REGULAR CALLED MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2026 AT 8:00 A.M. ONE TEXAS CENTER, TRAINING ROOM 505 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote remotely, contact Ana George at participation by Ana.George@austintexas.gov or at (512) 974-4801. telephone. To to speak register CURRENT [BOARD MEMBERS OR COMMISSIONERS]: Lea Downey Gallatin, Chair Anu Kapadia, Vice Chair Kergin Bedell Karly Jo Dixon Patrick Howard Faye Mills Amanda Marzullo Katy Jo Muncie Azalia Perez Josh Robinson Roy Woody AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda including individuals that wish to share first-hand accounts regarding their experiences being served through Austin’s homelessness system. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board Regular Called meeting on January 16, 2026. Page 1 of 2 STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefings regarding status of Austin Community Court operational areas including performance measures and services delivered through Community Services, Court Services, Homeless Services and Support Services – Presentation by Jennifer Sowinski, Clinical Operations Manager; Bailey Gray, Court Operations Manager, and Robert Kingham, Court Administrator from Austin Community Court. ACTION ITEMS 3. 4. 5. Approve Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget recommendations related to Austin Community Court – (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) - Lea Downey Gallatin, DACC Advisory Board Chair Amendment of Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board bylaws to reflect updated name to Austin Community Court Advisory Board – (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) - Robert Kingham, Court Administrator from Austin Community Court. Conduct officer elections for the Chair and Vice Chair. (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) - Robert Kingham, Court Administrator from Austin Community Court. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT 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 contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access …
RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board Recommendation Number: 20260327-003: Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Community Court Budget Recommendation Date of Approval: March 27, 2026 Introduction: The Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board is grateful to City Council and City leadership for preserving six grant-funded FTEs in the FY 25–26 budget and for the investments in staff and social service resources made in recent years. These resources have meaningfully affected the Community Court’s ability to connect Austin residents experiencing homelessness with services and reflect the City’s stated commitment to addressing homelessness as a top priority. At the same time, the Board is concerned that the Austin Community Court’s central role in the City’s homelessness response infrastructure has at times been underestimated in budget and policy decisions. Funding reductions to social service contracts enacted in FY 25–26, along with those projected for FY 26–27, place the Community Court’s service delivery model at risk and threaten access to essential services for Austin residents experiencing homelessness. The Board believes some aspects of these reductions were mistakes that disproportionately threaten an established, cost- effective, nationally recognized service model that should be preserved and fully supported. To avoid repeating these mistakes, and to ensure the City does not lose ground on a stated priority, the Board offers the following recommendations to stabilize and strengthen Community Court operations. Some include targeted, cost-effective investments that would produce meaningful systemwide benefits. The Board respectfully urges Council and City Management to ensure upcoming budget decisions reflect the City’s commitment to addressing homelessness and sustaining the systems that make that work possible. Recommendation: The Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board respectfully recommends that the Austin City Council and City leadership consider the following priorities when developing the FY 26–27 budget: 1. Avoid Repeating Disproportionate Impacts on Homeless Services by Preserving Community Court’s Social Service Resources Applying across-the-board 10% social service contract reductions to Community Court last fiscal year effectively cut 17% of direct services integrated into their homeless services and was a mismatch compared to the 4% reductions for Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations (HSO). This year, Council should instead approach cuts cautiously to avoid such disproportionality and compensate in this budget to remedy losses from the previous cycle. 2. Recognize Austin Community Court as Essential Homelessness Response Infrastructure As a nationally recognized community court model, largely due to their intensive and integrated homeless services, and as a pillar of …
Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board Austin Community Court Service and Data Overview Board Packet – March 27, 2026 Community Services • Community Services Program (CS) – Participants fulfill community service hour requirements through public space cleaning, beautification projects, graffiti abatement, and working at Community Court’s Edgar Fincher III Program Garden, which donates all food and eggs to local providers who feed the homeless community. *Q2 to date contains Jan/Feb of Q2 • Violet KeepSafe Storage Program (VKS) – Free storage located downtown with secure bins to store vital documents, family memories, clothing, bedding, and more. Operates 7:00am- 11:00am and 1:00pm-7:00pm, seven days a week. Program employs people with lived experience to improve service experience and create workforce opportunities. *Q2 to date contains Jan/Feb of Q2 Court Services • Restorative justice and problem-solving court – Fine-only court with emