funding in addition to the re-programming of $3 million formerly the Neighborhood Commercial Management Program (NCMP) administered by the Housing Department brings the total FBLP funding to $11 million. EDD made extensive efforts to inform businesses about the FBLP during FY 2012. EDD staff has met with individual business owners, and presentations were given to the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Capital City African American Chamber of Commerce, and the Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. FBLP presentations were also provided to the City of Austin’s Community Development Commission, the African American Resource Commission, and to eleven neighborhood and community associations that represent East Austin. EDD received Council approval for the first FBLP loan in May 2013, which created 12 new low- to moderate-income jobs in the Plaza Saltillo neighborhood. Since 2013, EDD has funded 24 loans totaling approximately $5.9 million, and leveraged over $30 million in private lender financing and can report 266 newly created or retained full-time equivalent jobs benefiting low-to-moderate-income persons (LTMI). Minority and women owned businesses comprise a majority (71%) of these loans. EDD has expanded the program City-wide to better serve all 10 Council districts and will continue to reach out to underserved communities in the Austin area. Program Specific Requirements AP-90 Program Specific Requirements – 91.220(l)(1,2,4) Introduction: The following information is included in response to the annual Action Plan review checklist provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Additional program-related information can be 121 of 130 found in Appendix II. Monitoring The goal of the City of Austin’s monitoring process is to assess subrecipient/contractor performance in the areas of program, financial and administrative compliance with applicable federal, state and municipal regulations, and current program guidelines. The City of Austin’s monitoring plan consists of active contract monitoring and long-term monitoring for closed projects. For more information about the City of Austin's Monitoring Plan, please see Attachment II C. 20% CDBG Administrative Cap • CDBG Entitlement: $7,321,442 • Allowable 20% CDBG Admin=Cap = $1,464,288 15% CDBG Public Service Cap • CDBG Entitlement: $7,321,442 • Allowable 15% CDBG Public Service Cap = $1,098,216.30 10% HOME Administrative Cap • HOME Entitlement: $3,272,548.68 • Program Income: $200,000 • Total: $3,472,548.68 • Allowable 10% HOME Admin Cap = $327,254.86 15% CHDO Set Aside • HOME Entitlement: $3,272,548.68 • CHDO Set Aside: $490,882 = 15% CHDO Set Aside 3% HOPWA Administrative Cap • HOPWA Entitlement: $2,811,782.00 • Allowable 3% HOPWA Admin Cap: $84353.46 7.5% ESG Administrative Cap • ESG Entitlement: $634,865.00 • Allowable 7.5% ESG Admin Cap: $47614.875 Selection of Project Sponsors Austin Public Health has contracted with two agencies -- AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) and Project Transitions (PT) -- since 1995. These two agencies have been the sole respondents to Notifications of 122 of 130 Funding Availability (NOFA) for HOPWA services. They also were selected to provide these services via a Request for Applications (RFA) process and have been the subrecipients since August of 2002. These agencies carry out activities independently or collaboratively with other housing case management providers in the area and have a history of satisfactory service performance and delivery. In FY 25-26, the City will also allocate HOPWA funding to Integral Care and ASHwell to carry out homelessness prevention and housing supportive services. Austin Public Health plans to administer a RFP for new proposals in FY 26-27. 123 of 130 HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) Reference 24 CFR 91.220(l)(2) 1. A description of other forms of investment being used beyond those identified in Section 92.205 is as follows: The City does not anticipate utilizing any other forms of investment beyond those identified in Section 92.205. Down Payment Assistance Program- is funded using HOME funds. The process for soliciting and funding applications is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Detailed information can be obtained on the Housing Department website, mailed upon request, and made available through the trained/approved lender. The Lender must submit an application for assistance on behalf of the potential homebuyer once the Lender has approved the applicant for a loan. Applicants under the Program must meet the following requirements: -Must be loan approved through a participating Lender -U.S. Citizen -First time homebuyer -Obtain a Homebuyer Education Certificate -Total household income must not exceed 80% of the Median Family Income (MFI) -Debt to income ratio must not exceed 45% -The property may not exceed the maximum HOME value limits -Must purchase and occupy the property as his/her principal residence -Property must be located within the City limits of Austin -Property must meet Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) prior to loan closing 2. A description of the guidelines that will be used for resale or recapture of HOME funds when used 124 of 130 for homebuyer activities as required in 92.254, is as follows: To view the City's Resale and Recapture Policy, please see Attachment II A. 3. A description of the guidelines for resale or recapture that ensures the affordability of units acquired with HOME funds. See 24 CFR 92.254(a)(4) are as follows: Cities receiving HOME Investment Partnership Funds are required to comply with a designated affordability period. The affordability period of any project is contingent upon the amount-per-unit subsidy received and may be five, ten, or fifteen years long. Participating jurisdictions are required to utilize the recapture or resale provisions to ensure continued affordability and the wise stewardship of federal funds. The following Housing Department programs use HOME funds to assist homebuyers, developers, or homeowners; thus, recapture and resale provisions are incorporated in program guidelines: Down Payment Assistance (DPA), Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP), and the Ownership Housing Development Assistance (OHDA). Resale In cases where HOME funding was provided to the developer but not directly to the homebuyer, the resale method is used. The affordability period is enforced through a Restrictive Covenant signed by the homebuyer at closing and is recorded in the County Clerk’s Official Public Records. The Restrictive Covenant details the length of the affordability period and the specific resale requirements that must be satisfied should the owner wish to sell the property prior to the end of the affordability period. Both recapture and resale options have distinct advantages; the decision regarding which option to use is a matter of weighing factors such as trends in the marketplace, the availability of homeownership opportunities for lower-income households in the community, and the homebuyer program's local objectives. Recapture Under a recapture provision, the HOME financial assistance generally must be repaid. This option allows the seller to sell to any willing buyer at any price; participating jurisdictions can decide what proportion of net proceeds from the sale, if any, will go to the homebuyer and what proceeds will go to the participating jurisdiction. Once the HOME funds are repaid, the property is no longer subject to any HOME restrictions. The funds may then be used for any other HOME-eligible activity. 4. Plans for using HOME funds to refinance existing debt secured by multifamily housing that is rehabilitated with HOME funds along with a description of the refinancing guidelines required that 125 of 130 will be used under 24 CFR 92.206(b), are as follows: The City has no plans to utilize HOME funds to refinance existing debt secured by multifamily housing rehabilitated with HOME funds. 126 of 130 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) Reference 91.220(l)(4) 1. Include written standards for providing ESG assistance (may include as attachment) Please see ESG Program Standards attached in Attachment II B. 2. If the Continuum of Care has established a centralized or coordinated assessment system that meets HUD requirements, describe that centralized or coordinated assessment system. The Austin/Travis County Continuum of Care, composed of representatives of agencies and individuals dedicated to ending homelessness as well as individuals with lived experience of homelessness have adopted the Coordinated Entry Written Standards, which guides the local centralized assessment system. ECHO, the collaborative applicant and HMIS lead of the CoC, have been charged by the CoC to facilitate and operate the CE system. The system was first opened in November of 2014, and the CoC Leadership Council, the CoC Board, adopted updated Coordinated Entry Written Standards in April 2019 that meet all CE requirements established by HUD CPD Notice -17-01 and 24 CFR 578. All CoC and ESG programs participate in this system, in compliance with the 2012 CoC Program interim rule (24 CFR 578) and the 2011 Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) interim rule (24 CFR 576). The CE system consolidates and simplifies the process by which clients can request ESG and COC assistance, as well as additional community resources which have voluntarily agreed to the same minimum standards and practices. In order to affirmatively engage clients in the greatest need with the CE system, the CoC has developed an integrated Outreach, Navigation, and Emergency Shelter system that actively engages and assesses individuals in the greatest need, then proactively documents eligibility and keeps households engaged. Street Outreach teams, Navigation Center staff, and Emergency Shelter staff are trained to administer the CE assessment to add clients to the community By Name List for referral to permanent housing programs. The CoC provides assessment staff on a supplemental and temporary basis to close assessment need gaps, while partners develop internal assessment capacity. Certain CoC providers prioritize permanent housing resources based upon the vulnerabilities captured by this common vulnerability and eligibility assessment system. To further ensure the system reaches people least likely to apply unassisted, dedicated walk-in locations are co-located with complementary services such as career services, family medical services, and drop-in day resources. The CoC also publishes a public web portal which includes a 127 of 130 direct contact section where clients or community members can request a phone appointment or a personalized location appointment. Many of the street outreach and community partner organizations are specifically dedicated to hard-to-reach populations such as unsheltered families, chronically homeless veterans, unaccompanied youth, HIV/AIDS, refugees/asylees, and individuals with mental health challenges. 3. Identify the process for making sub-awards and describe how the ESG allocation available to private nonprofit organizations (including community and faith-based organizations). The funding previously used by Front Steps for their Rapid Rehousing program is currently up for RFP and the Shelter and HMIS awards will be up for RFP for the 2023/2024 program period. The process for an RFP includes APH creating a unique solicitation website for each RFP, which is listed in the Open Funding Competitions section of the APH Social Services Competitions website. The RFP will be advertised in the local paper for two consecutive weeks - one day per week. A notarized affidavit of publication from the newspaper(s) is included in the official RFP file. APH maintains a current and potential vendors email list with over 650 entries and APH follows grant requirements for notification to the community. The application is open for six to eight weeks. Pre-bid meetings are held to answer questions from potential applicants and the Q&A documents generated from those meetings are posted on the APH Competitions website. Agencies that submit applications, and who are deemed eligible to apply for funding via a standardized threshold review document, will have their applications scored by an evaluation committee that includes internal APH staff with expertise in the issue area being solicited as well as external issue area experts when needed. The evaluation committee members must provide a signed Non-Disclosure and Conflict of Interest Agreement that includes an attestation that the evaluation member has no conflict of interest with any of the bidders. Evaluators are provided an orientation training and are then provided with proposals to be reviewed. The evaluation committee rates Proposals, provides strengths and weaknesses for each rated section and for the overall Proposal, and recommends one or more applicants for the funding award (may require multiple meetings to complete the evaluation process). Each evaluation team member reviews each Proposal adhering to the rules and guidelines set by the RFP official contact. The team submits their scoring in a manner specified and the official contact for the RFP convenes a consensus meeting with evaluators to share their ratings as well as come to a consensus about the strengths and weaknesses of each Proposal. The solicitation program officer calculates a score for each Proposal based on the ratings of the evaluation team. The applicants receiving the highest scores, or who meet criteria above a specific score threshold will be recommended for funding. See the ESG Subawards table at the end of this section for details on all programs. Please see the 128 of 130 attached ESG Program Standards for the Grant Subaward Process. 4. If the jurisdiction is unable to meet the homeless participation requirement in 24 CFR 576.405(a), the jurisdiction must specify its plan for reaching out to and consulting with homeless or formerly homeless individuals in considering policies and funding decisions regarding facilities and services funded under ESG. The CoC Board maintains 2 seats dedicated to individuals with lived expertise of homelessness. City of Austin Homeless Strategy Officer staff and Austin Public Health Staff work closely with the CoC as required in 24 CFR 576. 5. Describe performance standards for evaluating ESG. All City of Austin homeless contracts have the following performance measures: - Number of unduplicated clients served. - Number of households provided homeless services that transition from homelessness into housing. In addition, all ESG recipients must provide demographic information to reflect the IDIS report screens. - Average number of days from program entry to exit from homelessness into housing. Please also see attached ESG Program Standards in Attachment II B. ESG Sub-awards FY 25-26 Programs Agency Program New Contract, Renewal, or Competitive Process The Salvation Army Low-barrier Homeless Shelter New Contract APH Communicable Disease Unit Downtown Austin Community Court Rapid Rehousing Renewal Rapid Rehousing Renewal APH Administration N/A 129 of 130 Discussion Maximum Sales Price for HOME-Assisted Homeownership Units. For services funded by the HOME Investment Partnerships grant, such as the Down Payment Assistance Program, federal regulation restricts the maximum allowable purchase price of homeownership units to 95% of the area median purchase price for single family housing. This sets an upper limit for the allowable price of housing assisted with HOME funds. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) outlines the process for cities and other jurisdictions to determine this maximum purchase price based on the area’s median area purchase price for single family housing in 24 CFR 92.254(a)(2)(iii). The following paragraphs outline how the home sale price dataset provided to HUD by the City of Austin for the purpose of determine the maximum home sale price for FY 25-26 fulfills the requirements listed in 24 CFR 92.254. Through the FY 21-22 Action Plan process, the City successfully petitioned for the maximum sale price for homeownership units assisted with HOME funds to be increased from $318,000 (maximum sale price determined by HUD for Austin-Round Rock Metropolitan Statistical Area), to $565,250. This updated sale price was based on a dataset listing the location and closing sale price for all single-family homes sold in the City of Austin from May 1st, 2021, to May 31st, 2021, provided by the Austin Board of Realtors. For FY 22-23, a new maximum sale price was calculated using data provided by the Austin Board of Realtors for all single-family homes sold in the City of Austin from March 1st, 2022 to March 31, 2022. The dataset included 1,221 home sales. Based on the sale price data, the median sale price was $647,426, putting 95% of the median sale price at $615,054.70. Thus, the maximum median sale price for HOME-assisted home purchases for FY 22-23 was $615,054.70. Utilizing the same methodology that was employed in FY 22-23 to determine maximum sale price for homeownership units assisted with HOME funds for FY 25-26, the City received data from the Austin Board of Realtors for all single-family homes sole in Austin from March 1, 2025 to March 31, 2025. The dataset included 865 home sales. Based on the sale price data, the median sale price was $589,900 putting 95% of the median sale price at $560,405. Thus, the maximum home sale price for FY 25-26 will be $560,405 as the limit for the allowable price of housing assisted with HOME funds. 130 of 130 Attachment I A: Citizen Participation Plan CITY OF AUSTIN CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN A. PURPOSE Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) that receive U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement grant funds must develop a Citizen Participation Plan (CPP). The CPP describes efforts that will be undertaken to encourage community members to participate in the development of the City’s federal reports: Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH), Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plan, and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). The CPP is designed to encourage the participation of city residents in the development of the federal reports listed above, particularly those residents who are predominantly low- and moderate-income. For purposes of CDBG funding, a resident is considered to be low-income if their family income equals 50% or less of median family income (MFI), as estimated by HUD. A person is considered to be moderate-income if their family income is between 50% and 80% of MFI. Predominately low-to moderate-income neighborhoods are defined as any neighborhood where at least 51% of the residents have incomes equal to or below 80% of the MFI for any given year. The determination of whether a neighborhood meets the low-to moderate income definition is made by the City at the time a project of area-wide benefit is funded based on current data provided by HUD. The CPP also encourages local and regional institutions and other organizations (including businesses, developers, and community and faith-based organizations) to participate in the process of developing and implementing the Consolidated Plan and related reports. The City takes appropriate actions to encourage the participation of persons of minority backgrounds, persons with limited-English proficiency, and persons with disabilities. It is important to note that HUD’s use of the statutory term “citizen participation” does not in any way limit engagement and consultation with community members based on legal status or country of origin. Any person that resides in the Austin metro area is encouraged to provide input about the federal reporting process as outlined in this CPP. The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. The City of Austin does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities. The City of Austin considers it the right of all Austin’s residents to have the opportunity to provide input and comment on the use of public funds and the community’s needs related to affordable housing and community and economic development. 1 Revised May 2024 The CPP applies to six areas of planning for the use of affordable housing, community and economic development made possible through HUD funding: 1) Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH); 2) The Consolidated Plan; 3) The Annual Action Plan; 4) The Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER); 5) Substantial amendments to a Consolidated Plan and/or Annual Action Plan; and 6) Amendments to the CPP. The City of Austin’s program/fiscal year begins October 1 and ends September 30. In order to receive entitlement grant funding, HUD requires jurisdictions to submit a Consolidated Plan every five years. This plan is a comprehensive strategic plan for community planning and development activities. The Annual Action Plan serves as the City’s application for these HUD grant programs. Federal law also requires that community members have opportunities to review and comment on the local jurisdiction’s plans to allocate these funds. The purpose of programs that are covered by this CPP is to improve the Austin community by providing: decent housing, a suitable living environment, and growing economic opportunities – all principally for low- and moderate- income households (as defined in Section A). This document outlines how members of the Austin community may participate in the six planning areas listed above. General requirements for all or most activities are described in detail in Section E of the CPP. B. HUD PROGRAMS The City of Austin receives four entitlement grants from HUD, to help address the City’s affordable housing, community and economic development needs. The four grant programs are described below: 1. Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG): Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (PL 93-383) created the CDBG program. It was reauthorized in 1990 as part of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act. The primary objective of the CDBG program is to develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic development opportunities for persons of low-and moderate income. The City develops locally defined programs and funding priorities for CDBG, but activities must address one or more of the national objectives of the CDBG program. The three national objectives are: (1) to benefit low- and moderate- income persons; (2) to aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight; and/or (3) to meet other urgent community development needs. The City of Austin’s CDBG program emphasizes activities that directly benefit low- and moderate-income persons. 2 Revised May 2024 2. 3. 4. HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME): HOME was introduced in the Cranston- Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990 and provides funding for housing rehabilitation, new housing construction, acquisition of affordable housing, and tenant-based rental assistance. A portion of the funds (15 percent) must be set aside for community housing development organizations (CHDOs) that are certified by the City of Austin. Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG): The ESG Program is authorized by the Steward B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 and was amended by the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009. ESG has six objectives: 1) Engage homeless individuals and families living on the street; 2) Improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families; 3) Help operate these shelters; 4) Provide essential services to shelter residents; 5) Rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families; and 6) Prevent families and individuals from becoming homeless. Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA): HOPWA funds may be used to assist housing designed to meet the needs of persons with HIV/AIDS, including the prevention of homelessness. Supportive services may also be included. HOPWA grants are allocated to Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Areas (EMSAs) with a high incidence of HIV/AIDS. The City of Austin receives a HOPWA grant on behalf of a five-county EMSA (Bastrop, Hays, Travis, Williamson, and Caldwell Counties). LEAD and RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES C. The Housing Department is designated by the Austin City Council as the single point of contact for HUD, and is the lead agency for CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, and ESG grant programs. The Housing Department administers the CDBG affordable housing and community development programs and the HOME programs; Austin Public Health (APH) administers the CDBG Public Services, HOPWA, and ESG programs; and the Economic Development Department (EDD) administers the CDBG economic development programs and the Section 108 Family Business Loan Program (FBLP). As the lead agency, the Housing Department is responsible for developing the Consolidated, Annual Action Plans, and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). The Housing Department coordinates with APH, EDD, boards and commissions, and other community agencies to develop these documents. Needs and priorities for funding for the ESG and HOPWA grants are developed by APH in consultation with community agencies. 3 Revised May 2024 D. PLANNING ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN ACTIVITY 1 – ASSESSMENT OF FAIR HOUSING. The Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH) is a planning document prepared in accordance with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 91.105 and 24 CFR 5.150 through 5.166, which became effective June 30, 2015. This AFH includes an analysis of fair housing data, assesses fair housing issues and contributing factors, and identifies the City’s fair housing priorities and goals for affirmatively furthering fair housing. 1. Stakeholder Consultation and Outreach. In the development of the AFH, the City will consult with other public and private agencies including, but not limited to, the following: ● Local public housing authorities ● Other assisted housing providers ● Social service providers including those focusing on services to minorities, families with children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, homeless persons, and other protected classes ● Community-based and regionally based organizations that represent protected class members and organizations that enforce fair housing laws ● Regional government agencies involved in metropolitan-wide planning and transportation responsibilities ● Financial and lending sector partners ● Businesses or organizations that specialize in broadband access, especially for low- to moderate-income households ● Organizations that specialize in resilience and disaster recovery ● Individual contributors A variety of mechanisms may be utilized to solicit input from these entities. These could include telephone or personal interviews, mail surveys, internet-based feedback and surveys, focus groups, and/or consultation workshops. 2. Publishing Data. City staff shall make any proposed analysis and the relevant documents, including the HUD-provided data and any other data to be included in the AFH, available to the public in a manner that affords diverse residents and others the opportunity to examine the content. 3. Public Hearing. To obtain the views of the general public on AFH-related data and affirmatively furthering fair housing in the City’s housing and community development programs, the City will conduct at least one public hearing before the Community Development Commission (CDC) during the development of the AFH. 4. Public Display and Comment Period. The draft AFH will be placed on display in physical and online form for a period of no less than 30 calendar days to encourage public review and comment. The public notice shall include a brief summary of the content and purpose of the draft AFH, the dates of the public display and comment period, the locations where copies of the proposed document can be examined, how comments will be accepted, and the anticipated submission date to HUD. The draft AFH will be made available at public libraries, public housing 4 Revised May 2024 authorities, neighborhood at the Housing Department's office, and on the Housing Department's website (www.austintexas.gov/housing). In addition, upon request, federal reports will be provided in a form accessible to persons with disabilities. centers, 5. Comments Received on the Draft Assessment of Fair Housing. Comments will be accepted by the City contact person, or a designee, during the 30-day public comment period. The City will consider any comments or views received in writing, or orally during public hearings. A summary of these comments or views, and a summary of any comments or views not accepted and the reasons why, will be attached to the final AFH for submission to HUD. 6. Submission to HUD. All written or oral testimony will be considered in preparation of the final AFH. The AFH will be submitted to HUD 270 days before the Consolidated Plan is due. 7. Revisions to AFH. A HUD-accepted AFH must be revised and submitted to HUD for review when either of the following situations occurs: a. A material change occurs. A material change is one that both; i) impacts the circumstances in the City which may include natural disasters, significant demographic changes, new significant contributing factors, and civil rights findings and, ii) causes alterations to the AFH’s analyses, contributing factors, priorities, and/or goals. b. The City receives a written notification from HUD specifying a material change. Whenever a revision to the Assessment of Fair Housing is proposed, the revision will be available for public comment for a period of thirty (30) days before submission to HUD. A revision to the Assessment of Fair Housing will not be implemented until the conclusion of the 30-day public comment period. A summary of all comments or views received in writing, or orally during the comment period will be attached to the revision upon submission to HUD. ACTIVITY 2 – CONSOLIDATED PLAN. The City of Austin’s Consolidated Plan is developed through a collaborative process whereby the community establishes a unified vision for Austin’s affordable housing, and community and economic development initiatives. Community member participation is an essential component in the development of the Consolidated Plan, including amending the plan as well as reporting on program performance. Consultations, public hearings, community meetings, surveys and opportunities to provide written comment are all a part of the strategy to obtain community member input. The City will make special efforts to solicit the views of community members who reside in the designated CDBG-priority neighborhoods of Austin, and to encourage the participation of all community members including minorities, the non-English speaking population, and persons with disabilities. Actions for public participation in the Consolidated Plan follow: 1. Consultations with Other Community Institutions. In developing the Consolidated Plan, the City will consult with public and private agencies, both for-profit and non-profits that either provide or have direct impact on the broad range of housing, health, and social services needed by Austin residents. Consultations may take place through meetings, task forces or committees, or other means with which to coordinate information and facilitate communication. The purpose of these meetings is to gather information and data on the community and economic development needs of the community. The City will seek specific input to identify the needs of persons experiencing 5 Revised May 2024 homelessness, persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families, persons with disabilities and other special populations. 2. Utilize Quantitative and Qualitative Data on Community Needs. City staff shall review relevant data and conduct necessary evaluation and analysis to provide an accurate assessment of community needs and priorities on which to base strategic recommendations. 3. Initial Public Hearings. There will be a minimum of two public hearings at the beginning stages of the development of the Consolidated Plan before the Community Development Commission (D) in order to gather information on community needs from community members. The CDC are policy advisers to the City who are either appointed by the City Council or elected at the neighborhood-level to represent low-income households. There will be two more hearings sponsored by organizations working with low- and moderate-income populations. An additional hearing will be held before the City Council. Based on public testimony received, the CDC will make recommendations to City Council on the community needs. 4. Written Comments. Based on public input and quantitative analysis, City staff will prepare a draft Consolidated Plan, which includes proposed allocations of first-year funding. A period of 30 calendar days will be provided to receive written comments on the draft Consolidated Plan. The draft plan will be made available at public libraries, public housing authorities, neighborhood centers, at the Housing Department’s office, and on the Housing Department web site (www.austintexas.gov/housing). In addition, upon request, federal reports will be provided in a form accessible to persons with disabilities. 5. Draft Consolidated Plan Public Hearings. There will be a public hearing held before the City Council to receive oral public comments on the draft. An additional hearing will be held before the Community Development Commission (CDC). These hearings will be scheduled during the 30- day written comment period on the draft plan. The CDC will be given the opportunity to make recommendations to Council on the draft Consolidated Plan/Action Plan. 6. Final Action on the Consolidated Plan. All written or oral testimony provided will be considered in preparing the final Consolidated Plan. A summary of testimony received, and the City’s reasons for accepting or not accepting the comments must be included in the final document. The City Council will consider these comments, CDC recommendations, and the recommendations of the City Manager before taking final action on the Consolidated Plan. Final action by the City Council will occur no sooner than fifteen calendar days following the second City Council public hearing on the draft plan. When approved by City Council, the Consolidated Plan will be submitted to HUD by no later than August 15 each year. 6 Revised May 2024 ACTIVITY 3 – ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN. Each year the City must submit an annual Action Plan to HUD, reporting on how that year’s funding allocation for the four HUD entitlement grants will be used to achieve the goals outlined in the Consolidated Plan. 1. City staff will gather input from community members and from community consultations to prepare the draft Action Plan and report progress on the Fair Housing Action Plan. There shall be two public hearings: one before the Community Development Commission (CDC) and one before the City Council to receive community member input on the community needs, including funding allocations. 2. City staff will gather public input and statistical data to prepare the draft Action Plan. A draft Action Plan will be available for 30 days for public comment after reasonable notice to the public is given. 3. During this comment period, the CDC and the City Council shall conduct two additional public hearings to receive public comments on the draft Action Plan and Consolidated Plan, if it is during a Consolidated Planning year. 4. The CDC will be given the opportunity to make recommendations to the City Council prior to its final action. 5. Final action by the City Council will occur no sooner than fifteen calendar days following the second Council public hearing on the draft Action Plan. 6. When approved by City Council, the Action Plan will be submitted to HUD. ACTIVITY 4 – SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENTS TO CONSOLIDATED/ACTION PLAN. Recognizing that changes during the year may be necessary to the Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan after approval, the Citizen Participation Plan allows for “substantial amendments” to plans. These “substantial amendments” apply only to changes in CDBG funding allocations. Changes in funding allocation for other HUD grant programs received by the City of Austin – HOME, ESG, and HOPWA – are not required to secure public review and comment. The CPP defines a substantial amendment as: ● ● ● A proposed use of CDBG funds that does not address a need identified in the governing Consolidated Plan or annual Action Plan; or A change in the use of CDBG funds from one eligible program to another. The eligible programs defined in the City of Austin’s investment plan either fall into the category of “Housing” or “Community Development.” A cumulative change in the use of CDBG funds from an eligible activity to another eligible activity that decreases an activity’s funding by 20% or more OR increases an activity’s funding by 20% or more during fiscal year. An activity is defined as a high priority need identified in the Consolidated Plan that is eligible for funding in the Action Plan. 7 Revised May 2024 In the event that there are substantial amendments to the governing Consolidated Plan or annual Action Plan: 1. The City will draft the amendment and publish a brief summary of the proposed substantial amendment(s) and identify where the amendment(s) may be viewed 2. After reasonable notice, there will be a 30-day written public comment period 3. During the 30-day comment period, the City Council shall receive oral comments in public hearings. 4. The CDC will be given the opportunity to make recommendations to City Council prior to its final action. 5. Upon approval by Council, the substantial amendment will be posted in the official City Council minutes and available online and in the City Clerk’s office. Final action by the City Council will occur no sooner than fifteen calendar days following the second Council public hearing on the draft plan. Disaster Response and Recovery Funds In the event of a declared city-wide, state-wide or national emergency (as proclaimed by the Mayor, Governor, or President of the United States), it may be necessary for the City to apply for new emergency grant funding from HUD, such as CDBG-Disaster Recovery grants, or any other grants issued to jurisdictions in the event of a disaster which requires an urgent response to address the needs of the community. In order to expedite the distribution of emergency funding during a disaster response situation the City Council, City Manager, or HUD may determine it is necessary to waive certain substantial amendment provisions described in Section D, Activity 4 or certain General Requirements Provisions described in Section E. Any such waiver is subject to the requirements of the respective emergency funding appropriation. The criteria HUD used to qualify local “urgent needs” (e.g., events of “particular urgency'' because existing conditions pose a serious and immediate threat to the health or welfare of the community for which other funding is not available) can be found at 24 CFR 570.483(d). To comply with the national objective of meeting community development needs having a particular urgency, a project must alleviate existing conditions which: 1. Pose a serious and immediate threat to the health and welfare of the community; 2. Are of recent origin or recently became critical within 18 months preceding the certification by the grantee; 3. Are unable to be financed by the City on its own; and 4. Other funding resources are not available to completely carry out the activity. In the event of a disaster that requires a response to address local urgent needs, the City will: 1. Notify HUD at least five (5) days before implementing changes or amendments to the Consolidated Plan and/or Action Plan; and 2. Make reasonable efforts to provide the public opportunity to comment on changes and amendments to the Consolidated Plan and/or Action Plan. 8 Revised May 2024 These actions do not require the City to comply with all of the substantial amendment provisions related to the citizen participation requirements described in Section D, Activity 4 or all of the General Requirements Provisions described in Section E. HUD Waiver Process Upon determination of good cause, HUD has the authority to waive certain regulatory provisions of the CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA programs subject to statutory limits. The City reserves the right to submit waiver notifications to HUD when expedited assistance is offered through programs covered by the Consolidated Plan. Following completion of a waiver process as determined by HUD, the City may carry through actions as prescribed by the approved waiver determinations authorized by HUD. ACTIVITY 5 – CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFORMANCE AND EVALUATION REPORT (CAPER). The City is required to submit annually by December 30 a CAPER to HUD that describes the City’s progress in meeting the goals in the Consolidated Plan. 1. City staff prepares the draft CAPER. 2. After reasonable notice is provided, the CAPER is available for 15 days for written public comment. 3. The final CAPER and public comments will be submitted to HUD. 4. The CAPER and public comments will be presented at a CDC meeting. ACTIVITY 6 – AMENDMENTS TO CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN. The City will review the Citizen Participation Plan (CPP) at least every 5 years for potential enhancement or modification; this review will occur as a component of the Consolidated Planning process. In the event that changes to the CPP are necessary, City staff shall draft them. 1. After reasonable notice, these will be available to the public for 15 days for written comment. 2. The CDC and City Council shall each hold a public hearing to receive oral public comments on the proposed change. 3. The CDC will be given the opportunity to make recommendations to City Council prior to its final action. 4. Upon approval by City Council, the substantial amendment will be posted in the official City Council minutes and available online on (www.austintexas.gov/housing) and in the City Clerk’s office. the Housing Department website E. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. The City of Austin does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs and activities. In the event of a disaster which requires an urgent response to address the needs of the community as described in the Disaster Recovery and Response section, the City will make reasonable efforts to provide the public opportunity to comment on federal reports. 9 Revised May 2024 1. Public Hearings. Public hearings before the Austin City Council, the Community Development Commission (CDC), and other appropriate community organizations will be advertised in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the notification section below. The purpose of public hearings is to provide an opportunity for community members, public agencies, and other interested parties to provide input on the City of Austin’s affordable housing, community and economic development needs. Public hearings will be held in locations accessible to low- and moderate- income residents and persons with disabilities. Spanish translation and interpretation for individuals with hearing impairments will be provided upon request. 2. Public Meetings. Public meetings of the Austin City Council, Community Development Commission (CDC), and other boards and commissions overseeing HUD-funded programs provide opportunities for community member participation and comment on a continuous basis. Public meeting notices are posted at the Office of the City Clerk at least three days (72 hours), prior to the meeting date, in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act. Public meetings are held in locations accessible to persons with disabilities. Spanish translation and interpretation for individuals with hearing impairments will be provided upon request. Notification. The Housing Department will provide the community advance notice of public hearings and/or public comment periods. The notice will be provided at least two weeks prior to the public hearing date and the start date of comment periods. Related to the CPP specified federal documents, the Housing Department will provide public notifications by utilizing City of Austin publications and media (television, print, electronic) that will maximize use of City resources and reach an increased number of Austin residents by direct mail. Related to federal publications referenced above, the Housing Department will notify the public about public hearings, comment periods, public meetings, and additional opportunities for public feedback through communications outlets that are designed to increase public participation and generate quantifiable feedback/results. The Housing Department will utilize the following notification mechanisms as available: City of Austin utility bill inserts; City of Austin website; and Channel 6, the municipally owned cable channel. In addition, the Housing Department will use other available media (print, electronic, television) to promote public feedback opportunities. Notifications will be published in English and Spanish. The Housing Department will coordinate with the Community Development Commission, Urban Renewal Board, other governmental agencies, public housing authorities, key stakeholders, and the general public during the development of the Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan and an annual Action Plan. 3. Document Access. Copies of all planning documents, including the following federal reports: City’s Citizen Participation Plan (CPP), Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan, annual Action Plan, and the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), will be available to the public upon request. Community members will have the opportunity to review and comment on applicable federal reports in draft form prior to final adoption by the Austin City Council. These documents will be made available at public libraries, public housing 10 Revised May 2024 authorities, certain neighborhood centers, at the Housing Department office, and on the Housing Department website (www.austintexas.gov/housing). In addition, upon request, federal reports will be provided in a form accessible to persons with disabilities. 4. Access to Records. The City will provide community members, public agencies, and other interested parties reasonable and timely access to information and records relating to the Citizen Participation Plan (CPP), Assessment of Fair Housing, Consolidated Plan, annual Action Plan, and CAPER, and the City’s use of assistance under the four entitlement grant programs, as stated in the Texas Public Information Act and the Freedom of Information Act. 5. Technical Assistance. The City will provide technical assistance upon request and to the extent resources are available to groups or individuals that need assistance in preparing funding proposals, provided that the level of technical assistance does not constitute a violation of federal or local rules or regulations. The provision of technical assistance does not involve re- assignment of City staff to the proposed project or group, or the use of City equipment, nor does technical assistance guarantee an award of funds. F. COMMUNITY MEMBERS’ COMPLAINTS Written complaints related to Housing Department programs and activities funded through entitlement grant funding may be directed to the Housing Department. A timely, written, and substantive response to the complainant will be prepared within 15 working days of receipt of the complaint by the Housing Department. If a response cannot be prepared within the 15-day period, the complainant will be notified of the approximate date a response will be provided. Written complaints must include the complainant’s name, address, and zip code. A daytime telephone number should also be included in the event further information or clarification is needed. Complaints should be addressed as follows: Housing Department Attn: Director City of Austin P.O. Box 1088 Austin, Texas 78767 If the response is not sufficient, an appeal may be directed to the City Manager, and a written response will be provided within 30 days. An appeal should be addressed as follows: City Manager’s Office Attn: City Manager P.O. Box 1088 Austin, Texas 78767 11 Revised May 2024 G. CITY OF AUSTIN’S RESIDENTIAL ANTI-DISPLACEMENT AND RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PLAN The City of Austin does not anticipate any displacement to occur as a result of any HUD-funded activities. All programs will be carried out in such a manner as to safeguard that no displacement occurs. However, in the event that a project involving displacement is mandated in order to address a concern for the general public’s health and welfare, the City of Austin will take the following steps: 1. A public hearing will be held to allow interested community members an opportunity to comment on the proposed project and voice any concerns regarding possible relocation. Notice of the public hearing/meeting will be made as per the procedure noted in Section E - General Requirements section of the Citizen Participation Plan. 2. In the event that a project involving displacement is pursued, the City of Austin will contact each person/household/business in the project area and/or hold public meetings, depending on the project size; inform persons of the project and their rights under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended, and respond to any questions or concerns. 3. Relocation assistance will be provided in adherence with the City’s Project Relocation Plan and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended. The City’s Anti-Displacement and Relocation Assistance Plan may be viewed in the Housing Department’s Action Plan submitted annually to HUD. The document is available online at www.austintexas.gov/housing. The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please call 512-974-3100; TTY users’ route through Relay Texas at 711. 12 Revised May 2024 Attachment I B: Public Engagement Summary Action Plan Public Engagement Summary 2025-2026 Public Engagement Overview ........................................................................1 Community Needs Assessment Marketing & Outreach Materials Public Notices - Print & Digital ............................................................................2-3 Community Outreach - Austin Housing Newsletter ..........................................4 Website & Survey - SpeakUpAustin.org .............................................................5-7 Community Participation Survey Results & Public Comments .................................................................8-12 Consultations .......................................................................................................13-30 Public Comment Period Marketing & Outreach Materials Public Notice - Utilities Insert & Website Promo ......................................31-32 Community Outreach - Austin Housing Newsletter & Flyer ....................33-34 Website - AustinTexas.gov & SpeakUpAustin.org .....................................35-37 Community Participation - Public Comments ...................................................38-41 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT OVERVIEW As part of the City of Austin’s process to apply for funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a five-year Consolidated Plan guides the investment of federal housing and community development funds. Each year, the City develops an Annual Action Plan that outlines specific goals, funding priorities, and strategies aligned with the broader Consolidated Plan. These plans are critical components in the City's ability to receive and deploy HUD funds through programs such as CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, and ESG. To inform the Fiscal Year 2025–2026 Action Plan, the Housing Department facilitated a community engagement process designed to ensure that funding decisions reflect the lived experiences, needs, and priorities of Austin residents, particularly those in vulnerable and underserved communities. The process is outlined below and detailed throughout this document. Community Assessment Period Public notices about how to participate Consultations with 18 community groups Dedicated web page with a community needs survey 2 Public Hearings Public Comment Period Public notices about how to participate Dedicated web page with the published draft Action Plan and a survey for comments 2 Public Hearings The insights collected through this process directly informed the development of the FY 2025–2026 Action Plan and will continue to shape the City’s approach to equitable housing and community investment strategies. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 1  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS English Public Notice Austin American Statesman Print & Digital 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 2  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS SPANISH PUBLIC NOTICE: EL MUNDO Print & Digital 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 3  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS COMMUNITY OUTREACH www.SpeakUpAustin.org/HousingHub A new Housing Newsletter and “Housing Engagement Hub” provide platforms for outreach and engagement during the yearly community needs assessment and public comment period. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 4  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Evergreen Needs Assessment Survey www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds In response to feedback during the 2024 Community Needs Assessment for our 5-year Consolidated Plan, an evergreen survey was created so that needs can be assessed year-round. This survey was launched in alignment with the beginning of the 2025 Community Needs Assessment. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 5  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Evergreen Needs Assessment Survey www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 6  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Evergreen Needs Assessment Survey www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 7  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Survey Results www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 8  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Survey Results www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 9  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Survey Results www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 10  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Comments www.SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 11  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Public Hearings May 8, 2025: Austin City Council Meeting PUBLIC COMMENT: I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S APPROXIMATELY $70 MILLION THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING OVERALL FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, IN BACKUP IT DOES HAVE THE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION PLAN. BUT I JUST WANT TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT MANDY DE MAYO CIRCUMVENTED THAT REQUIREMENT. WHEN THIS PLAN WENT BEFORE THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION,. SHE ACTUALLY RAN OUT THE TIME AND THERE WERE NO RECOMMENDATIONS GIVEN TO HER. SHE UNILATERALLY ACTUALLY USED THE 15% OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES FOR CHILDCARE. BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE, AND I DO RESPECT THAT YOU ARE HAPPY ABOUT SLAUGHTER LANE. THIS IS REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 7, MIKE SIEGEL'S AREA. UP AT THE TOP, YOU'LL SEE THAT THAT 15% COULD EASILY HAVE BEEN USED FOR CONNECTIVITY AND SAFETY. THERE IS NO PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON IN NORTH LAMAR, NORTH OF US, 183 BY THE METROPOLITAN PARK, WALNUT CREEK METROPOLITAN PARK. BUT DOWN BELOW, YOU CAN SEE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN ON 46TH STREET, THERE ARE TWO PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACONS. IT IS SAFE. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE THIS IS THE AREA WHERE DONALD NORTON WAS KILLED. THERE'S STILL NO SIDEWALK AND YOU'VE RECEIVED OVER $47.5 MILLION FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL. SO IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE STUDENTS GETTING TO SCHOOL SAFELY, NOW YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL IS ON THE LEFT SIDE. YOU CAN'T SEE IT IN THE PICTURE, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT WAS ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 30TH, 2016 WHEN MR. NORTON WAS KILLED. AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE WITH THE FUNDING THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED FROM HUD. IT IS DISINGENUOUS AND I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS ALWAYS, THAT YOUR INEQUITIES VIOLATE TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN. AND I WOULD ASK MANDY DE MAYO TO RESIGN. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 12  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations City staff met with community leaders from 18 groups and organizations during the 2025 Needs Assessment process. The goal of these conversations was to facilitate continued dialogue about community needs and provide updates from the Housing Department on how federal funding has been invested over the past year. This included meetings with the following groups and organizations:  Boards and Commissions  African American Resource Advisory Commission  Commission on Aging  Community Development Commission  Community Technology Commission  Early Childhood Council  HIV Planning Council  Mayor’s Committee on People with Disabilities  Service Providers and Advocacy Groups  BASTA  Catholic Charities of Central Texas  Central Health  Homelessness Response System Council  Housing Authority of the City of Austin  Integral Care  Lifeworks  SAFE Alliance Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center  Reentry Roundtable  TRLA  2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 13  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Funding Graphics Meetings with community groups and organizations began with a presentation from City staff. The presentations included funding information, as shown in the following graphics, from the previous fiscal year. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 14  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Funding Graphics 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 15  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations African American Resource Advisory Commission  Members of the African American Resources Advisory Commission were interested in hearing about the challenges that led to not meeting goals in the previous year. Staff shared about the capacity of subcontractors as well as problems with internal processes, and explained efforts being taken to expand the pool of contractors and address internal challenges. The discussion also addressed further questions about how subcontractors are recruited and whether or not the challenge was finding them or the organizations meeting qualifications. The commission was curious about the impacts of the current federal administration and how the Housing Department is preparing for anticipated cuts in federal funding. They wanted to know how much could realistically be made up for in local funding if federal dollars become jeopardized. In particular, they were interested in knowing which funding sources go toward displacement prevention, which staff said is primarily local funding. Commissioners were glad to see race and ethnic demographics but wanted to see more in-depth data and information. “I don’t feel like I know enough about who those 672 black people are,” one of the commissioners shared. In order to make recommendations on how to use the funds equitably, more data is needed. Other data they would like to see included geography (hot spots on a map), literacy, income and education. The commission wanted to hear about what engagement looks like, with suggestions to visit neighborhood Assocation meetings and to seek out mutual aid type of initiatives. They asked to see the list of organizations that is used for outreach. They also asked what support is provided for people who need help accessing programs. A commissioner recommended spending time at Houston Tillitson University. Many students there who are long term Austin residents are hoping to become homeowners and can even stay in the homes they grew up in with the right resources. Interest was shown in the Housing Department’s equitable development training.  2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 16  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Commission on Aging Commissioners were interested in hearing more about what was services are included in the category of senior services. More housing was a significant need shared, especially in District 2. “Our seniors need a place to stay when they can’t pay the rent,” a commissioner shared. They went on to explain that while some seniors are living with family members, many don’t have families they can stay with. They also expressed the need for a social component, describing a perfect setting as a village for seniors with stores, activities and places of worship nearby. One commissioner shared that HUD’s fair housing regulations had protected an assisted living facility when the homeowner’s association tried to displace them. The commission was also curious if these federal funds are at risk. The discussion addressed the growing population of seniors. “Starting next year, baby boomers will turn 80 and I don’t think we’re ready for that. We have not seen anything like this here or anywhere in the world.” A series of questions helped illuminate the needs for community-centered solutions. How do we keep families stay together so that we have multi generations? Instead of moving them away from their neighborhoods, how do we keep them in place? Home health agencies are one way, but how do those who need them find them? Language and technological barriers make it difficult, and we need all forms of communication – not just online. A commissioner wanted to know if there is a place in the needs assessment to address zoning for mother-in-law suites. They wanted to know what accessibility guidelines we follow and were specifically curious if we use TDLR (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation) guidelines. In cases where a home has been handed down and perhaps folks don’t have all the official paperwork as proof of ownership, they expressed the need to understand the legality of keep those homes in the family. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 17  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Community Development Commission City staff heard from commissioners and members of the public during the Community Development Commission meetings. One community member expressed worries that the majority of new housing being built is for middle to high income households. As a resident of district 10, they shared concern about one of the last remaining affordable options in district 10, which is at risk of being displaced because of rezoning. Commissioners had questions about the impact of funding. The specifically wanted to see what follow-up data exists from neighborhood centers after they provide assistance. Do we know if people stabilize, stay stable? (i.e. do they still have a job or did rental assistance keep them in their homes?) They also shared interest in further data on demographics and income levels from all programs. In order to know who we’re truly serving, they expressed hope that in the future we can break things down by: Profession – How are essential workers impacted or are they part of a gap that's not being served? Geography - Areas where people live Regarding outreach and engagement, commissioners wanted to know how to share these resources and asked for information in a format that was easy to share (e.g. how to share the SpeakUp Austin page). Findhelp.org was mentioned as a resource (neighborhood centers are listed). They advocated for compensation for feedback and asked how people with lived experience are involved in decision making, noting that this is often seen as a last step in the process. Commissioners expressed the importance of Visibility and optics of communication. They want to see staff in the community more, person to person opportunities, evens to bring people together and information shared at all community centers. One commissioner reflected on the role that commissioners need to play. He talked about how the amount of surveys last year was disappointing, but realized the need to take responsibility for helping. He pointed out major gaps that has been presented, including Rapid rehousing, Services for people living with HIV and aids, Hispanics and Latinos are underserved, Family loan program. He called his fellow commissioners to help with this – to connect with these people. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 18  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Community Technology and Telecommunications Commission Commissioners wanted to hear information about the Homeless Management Information System and requested a future presentation specifically on that. They felt that was something their commission could provide good feedback on. They reiterated their feedback from last year, looking at internet access as a utility and as a need for this population and would love to see that called out. They asked if internet access or affordability is included in support that the target population receive with this federal funding, or is that something that is in need? They were curious about how the target population applies to get support. They also asked about the timing for applying for federal dollars and if there was any communication from HUD at this point about potential changes. Early Childhood Council The Earld Childhood Council members were curious to hear more about who manages the childcare dollars and Austin Public Health (APH) staff members were on hand to answer their questions. They wanted to know why some goals have not been met. APH staff explained that some children are staying in care longer, and the council members asked for a demographic breakdown of age groups being served. APH staff also talked about the need to pay caregivers higher rates and the impact that has on meeting over all goals without more funding. Council members were curious how the City is managing the uncertainty with federal dollars. They wanted to know how often we hear directly from people who need services during the community needs assessment. They also asked at what level they as council members can advocate for changes to polices that impact early childhood services, and were specifically interested in advocating for repair dollars for homes that provide childcare. Especially with an aging population serving as family-based childcare, they want to see families prioritized for displacement prevention. On a final note about data collection, they were curious to see how many families with dependent children are served by all programs. HIV Planning Council A small subcommittee of the HIV Planning Council met with City staff. They were grateful for the update and especially appreciative of the new evergreen survey that will, in their words, “reduce the sense of urgency around feedback.” They offered that they’d like to hear what the larger council has to say with the many perspectives there that may not have been heard yet, and said they’d share this information with them at their next meeting. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 19  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities Discussion with committee members began with a questions about the relationship between HUD, the Housing Department and the Housing Authority. How does HUD relate to the Housing Authority. Committee members shared concern about federal grants being reviewed and potentially cut. They stressed the importance of equity, being aware of the demographic makeup of our city and where we’re seeing inequity in practice. With cuts to DEI initiatives and an emphasis on a merit-based system, their fear for the disability community, who fall within DEI, is that things will be even harder. They advocated for a communication strategy for what will happen and how communities can find support. They asked if there were ways they could help at the local level. In reviewing the date from the previous year, they were curious if the funding is being used by the same families from year to year or if the numbers reflect new households each year. Their biggest concern was about the need to prioritize households that have individuals with disabilities that might be more vulnerable, and to avoid breaks in services for those households if at all possible. They asked if recipients come directly to the City for assistance or through organizations? Important to have accessible processes for people with disabilities, ie. Applications that a blind person could use. They were curious about what more robust demographic information would include in the future, and if information about people with disabilities would be collected. They reiterated that it would help to know how many people in their community are being served, while recognizing that it is a delicate thing to collect information about. The expressed how little information about the community that we’re trying to serve exists and the challenges they face to define what the disability community looks like. They offered guidance on how to go about getting this information, noting that it would need to be voluntary, and City staff could work with their committee members to develop the right questions. They offered feedback that the presentations slides lacked accessibility for visually impaired individuals. They were interested to know if the bond advisory committee is looking at housing funds. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 20  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations BASTA & TLRA In this recent conversation, leaders from BASTA and TRLA reflected on both the persistent challenges and some encouraging developments across the housing and legal support landscape. A strong theme throughout the discussion was frustration that, despite previous engagement, little has changed. One participant stated plainly, “Nothing has changed from what you showed us we said last year,” echoing a broader concern that while feedback is collected, it does not always lead to meaningful shifts in policy or implementation. Persistent Imbalances and Frustration with Housing Priorities: Participants expressed concern that entities like the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) continue to focus heavily on developers and new development, rather than the urgent needs of current residents. BASTA noted their involvement in Housing Displacement Assessment (HDA) conversations, only to be told their feedback was “out of scope,” further reinforcing a pattern of being excluded from decisions that directly impact the communities they serve. Additionally, frustration was voiced about fines and fees—which contribute significantly to housing instability—remain unaddressed. While participants were careful not to place blame on individual staff members (“I know that it’s not the human beings”), they questioned where, in the process, accountability and responsiveness are breaking down. Continued concern was shared that homeowners have been disproportionately prioritized in recent funding and policy decisions. Despite public statements about tenant protections, participants said they have not seen a significant push to rebalance this disparity. Legal Aid and Rental Assistance: Progress and Gaps: While some progress has been noted— such as improvements in the rental assistance process, especially since moving away from the centralized portal—important gaps remain. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) has seen limitations in its ability to serve all communities, particularly immigrants and residents with histories of drug use. Increased attorney capacity is needed, not only at TRLA but across the network of legal service providers. However, it is hard to bulid that capacity without a consistent flow of clients. Despite promising shifts like local dollars now being used to support tenant rights, TRLA still struggles with service freezes tied to inefficient funding processes. For example, a recent 60-day period with no available rental assistance funding caused cases to fall apart. Since county dollars are typically on a reimbursement basis, participants emphasized the pressure this places on the City to be a more consistent and timely funding partner. More efficient processes are needed for legal staff and clearer timelines to be able to negotiate meaningful settlements for tenants at risk of eviction. There was also a call to rethink the annual “fiscal year gap,” where funding stops or slows down at the end of each fiscal year, despite recurring promises that the process will improve. One participant noted that “we always say we’ll do better next year,” but year after year, the same barriers persist. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 21  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations BASTA & TLRA (continued) Market Affordability and Structural Inequities : A separate but related conversation centered around the persistent fiction that falling rental prices in the market are benefiting the most vulnerable. Participants noted that while headlines point to a softening rental market, current residents are not seeing rent decreases. “Affordable” units are still priced just slightly below market—and remain unaffordable for many families. As one speaker put it, “there’s only so far landlords are moving rents down,” and the narrative that the market will naturally lower prices with demand is not playing out for those on the margins. The example of Arbors at Creekside—a senior community—was cited, where residents are still paying 50–70% of their income on rent. Participants asked what creative solutions could be designed to support seniors and other low- income tenants, such as using bonds to create housing vouchers. However, all current local vouchers are limited to Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), which excludes many low-income individuals who don’t qualify for PSH but still can't afford rising rents. Participants also voiced concern that rapid rehousing programs are being used to house people who actually need PSH. This misuse creates a ripple effect—effectively eliminating rapid rehousing as a viable tool and putting even more strain on a system already low on permanent supportive options. Fair Housing and Accountability at the Margins: A particularly urgent set of concerns focused on tenant protections—or the lack thereof—at Community First Village. Attendees raised issues such as forced participation in Bible study, inadequate access to bathrooms, and an overall lack of accountability or guardrails to prevent exploitation of highly vulnerable residents. These were characterized as fair housing issues, and there was concern that some service providers seem unaware they are subject to fair housing requirements at all. The prevailing attitude of “What more do you expect us to do? This is hard enough,” was cited as especially troubling. Participants stressed the need for clearer expectations and stronger oversight written into contracts to ensure vulnerable populations are not further marginalized by the very systems meant to support them. Co-op Housing Concerns and Misguided Investments: Another point of frustration centered on the condition and governance of cooperative housing models in the city. The current infrastructure was described as a “disaster,” with reports of co-ops actively evicting residents. Rather than offering stability, these models are said to require tremendous rehabilitation, and in some cases, technical assistance funding has made the situation worse. Participants urged the City to reconsider investment in these models until foundational improvements are made. Reflections on Strategy, Equity, and Impact: There was appreciation for recent increases in trust fund dollars ($3.6 million this fiscal year), but also a candid acknowledgment of how challenging it is to advocate for rental assistance when it isn’t included in the community budget. Still, there was a hopeful note as well. Gratitude was expressed that local organizations increasingly recognize that just a few thousand dollars can change someone’s life—and are willing to take on the administrative burden it takes to get that support to the people who need it most. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 22  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Catholic Charities & Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center The discussion with Catholic Charities and Sunrise Center centered on how to more effectively use available housing dollars, particularly in light of shifting conditions in the housing market and the current capacity within the system. Participants expressed curiosity about the populations currently being served—especially those with the lowest incomes—and raised questions about whether these individuals are already housed or still waiting for assistance. There was a desire for clearer data, including breakdowns of cost per client, to better understand the return on investment and ensure that interventions are matched to needs. Concerns were raised about the cost-effectiveness of current strategies. Organization leaders noted that some interventions appear expensive relative to the number of people served. However, there was also recognition that the current environment presents a unique opportunity: for the first time in a long while, vacancies exist, and people can be moved into housing more quickly and affordably than in the past. One participant remarked on how “unbelievable” the speed of placements has become and urged the group to prioritize using existing dollars to take full advantage of this window. The conversation highlighted a need to think beyond traditional rapid rehousing and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) models. Participants emphasized the demand for more flexible, “shallower” subsidies that can help people stabilize without requiring full-scale voucher support. This would allow resources to be stretched further, particularly for those who don’t need long-term or deeply subsidized housing. Questions were also raised about TBRA usage—specifically, how many vouchers go unused each year and why. Barriers such as long waitlists and a lack of case management support were identified as key obstacles. While TBRA can be a powerful tool, its effectiveness is limited without dedicated case management to help clients navigate the process and maintain housing. This aligns with a broader theme that emerged: the importance of prevention and proactive support services. Case management was described as a critical but underfunded component of long-term stability. Participants also expressed concern that rapid rehousing is the only goal in the housing strategy that appears significantly behind. There was uncertainty around what happens to unspent dollars in this category and a desire for more flexibility in how those funds could be reallocated if not used. Finally, the group called for a more centralized access point for services. The current structure, which requires individuals to navigate multiple organizations and systems, is seen as a major barrier. A streamlined approach would make it easier for people to connect with the right resources more quickly and reduce duplication of effort across providers. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 23  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Central Health & Integral Care The discussion with Central Health and Integral Care highlighted the growing challenges facing older adults who are aging in place without adequate support systems. Many of these individuals do not need or want to move into nursing facilities, yet they require regular assistance in their homes—particularly with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) such as cooking, cleaning, bathing, and transitioning from wheelchairs. While transportation services are often available for medical appointments, there remains a critical gap in in-home support. This unmet need is placing increasing strain on both the individuals and the support teams trying to help them, especially in situations where physical assistance is essential but unavailable. A key question arose around whether these types of in-home services are considered part of broader prevention strategies. The conversation also focused on the complex health needs of people experiencing homelessness. Participants noted that medical conditions tend to worsen the longer someone is unhoused. With the end of COVID-19 relief funding, there is concern that more individuals will fall into crisis due to diminishing support. The role of age in demographic tracking was raised as well—an important consideration given the increasing number of older adults facing housing instability and health challenges. Parallel to this, the need for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) services was a recurring theme. While there has been progress—such as new unit construction and significant strides made through collaborative efforts—participants agreed that these efforts are still falling short of meeting the community’s needs. Integral Care has secured service funding for some new properties, but not all organizations have been as fortunate, creating uneven access across the housing landscape. Central Health emphasized their commitment to preventing individuals from being discharged from medical respite directly back to the streets. Although ECHO has set aside designated spaces for respite that Central Health can administer, they currently lack the vouchers and funding necessary to move people into PSH or other long-term housing options. This limitation has ripple effects—the more respite beds available, the longer individuals can safely remain in care while awaiting a housing opportunity. Without adequate housing pathways, however, even expanded respite options cannot fully address the problem. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 24  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Central Health & Integral Care (Continued) Tools like Home Connector are proving helpful, and there is interest in better understanding how clients will qualify and how it might support these transitions. At the same time, funding uncertainties are weighing heavily. Central Health shared their concern that potential changes to Ryan White funding could significantly impact care continuity. They also raised alarm over the possibility of losing HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS) funding, stating that its disappearance would be especially devastating for the populations they serve. As one Central Health representative put it, “It’s such a priority for us.” Finally, attendees expressed interest in how the findings from the Community Needs Assessment align with the upcoming strategies and presentations from the Homelessness Strategy Department. Ensuring that plans are both informed by data and grounded in on-the-ground realities is essential for achieving more coordinated and impactful outcomes. ECHO Homeless Response System Council During this meeting, members of the ECHO Homeless Response System Council engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on how housing and homelessness-related funds are currently being allocated, the effectiveness of existing programs, and opportunities to prioritize more equitable and impactful strategies moving forward. Funding Distribution and Transparency Concerns Members raised concerns about the use of public facilities funding, particularly the large share of funds directed toward non-homelessness projects like the Colony Park community center. While there was appreciation for investing in unmet neighborhood needs, some questioned whether these dollars were addressing the city’s most urgent housing crises. With ARPA funding sunsetting, the group emphasized that future investment should shift from capital-heavy projects toward programs that support ongoing operations and services. A question arose about how Colony Park’s new development plan will actually support deeply affordable housing at the 30% and 60% AMI levels, rather than contributing to broader market-rate development. Other members shared how needed improvements are in places like Colony Park. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 25  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations ECHO Homeless Response System Council (continued) Participants also requested more clarity around budget allocations—especially the distinction between budgeted versus actual spending across line items such as rental assistance, shelter, and rapid rehousing (RRH). The ability to track unspent funds and understand where reallocations occur, particularly at the end of the fiscal year, was viewed as critical for transparency and accountability. One participant reflected on their past experience with HOPWA funding, noting that leftover funds from underutilized programs were sometimes shifted to other services in crisis, and advocated for this to be a more visible and strategic process. The group stressed the desperate need for expanded rental assistance and more equitable ways of distributing those resources. Currently, the city’s primary homelessness prevention tool—a lottery system operated by El Buen Samaritano— was seen as both inadequate and inequitable. Members expressed a strong desire for a system that could better prioritize the most vulnerable and marginalized communities, rather than leaving access up to chance. Legal assistance for tenants was another urgent concern, especially given the record- high eviction filings in both Austin and Travis County. Attendees questioned why tenant-based legal aid hasn’t received more attention or funding, considering the current scale of housing instability and displacement. The growing pattern of “shady landlord” behavior—such as charging voucher holders higher rents while still providing substandard housing—was flagged as a recurring and worsening problem. One tenant shared, “My cabinets are falling off the wall,” adding to concerns that these conditions persist despite receiving public subsidies. Participants wanted to better understand the decision-making framework used to balance funds between rental assistance, down payment assistance, and other programs. There was also curiosity about the five programs currently using HOPWA dollars and their impact, especially in light of the program’s $2.6 million annual allocation. Some suggested that these funds could make a bigger dent if redirected toward permanent housing interventions. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 26  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations ECHO Homeless Response System Council (continued) County-city alignment also came into focus. Members emphasized that Travis County distributes funds to unincorporated areas and that it's critical to define and understand what services are provided at the county level—particularly since many supports are not offered by municipalities. As the city begins providing HOME Investment Partnership Program funds for the first time, this coordination will become even more important. Attendees also raised concerns about how new federal regulations might affect program compliance. Additionally, barriers tied to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding were noted, and participants urged the city to identify and remove those obstacles to get more funds into the community. Housing Authority of the City of Austin Leaders of HACA met with Housing staff to continue dialogue about working together and addressing the needs of Austin’s vulnerable population. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 27  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Lifeworks, Safe & Reentry Roundtable Participants from LifeWorks, SAFE Alliance, and the Reentry Roundtable came together to discuss the impact of federal dollars on services for vulnerable communities. A strong sense of urgency and concern shaped the conversation, with attendees noting that the landscape has shifted dramatically with changes at the federal level —described by one participant as “a brand new landscape.” When asked what has changed, the answer was blunt: “everything.” Vulnerable Communities at Greater Risk The group emphasized that already vulnerable populations—particularly formerly incarcerated individuals, young people, and those experiencing chronic homelessness —are now even more at risk. Some felt that these groups are not only more vulnerable, but also being actively erased from the conversation. This is especially true for those with criminal records, who are frequently excluded from rapid rehousing programs and often face barriers that make long-term employment and self-sufficiency impossible. Even housing developments that include Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units often fall short. Attendees stressed that people placed in PSH require much more support than what is currently available. Case management alone is not sufficient— there is a growing call to integrate peer support models, which have shown greater success in helping people sustain housing. One example cited was Building Promise USA, which uses peer-led approaches to serve people returning from incarceration. A troubling trend was noted: many clients placed in housing programs don’t make it through the first year. Often, they are transferred from one program to another without meaningful changes to the model or increased support. There was agreement that while providing vouchers is important, there must be a realistic understanding of what happens next. Vouchers alone, particularly those without services attached, do not result in long-term stability—especially for youth aging out of foster care, individuals with substance use disorders, and others with complex needs. Substance Use, Mental Health, and On-Site Challenges Substance use at single-site housing facilities remains a persistent and serious concern. Some residents who had been clean for extended periods relapse shortly after moving into housing—underscoring the need for onsite access to treatment and medication-assisted recovery services. One example shared involved a resident who required daily medication delivery to maintain his health. Even at sites with the highest levels of built-in support, the system is failing to meet the level of need. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 28  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Lifeworks, Safe & Reentry Roundtable (contined) Participants suggested that peer support could help fill gaps—both through relational engagement and by providing structured, meaningful activities that help residents stay focused on recovery. There was also conversation around the idea of requiring medication compliance as a condition for PSH eligibility for individuals with active addiction, although this was acknowledged as a complex issue requiring thoughtful policy design. A recurring theme was immediacy—services need to be available at the exact moment a person is ready to seek help. For instance, if someone is ready to go to rehab, there must be a pathway to act on that decision right away, not days or weeks later. Delays often mean losing the window of willingness for change. Escalating Demand for Youth and Family Services LifeWorks reported a dramatic surge in need: their goal was to serve 300 youth last year, but they ended up serving more than 800. Similarly, Austin ISD identified 1,200 “Category 2” families (experiencing doubled-up housing or unstable living situations), not counting those who have already been displaced beyond district boundaries. Pregnancy among youth in these populations continues to rise, adding another layer of complexity and urgency to the housing and service needs. This “treadmill” of need feeding into homelessness is accelerating, and participants stressed that current systems are not equipped to meet it. Landlord Compliance, Housing Access, and System Accountability There was frustration around the behavior of management companies that accept housing vouchers but do not follow guidelines—rejecting eligible residents or imposing discriminatory screening practices. Participants called for spot checks and accountability mechanisms to ensure landlords are upholding their end of the agreement. They also urged better tracking of available units and open housing opportunities to ensure placements can happen efficiently. Structural Barriers and Influence Over Mental Health Funding Finally, the group raised concerns about how mental health funding is structured. Currently, much of the funding is tied to the local health authority, which some feel holds too much influence over access and prioritization. There was a call to diversify control of these resources to ensure more responsive, community-driven mental health interventions. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 29  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Community Consultations Meetings with community groups and organizations Themes from Community Consultations Impact of Federal Shifts Widespread anxiety about potential federal funding cuts Desire for clarity and transparency on allocations, timelines, and impact Housing System Shortfalls Yearly goals not met Rapid Rehousing underperforming—calls for flexibility and realignment Misalignment between PSH needs and available services Criticism of tenant protections and co-op housing failures Concerns about investment in capital projects vs. services Case Management & Wrap Around Services Case management capacity insufficient for current demand Peer support and on-site behavioral health are essential Timely services critical to effectiveness Targeted supports needed for youth, formerly incarcerated, and families Vouchers without support = short-term placements without stability Data and Evaluation Needs Calls for deeper demographic data (race, income, geography, disability status) Suggested metrics: profession, income, geography, housing stability Demand for better tracking of service outcomes Questions about who is served: repeat vs. new clients Call for shared and centralized data systems (e.g. HMIS) Service Navigation and Communication Frustration with fragmented access points across agencies Desire for a centralized hub for housing and support services Improve public communication, including in-person and multilingual formats Recommendation: Compensate lived experience input More inclusive, community-driven outreach needed Accessible applications and digital tools for all residents Equity, Access Gaps and Community Specific Concerns Disability, reentry, youth, and immigrant populations reported as overlooked Seniors: Aging in place, lack of village-style housing Youth: Rising homelessness, family instability Renters: Landlord compliance, affordability illusion People with disabilities: Gaps in service, data, and accessibility Strategic Opportunities Flexible subsidies ('shallower' support models) Leverage existing vacancies in current market Expand bond funds for housing vouchers Invest in prevention and behavioral health supports . 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 30 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS Austin Energy Utility Bill Insert, mailed to all approximately 295,000 Austin Energy customers (both residential and commercial) I E X H B I T B : P U B L I C C O M M E N T P E R O D I 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 31 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS Website AustinTexas.gov/Housing Homepage sends you to the SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds page 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 32 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS Newsletter Inclusion Austin Housing Newsletter 6/2/2025 6,186 Recipients | 50% Open Rate 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 33 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS Flyer Distributed to all ll Austin Public Library Branches English Spanish I E X H B I T A : : I E X H B I T B C O M M U N I T Y N E E D S A S S E S S M E N T P U B L I C C O M M E N T P E R O D I 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 34 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS Website SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds 10,483 Views 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 35 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS Survey SpeakUpAustin.org/ActionPlan2026 180 Views | 3 Comments 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 36 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD MARKETING & OUTREACH MATERIALS Website SpeakUpAustin.org/MyCommunityNeeds cont. 10,483 Views 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 37 PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Comments 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 38  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Public Hearings June 5, 2025: Austin City Council Meeting PUBLIC COMMENT: THIS IS SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE HUD ACTION PLAN 2025 -2026. WHAT I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE IS THAT THE COMMISSION ON AGING IS ACTUALLY ON PAGE 34. THE DOCUMENT 99 TO 100 TELLS YOU ABOUT THE BARRIERS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE THE ITEM THAT YOU ACTUALLY HEARD AS IT RELATES TO OUR SENIORS MAY FEEL GOOD, IT ACTUALLY IS DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO LOOK AT TRANSPORTATION FOR THE SENIORS IN SERVICE PLAN 2035. 2025 SERVICE PLAN IS WHAT'S BEFORE YOU. I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THIS IS AN ELDER WHO SPOKE, RUBY TYRONE, AND SHE BASICALLY SAID, METRO DON'T CARE ABOUT US. AND SPECIFICALLY, SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE ROUTE 300 ROCKY AND MANOR, WHERE CAPITAL METRO ELIMINATED THAT UNILATERALLY. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SPECIFICALLY ON THE SCREEN, CAITLIN DALTON, WHO IS NOW YOUR TRANSIT ENHANCEMENT MANAGER IN A TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, UNILATERALLY ELIMINATED 240 RUTLAND, AND THE INFORMATION IS BEFORE YOU. SHE ELIMINATED SERVICE TO ST. DAVID'S AND THERE WAS NO INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT SHE VIOLATED FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION CIRCULAR 4 7 0 2 0.1 B FOUR DASH 16, SPECIFIED THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO FIND THE LEAST DISCRIMINATORY ALTERNATIVE I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL IN THE RIGHT UPPER CORNER, YOU'LL SEE IN 2017, OUR SENIORS DID GO BEFORE CAPITAL METRO. AS A MATTER OF FACT, ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 2017, THEY HELD TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS. THE CAPITOL METRO ACTUALLY COLLECTED SURVEYS ABOUT 5,000 FROM WHITE CHOICE RIDERS, AGE 25 TO 35. THEY MADE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEY ACTUALLY HAD ACCESS TO TWO VEHICLES, AND THEN THE SERVICE CHANGED FOR THEM. SO IT IS DEEPLY DISTURBING AND DISINGENUOUS FOR YOU TO NOW CONSIDER THE MINORITIES AND OUR SENIORS. IT IS A HALF MILE WALK FROM COLLIN WOOD TODAY. OUR SENIOR CITIZENS PAY $7 FOR UBER TO GET FROM BREAKER IN NORTH LAMAR. PLEASE DO BETTER, MAYOR. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 39  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Public Hearings JUNE 10, 2025: Community Development Commission PUBLIC COMMENT: MY COMMENTS ARE SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO THE FY 25 26 PLAN. I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION SINCE YOU MENTIONED PROJECT CONNECT. IT IS MENTIONED 12 TIMES IN YOUR PACKET, AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020, THE VOTERS ACTUALLY APPROVED PROJECT CONNECT, WHICH WAS A PERMANENT AVALOR TAX INCREASE, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY VOTED TO INCREASE THEIR RENT IN PERPETUITY. I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THE SERVICE IS DISCONNECTED, IT'S UNRELIABLE, INFREQUENT, AND DISCONNECTED NORTH OF US 180 AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE 15% THAT YOU HAVE FOR PUBLIC SERVICES COULD BETTER SPENT IN THIS AREA AS OPPOSED TO CHILDCARE, WHICH WAS UNILATERALLY DECIDED BY MANDY DE MAYO AND AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH. IF YOU LOOK HERE, YOU'LL SEE SPECIFICALLY THE CRITERIA FOR PROJECT CONNECT FOR THE LIGHT RAIL LINE. AND I DO BELIEVE IT'S FRAUD. FRAUD IS TRYING TO GET SOMETHING OF VALUE THROUGH WILLFUL MISREPRESENTATION. THE CITY CONTINUES TO STATE WITHIN ONE MILE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CIG, THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT GRANTS CRITERIA, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT IS A HALF MILE RADIUS FROM THE STATIONS. I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT AT NO, AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDE, THE NORTH PART OF THE SLIDE HERE, THAT'S THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY FINISH THE STUDENT HOUSING BELOW, YOU'LL SEE A BLACK MAN, OR YOU PROBABLY CAN'T SEE HIM. IT IS THAT DARK. AND DESPITE THE CITY GETTING $47.5 MILLION FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, THIS IS NOT SAFE. AND YOU WOULDN'T TAKE YOUR CHILD ON THIS ROUTE TO COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY ON ROUTE 392. I JUST WANTED TO PUT UP THE ACTUAL EMAIL ADDRESS. IF YOU LOOK AT SECRETARY INVITES@HUD.GOV FOR YOU TO INVITE THE SECRETARY TO COME TO THE CITY OF AUSTIN, I'VE WRITTEN TO HIM SPECIFICALLY, I WILL JUST TELL YOU, UH, THAT THE MORE OF US WHO WRITE, THEN PERHAPS THE TRUTH WILL BE TOLD. IT'S APPROXIMATELY $70 MILLION THAT YOU'RE GETTING OVER FIVE YEARS. I WOULD ASK THIS COMMISSION TO ACTUALLY PUT FORTH A SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY REQUEST A CHANGE FROM THIS CHILDCARE BEING PRIORITY NUMBER ONE. THAT WAS NEVER DISCUSSED. YOU MAY RECALL LAST YEAR, MANDY DEMAYO CAME BEFORE YOU WITHOUT ANY RECOMMENDATION FROM THIS COMMISSION. AND NOW MOVING FORWARD, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO JUST ACCEPT THAT CHILDCARE IS NUMBER ONE. I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT TRAVIS COUNTY VOTERS APPROVED FUNDING FOR CHILDCARE. THERE WAS MONEY FROM WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS FOR CHILDCARE. AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHY CHILDCARE IS A PRIORITY, AND I WOULD ASK YOU FOR YOU TO GET SOME TYPE OF CLARIFICATION BECAUSE WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS THAT THE PUBLIC INPUT IS NOT BEING SENT TO HUD, THEREFORE THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN. IF YOU GO BACK TO THE GENTLEMAN THAT WAS IN THE DARK, YOU WILL SEE THAT. AND THEN IF YOU GO TO THE FIRST SLIDE, YOU WILL SEE SPECIFICALLY THIS IS DOBY MIDDLE SCHOOL, NO BUS STOP, NO SHELTER. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 40  COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION Public Hearing June 10, 2025: Community Development Commission COMMISSIONER COMMENTS Commissioners wanted to hear more about program guidelines and those who may benefit from the resources available through federally funded programs. One question was specific to the Home Rehabilitation Program and the requirements and qualification process for participating. Concern for people in flood zone areas, especially after the recent remapping, was expressed. Another question was in regards to tenant-based rental assistance and the focus on those experiencing homelessness. The commissioner was concerned about those at risk of homelessness. The conversation addressed the realities of instances like the anticipated demolition of Acacia Cliffs Apartments, which will displace low-income renters. Staff identified challenges in funding restrictions in areas not officially deemed as facing displacement pressures, and shared about the requirement of developers to give tenants being displaced $5000. Commissioners wanted to hear how developers are being held accountable, making sure these households get what they need. They were also very concerned that $5000 isn’t enough. The amount of units being built for low-income community members was addressed, pointing out that the Austin Housing Blueprint calls for many more than have been built. As more affordable housing is getting demolished, commissioners wanted to know, “How are we using the money to make sure we are targeting that part of the blueprint where we’re not building enough housing?” There was a question about units for different household types and sizes, with concern expressed for people who do not have families and don’t qualify for certain funding sources. Several commissioners highlighted the need for feedback directly from those receiving services. “It feels odd that [the Action Plan] is data-focused, but does not include data directly from the recipients.” Commissioners want to see anecdotal data about whether or not people remain stabilized, an important part “we should have eyes on.” This also includes better relationships with “boots on the ground” organizations, doing the real work. How can the City create relationships with these organizations that serve these populations as well, with fewer resources? A commissioner gave the call to rebrand or rebuild community partnerships so that we can be working across the city. These organizations have the information we need. Further discussion about community engagement covered where to find the Citizen Participation Plan, ensuring that the right links are sent out that go directly to the information, making sure all quality of life commissions are included in the process, and always looking for opportunities for improvement. The Chair reiterated these comments. “Something that should be on your mind all the time is ‘How did we do this time, and how do we do better every time?’” urging staff to please listen to the voices of this commission with lived experience. 2025-2026 ACTION PLAN: ATTACHMENT 1B | 41 Attachment II A: Resale and Recapture Policy City of Austin HOUSING AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT (HPD) Office RESALE AND RECAPTURE POLICIES Jurisdictions (PJs) undertaking HOME-assisted homebuyer activities, including any projects Participating funded with HOME Program Income (PI), must establish written resale and/or recapture provisions that comply with HOME statutory and regulatory requirements. These provisions must also be set forth in the PJ’s Consolidated Plan. The written resale and/or recapture provisions that a PJ submits in its annual Action Plan must clearly describe the terms of the resale and/or recapture provisions, the specific circumstances under which these provisions will be used (if more than one set of provisions is described), and how the PJ will enforce the provisions for HOME-funded ownership projects. HUD reviews and approves the provisions as part of the annual Action Plan process. The purpose of this section is to provide the “resale” and “recapture” policies of the City of Austin’s Housing and Planning Department (HPD) and its sub-recipient, the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC). As stated above, HOME requires that PJs utilize resale and/or recapture provisions to ensure continued affordability for low- to moderate-income homeowners and as a benefit to the public through the wise stewardship of federal funds. HPD has three programs which use HOME funds to assist homeowners or homebuyers: 1. 2. 3. Down Payment Assistance (DPA) - new homebuyers; Acquisition and Development (A&D) - developers of new ownership housing, and; Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP) - owners of existing homes. Resale This option ensures that the HOME-assisted units remain affordable over the entire affordability period. The Resale method is used in cases where HOME funding is provided directly to a developer to reduce development costs, thereby, making the price of the home affordable to the buyer. Referred to as a “Development Subsidy,” these funds are not repaid by the developer to the PJ, but remain with the property for the length of the affordability period. Specific examples where the City of Austin would use the resale method include: 1. 2. 3. providing funds for the developer to acquire property to be developed or to acquire affordable ownership units; providing funds for site preparation or improvement, including demolition; and providing funds for construction materials and labor. CITY OF AUSTIN RESALE POLICY . The resale policy is explained to the prospective homebuyer(s) prior to Notification to Prospective Buyers​ signing a contract to purchase the HOME-assisted unit. The prospective homebuyer(s) sign an acknowledgement that they understand the terms and conditions applicable to the resale policy as they have been explained. This document is included with the executed sales contract. (See attached Notification for Prospective Buyers on Page IV-11.) Enforcement of Resale Provisions. ​ by the homebuyer at closing. The Restrictive Covenant will specify: The resale policy is enforced through the use of a Restrictive Covenant signed 1. 2. 3. the length of the affordability period (based on the dollar amount of HOME funds invested in the unit; either 5, 10, or 15 years); that the home remain the Buyer’s principal residence throughout the affordability period; and the conditions and obligations of the Owner should the Owner wish to sell before the end of the affordability period, including: the Owner must contact the Austin Housing Finance Corporation in writing if intending to sell the a. home prior to the end of the affordability period; b. The subsequent purchaser must be low-income as defined by HOME, and occupy the home as his/her new purchaser’s primary residence for the remaining years of the affordability period. (However, if the new purchaser receives direct assistance through a HOME-funded program, the affordability period will be re-set according to the amount of assistance provided); and The sales price must be affordable to the subsequent purchaser; affordable is defined as limiting c. the Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance (PITI) amount to no more than 30% of the new purchaser’s monthly income. The City of Austin will administer its resale provisions by ensuring that the Owner Fair Return on Investment. ​ receives a fair return on his/her investment and that the home will continue to be affordable to a specific range of incomes. Fair Return on Investment means the total homeowner investment which includes the total cash contribution plus the approved capital improvements credits as described below: The amount of the down payment; The cost of any capital improvements, documented with receipts provided by the homeowner, 1. 2. including but not limited to: Any additions to the home such as a bedroom, bathroom, or garage; a. Replacement of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; b. Accessibility improvements such as bathroom modifications for disabled or elderly, installation c. of wheelchair ramps and grab bars, any and all of which must have been paid for directly by the Owner and d. e. which were not installed through a federal, state, or locally-funded grant program; and Outdoor improvements such as a new driveway, walkway, retaining wall, or fence. Note​ : All capital improvements will be visually inspected to verify their existence. The percentage of change as calculated by the Housing Price Index (HPI) Calculator of the Federal 3. Housing Finance Agency. The HPI Calculator is currently located at https://www.fhfa.gov/DataTools/Tools/Pages/HPI-Calculator.aspx and projects what a given house purchased at a point in time would be worth today if it appreciated at the average appreciation rate of all homes in the area. The calculation shall be performed for the Austin-Round Rock, TX Metropolitan Statistical Area. Affordability to a Range of Buyers. ​ those whose total household incomes range from 65 percent to no greater than 80 percent MFI. The City will ensure continued affordability to a range of buyers, particularly Sales prices shall be set such that the amount of Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance does not exceed 30 percent of the new Buyer’s annual income. For FY 2018-19, the affordable sales price shall not exceed $175,000, which would be affordable to a 4-person household at 80 percent MFI at today’s home mortgage interest rates. Example : A home with a 10-year affordability period was purchased seven years ago by a person (the “original ​ homeowner”) who now wishes to sell. The original homeowner’s mortgage was $105,000 at 4.75% interest for 30 years, and has made payments for 72 months. The current mortgage balance is $93,535. The principal amount paid down so far is $11,465. Calculating Fair Return on Investment Down payment: sales contract. The original homeowner was required to put down $1,000 earnest money at the signing of the ​ Cost of Capital Improvements: $1,500 and has receipts to document the improvement. A visual inspection confirmed the fence is still in place. The original homeowner had a privacy fence installed four years ago at the cost of ​ Applicable Affordability Period. HOME funds used as developer subsidy was $25,000, thus requiring the 10-year affordability period. The original purchase price for the home was $106,000 and the amount of ​ Percentage of Change. For the purposes of using the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Housing Price Index ​ calculator, the home was purchased in the 1st Quarter of 2010, and will be calculated using the most current quarter available, 4th Quarter 2016. Using the Housing Price Index calculator, the house would be worth approximately $165,700. Calculating the Fair Return to the Original Owner: $1,000 $1,500 $11,465 $59,700 Down payment: Capital Improvements: Principal Paid: Increase in value per HPI: $73,665 Fair Return on Investment In order to realize a fair return to the original homeowner, the sales price must be set at roughly $152,500 (i.e., $105,000 [$11,465 in principal payments made plus remaining mortgage balance of $93,535] +$1,000 down payment + $1,500 capital improvements + $59,700 HPI increase = $167,200) Affordability for a Range of Buyers . If the original homeowner sets the sales price at ​ $167,200 to get a fair return on investment, and if 2017 assumptions are used for front/back ratios, interest rates, insurance, taxes, an 80% Loan-to-Value (LTV) Ratio, etc., the monthly PITI would be approximately $1,069. The PITI of $1,069 could, in theory, be supported by an annual household income of $42,800 and not exceed 30% of the subsequent homeowner’s monthly income. However, with an 80% LTV ratio and rapidly increasing home have down payment assistance which, if HOME funds are used, would create a new prices, buyers must affordability period based on the new HOME investment. If the subsequent homeowner does not require any HOME subsidy to purchase the home, the affordability period would end in 3 years at which time the subsequent homeowner could sell to any buyer at any price. Recapture Under HOME recapture provisions financial assistance must be repaid if it is provided directly to the buyer or the homeowner. Upon resale the seller may sell to any willing buyer at any price. The written agreement and promissory note will disclose the net proceeds percentage if any that will be allotted to the homebuyer and what proceeds will return to the PJ. Once the HOME funds are repaid to the PJ, the property is no longer subject to any HOME restrictions. The funds returned to the PJ may then be used for other HOME-eligible activities. CITY OF AUSTIN RECAPTURE POLICY HPD HOME funded program under the recapture provisions is the Down Payment Assistance Program (DPA). The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) HOME funded program under recapture provisions is the Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program (HRLP). The (HOME) federal assistance will be provided in the form of a 0% interest, deferred payment loan. The fully executed (by all applicable parties) and dated Written Agreement, Promissory Note and Deed of Trust will serve as the security for these loans. The Deed of Trust will also be recorded in the land records of Travis County or Williamson County. The payment of the DPA or HRLP Promissory Note is made solely from the net proceeds of sale of the Property (except in the event of fraud or misrepresentation by the Borrower described in the Promissory Note). The City of Austin and/or AHFC/HPD may share any resale equity appreciation of HOME-assisted DPA or HRLP loans with the Borrower/Seller according to the following two recapture models: The City of Austin will calculate the recapture amount and add this to the Standard Down Payment Assistance. ​ existing payoff balance of the DPA loan. The entire payoff balance must be paid to AHFC/HPD before the homebuyer receives a return. The recapture amount is limited to the net proceeds available from the sale. However, the amount of standard Down Payment Assistance will be forgivable at the end of maturity date if the borrower met all of the program requirements. ​ ​ Sales Price First Lien Mortgage $ -$ Mortgage Assistance Amount (prorated monthly) -$ Capital Improvement Recapture Credit Proceeds to the Homeowner -$ =$ The City of Austin and AHFC/HPD will permit the Shared Equity Down Payment Assistance (DPA). ​ Borrower/Seller to recover their entire investment (down payment and capital improvements made by them since purchase) before recapturing the HOME investment. The recapture amount is limited to the net proceeds available from the sale. Appraised Value of Property of Sales price two) ​(less of the $ Original Senior Lien Note Amount Grantee’s Cash Contribution Capital Improvement Recapture Credit -$ -$ -$ Mortgage Assistance Amount (prorated monthly) -$ Equity to be shared Shared Equity Proceeds to the Homeowner =$ -$ =$ Equity to be shared: The Appraised Value of the Property at time of resale less original Down Payment Formula. ​ senior lien Note, less borrower’s cash contribution, less capital improvement recapture credit, less the Original Principal Amount of Mortgage Assistance under the DPA Mortgage, calculated as follows: Appraised Value of Property or Sales Price (whichever is less) Original Senior Lien Note Amount Any reasonable and customary sales expenses paid by the Borrower in connection with the sale (Closing costs) Net proceeds Borrower’s Cash Contribution Capital Improvement Recapture Credit DPA Mortgage Assistance Amount Equity to be Shared (-) (-) (-) (-) (-) = $ $ $ $ $ $ The homebuyer’s entire investment (cash contribution and capital improvements) must be repaid in full before any HOME funds are recaptured. The capital improvement recapture credit will be subject to: 1. 2. The borrower having obtained HPD approval prior to his/her investment; and The borrower providing proof of costs of capital improvements with paid receipts for parts and labor. Calculation of Shared Equity Percentage. ​ set forth above). Percentage shall remain the same as calculated at initial purchase (as Shared Equity Payment Due to HPD or the City of Austin. ​ Percentage), calculated as follows: Shall be (Equity to be shared) x (Shared Equity Equity to be shared Shared Equity Percentage Shared Equity Payment Due to HPD/City of Austin X = $ % $ Total Due to HPD or City of Austin. ​ calculated as follows: Shall be the total of all amounts due to HPD or the City of Austin Mortgage Assistance Amount Interest and Penalties Shared Equity Payment Total Due to HPD/City of Austin + + = $ $ $ $ Upon executing and dating the Promissory Note, Written HRLP Homeowner Reconstruction Formula. Agreement and the Deed of Trust the parties agree that the Mortgage Assistance Amount provided to Borrower by AHFC is to be 25% of the Borrower's/Sellers equity in the Property. Equity to be Shared. ​ contribution (if any), capital follows: The Appraised Value of the Property at time of resale, less closing costs, homeowner’s cash improvement recapture credit, AHFC original assistance amount, calculated as ​ Appraised Value of Property or Sales Price (whichever is less) Any reasonable and customary sales expenses paid by the Borrower/Seller in connection with the sale (Closing costs) Homeowner’s Cash Contribution Capital Improvement Recapture Credit AHFC or the City of Austin Original HRLP Assistance Amount Equity to be Shared $ $ $ $ (-) (-) (-) (-) = Percentage shall remain the same as initially determined (as set forth Calculation of Shared Equity Percentage: ​ above). Shared Equity Payment Due to AHFC or the City of Austin: Shall be (Equity to be shared) x (Shared Equity Percentage), calculated as follows: Equity to be shared Shared Equity Percentage Shared Equity Payment Due to AHFC or the City of Austin $ 25% = $ Total Due to AHFC or the City of Austin​ calculated as follows: : Shall be the total of all amounts due to AHFC or the City of Austin Existing Owing HRLP Mortgage Assistance Amount Shared Equity Percentage Payment Sum Total Due to AHFC or the City of Austin $ + $ $ Equity to be shared: The Appraised Value of the Property at time of HRLP Homeowner Rehabilitation Formula. ​ resale, less closing costs, homeowner’s cash contribution (if any), capital improvement recapture credit, AHFC or the City of Austin’s original assistance amount, calculated as follows: Appraised Value of Property or Sales Price (whichever is less ) Any reasonable and customary sales expenses paid by the homeowner in connection with the sale (Closing costs) Homeowner’s Cash Contribution Capital Improvement Recapture Credit AHFC and/or the City of Austin’s Original HRLP Assistance Amount Equity to Borrower/Seller $ $ $ $ (-) (-) (-) (-) = Net proceeds consist of the sales prices minus loan repayment, other than HOME funds, and closing costs. If the net proceeds of the sale are insufficient to fully satisfy the amounts owed on the HRLP Note the AHFC or the City of Austin may not personally seek or obtain a deficiency judgment or any other recovery from the Borrower/Seller. The amount due to Lender is limited to the net proceeds, if any, if the net proceeds are not sufficient to recapture the full amount of HOME funds invested plus allow Borrower to recover the amount of improvement investment, including in, but not limited to, cases of Borrower’s down-payment and capital foreclosure or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure,. If there are no net proceeds AHFC or the City of Austin will receive no share of net proceeds. However, in the event of an uncured Default, AHFC or the City of Austin may, at its option, seek and obtain a personal judgment for all amounts payable under the Note. This right shall be in addition to any other remedies available to AHFC and/or the City of Austin. If there are insufficient funds remaining from the of the property and the City of Austin or the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) recaptures less than or none of the recapture amount due, the City of Austin and/or AHFC must maintain data in each individual HRLP file that documents the amount of the sale and the distribution of the funds. sale This will document that: 1. 2. 3. There were no net sales proceeds; or The amount of the net sales proceeds was insufficient to cover the full amount due; and No proceeds were distributed to the homebuyer/homeowner. Under “Recapture” provisions, if the home is SOLD prior to the end of the required affordability period, the net sales proceeds from the sale, if any, will be returned to the City of Austin and/or AHFC to be used for other HOME-eligible activities. Other than the actual sale of the property, if the homebuyer or homeowner breaches the terms and conditions for any other reason, e.g. no longer occupies the property as his/her/their principal residence, the full amount of the subsidy is immediately due and payable. If Borrower/Seller is in Default, AHFC and/or the City of Austin may send the Borrower/Seller a written notice stating the reason Borrower/Seller is in Default and telling Borrower/Seller to pay immediately: the full amount of Principal then due on this Note, (i) all of the interest that Borrower/Seller owes, and that will accrue until paid, on that amount, and (ii) the City of Austin’s costs and expenses reimbursable Recovery against the all of AHFC/or (iii) Borrower/Seller responsible for the fraud or misrepresentation is not limited to the proceeds of sale of the Property, but may include personal judgment and execution thereon to the full extent authorized by law. Affordability Periods HOME Program Assistance Amount $1,000 - $14,999.99 $15,000 – $40,000 Over $40,000 Reconstruction Projects* Affordability Period in Years 5 10 15 20 ​ ​ *City of Austin policy A HOME or CDBG Written Agreement, Note and Deed of Trust will be executed by the Borrower and the City of Austin and/or the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) that accurately reflects the resale or recapture provisions before or at the time of sale. References: [HOME fires Vol 5 No 2, June 2003 – Repayment of HOME Investment; Homebuyer Housing with a ‘Recapture’ Agreement; Section 219(b) of the HOME Statute; and §92.503(b)(1)-(3) and (c)] CITY OF AUSTIN REFINANCING POLICY The new senior first lien will reduce the monthly payments to the homeowner, thereby making the In order for new executed subordination agreement to be provided to the senior first lien holder, the senior first lien refinance must meet the following conditions: 1. monthly payments more affordable; or Reduce the loan term; 2. 3. The new senior lien interest rate must be fixed for the life of the loan (Balloon or ARM loans are ineligible); 4. 5. sale to avoid foreclosure; and 6. first lien holder. No cash equity is withdrawn by the homeowner as a result of the refinancing actions; AHFC/HPD and/or the City will, at its discretion, agree to accept net proceeds in the event of a short Only if the borrower meets the minimum requirements to refinance, the City can re-subordinate to the The refinancing request will be processed according to the following procedure: Submit a written request to Compliance Division to verify the minimum refinancing requirements with 1. one month in advance from the expected closing; 2. 3. date. HPD/AHFC will review the final HUD-1 Settlement Statement two weeks prior to closing the refinance. If applicable, HPD/AHFC or the City of Austin will issue written approval a week prior to the closing HPD/AHFC will be provided with a copy of the final, executed Settlement Statement CLOSING DISCLOSURE, Promissory Note, and recorded Deed of Trust three days in advance of the closing date. If written permission is granted by AHFC/HPD and/or the City of Austin and it is determined that the If written permission is not granted by AHFC/HPD or the City of Austin allowing the refinance of the 4. Senior Lien, the DPA OR HRLP Loan will become immediately due and payable prior to closing the refinance. 5. refinancing action does not meet the conditions as stated above, the DPA OR HRLP Loan will become immediately due and payable prior to closing the refinance. 6. DPA or HRLP Notes must be paid off no later than when the Home Equity Loan is closed and funded. 7. release of lien. Home Equity loans will trigger the repayment requirements of the DPA OR HRLP Programs loans. The The DPA or HRLP Notes must be paid-in-full in order for AHFC/HPD and/or the City of Austin to execute a Basic Terminology Affordable Housing​ order for homeownership housing to qualify as : The City of Austin follows the provisions established on 24 CFR 92.254, and consider that in ​ affordable housing it must: ​ □ Be single-family, modest housing, □ □ provided. Be acquired by a low-income family as its principal residence, and Meet affordability requirements for a specific period of time as determined by the amount of assistance The City: ​ Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC). means the City of Austin’s Housing and Planning Department (HPD) or its sub recipient, the Austin Fair Return on Investment: ​ contribution plus the approved capital improvements credits. means the total homeowner investment which includes the total cash Capital Improvement: means additions to the property that increases its value or upgrades the facilities. ​ These include upgrading the heating and air conditioning system, upgrading kitchen or bathroom facilities, adding universal access improvements, or any other permanent improvement that would add to the value and useful life of the property. The costs for routine maintenance are excluded. Capital Improvement Credit: ​ means credits for verified expenditures for Capital Improvements. Direct HOME subsidy: is the amount of HOME assistance, including any program income that enabled ​ the homebuyer to buy the unit. The direct subsidy includes down payment, closing costs, interest subsidies, or other HOME assistance provided directly to the homebuyer. In addition, direct subsidy includes any assistance that reduced the purchase price from fair market value to an affordable price. Direct HOME subsidy for Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program: is the amount of HOME assistance, ​ including any program income that enabled the homebuyer to repair or reconstruct the unit. The direct subsidy includes hard costs and soft cost according to 24 CFR 92.206 Net proceeds ​ any closing costs. : are defined as the sales price minus superior loan repayment (other than HOME funds) and Recapture: The recapture provisions are established at §92.253(a)(5)(ii), permit the original homebuyer to ​ sell the property to any willing buyer during the period of affordability while the PJ is able to recapture all or a portion of the HOME-assistance provided to the original homebuyer. Source: ​2012-03 Guidance on Resale and Recapture Provision Requirements under the HOME Program ​ INFORMATION FOR PROSPECTIVE BUYERS The [Five] [Ten] [Fifteen]-Year Affordability Period​ ​&​ I understand that because a certain amount of federal funds were used by [Developer Name] to develop the federal property at government requires that certain restrictions apply to the occupancy or re-sale of this home for a period of [five (5) ten (10) fifteen (15)] years. I understand that during that [five] [ten] [fifteen]-year period, those requirements will be enforced through a legally-enforceable document called a “Restrictive Covenant Running with the Land.” ​The Restrictive Covenant Running With the Land the , If I choose to purchase this home, at the time the home is sold to me, I will sign a Restrictive Covenant Running with the Land, and it will be filed in the Official Public Records of the Travis County Clerk’s Office. ​ ● That which the Restrictive Covenant is in effect; ​I must occupy the home as my principal residence ​ The requirements of the Restrictive Covenant Running with the Land are: during the [5] [10] [15]-year period in ● subsequent buyer whose total household income is in effect for the year I wish to sell the home. If I wish to sell the Property before the end of that period, I am required to sell it to a ​at or below 80% of the Austin area Median Family Income ● The sales price must be set such that I receive a ​fair return ​ which shall be defined as: 1. The amount of any cash contributions including the down payment and principal payments made; 2. The cost of any capital improvements, , and including but not limited to: a. Any additions to the home such as a bedroom, bathroom, or garage; b. Replacement of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems; Accessibility improvements such as bathroom modifications for disabled or elderly, installation of c. wheelchair ramps and grab bars, any and all of which must have been paid for directly by the Owner and which were not installed through a federal, state, or locally-funded grant program; and d. Outdoor improvements such as a new driveway, walkway, retaining wall, or fence. documented with receipts ● The sales price must be set so that the monthly principal, interest, taxes and insurance to be paid by the subsequent buyer ​will not exceed 30% of that subsequent buyer’s monthly household income. ● I will notify the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) in writing ​ so that AHFC can assist with the compliance of this federal regulation. I/We acknowledge having received this information about the federal requirements involved if I/we decide to purchase this home. Signature Date Signature Date ​ ​ Attachment II B: ESG Program Standards Attachment II C: City of Austin Monitoring Plan MONITORING PLAN The goal of the City of Austin’s monitoring process is to assess subrecipient/contractor performance in the areas of program, financial and administrative compliance with applicable federal, state and municipal regulations and current program guidelines. Under this plan, select programs and project activities are monitored through one or more of the following components. The City of Austin’s monitoring plan consists of active contract monitoring and long-term monitoring for closed projects. Active Contract Monitoring Prior to executing any agreement or obligation, monitoring takes the form of a compliance review. Verification is obtained to ensure that the proposed activity to be funded has received the proper authorization through venues such as the annual Action Plan, environmental review and fund release, and identification in the Integrated Disbursement & Information System (IDIS). A contract begins with written program guidelines, documentation and tracking mechanisms that will be used to demonstrate compliance with applicable federal, state and local requirements. For activities implemented through external programs or third-party contracts with non-profit, for-profit and community-based organizations, a solicitation may be required in the form of a comprehensive Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA) or Request for Proposals (RFP) which details performance, financial and regulatory responsibilities. 1. Compliance Review prior to obligation of funds. Prior to entering into any agreement or to the obligation of entitlement funds, the City conducts a compliance review to verify that the program activity has been duly authorized. The compliance review consists of verifying and documenting: ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ The program activity has been approved as part of the Action Plan for the specified funding source and year; The availability of applicable funds for the specific activity; The activity has received environmental review and determination and fund release, as applicable; The service provider is not listed in the System for Award Management (SAM); The activity has been set up and identified in IDIS; The scope of work defined in the contract has adequately addressed performance, financial and tracking responsibilities necessary to report and document accomplishments; and The service provider has the required insurance in place. After this information has been verified and documented, staff may proceed in obtaining authorization and utilization of entitlement funds for the activity. 2. Desk Review. Before processing an invoice for payment, staff reviews the invoice to verify that the item or service is an eligible expense and it is part of the contract budget. Staff also reviews ensure that the performance reports and supporting documentation submitted with the invoice to contractor is performing in accordance with the terms of the contract and the scope of work. This level of monitoring is performed on an ongoing basis throughout the duration of the contract. ​ ​ ​ 3. Records Audit. A records audit includes a review of all file documents as needed. A file checklist is used to determine if the required documents are present. Through the review of performance reports and other documentation submitted by the contractor, staff is able to identify areas of concern and facilitate corrections and/or improvements. Should problems be identified, a contractor or recipient of funds may then be provided technical assistance as necessary to reach a resolution. 4. Selected On-Site Monitoring. A risk assessment is conducted internally and is used to determine the priority of site reviews to be conducted. Based on the results of the risk assessment, a selected number of projects may be subject to an on-site review. The performance of contractors is reviewed for compliance with the program guidelines and the terms and conditions of the contract. In particular, staff verifies program administration and regulatory compliance in the following areas: ∙ e.g. Performance ( meeting a national objective, conducting eligible activities, achieving ​ contract objectives, performing scope of work activities, maintaining contract schedule, abiding by the contract budget); ∙ Record keeping; ∙ Reporting practices; and ∙ Compliance with applicable anti-discrimination regulations. There will be follow-up, as necessary, to verify regulatory and program administration compliance has been achieved. 5. Failure to resolve identified problems. If no resolution of identified problems occurs or the contractor fails to perform in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract, the City of Austin has the authority to suspend further payments to the contractor or recipient of funds until such time that issues have been satisfactorily resolved. 6. Contract Closeout. Once a project activity has been completed and all eligible project funds expended, the staff will require the contractor to submit a project closeout package. The contract closeout will provide documentation to confirm whether the contractor was successful in completing all performance and financial objectives of the contract. Staff will review and ask the contractor, if necessary, to reconcile any conflicting information previously submitted. The project closeout will constitute the final report for the project. Successful completion of a project means that all project activities, requirements, and responsibilities of the contractor have been adequately addressed and completed. Long-term Monitoring Acceptance of funds from the Housing and Planning Department (HPD) Office of the City of Austin, or its sub-recipient Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) obligates beneficiaries/ borrowers to adhere to conditions for the term of the affordability period. HPD is responsible for the compliance oversight and enforcement of long- or extended-term projects and financial obligations created through City- sponsored or -funded housing and community development projects. In this capacity, HPD performs the following long-term monitoring duties: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ∙ Performs compliance monitoring in accordance with regulatory requirements specified in the agreement; ∙ Reviews and verifies required information and documentation submitted by ∙ ∙ borrowers for compliance with applicable legal obligations and/or regulatory requirements; Enforces and takes corrective action with nonperforming loans and/or projects deemed to be out of compliance in accordance with legal and/or regulatory terms and conditions; and If the beneficiary has been uncooperative, non-responsive, or unwilling to cure the existing default by all reasonable means, staff will discuss with management and will refer the loan to the City Attorney for review, with a recommendation for judgment and/or foreclosure. The first step in the monitoring process includes the development of a risk assessment that is essential in guiding the monitoring efforts of the department. Based on the results of the risk assessment, additional projects may be monitored. Monitoring may be in the form of a desk review, on-site visit, or Uniform Physical Conditions Standards (UPCS) inspection. Technical assistance is available to assist beneficiaries/ borrowers in understanding any aspect of the contractual obligation so that performance goals are met with minimal deficiencies.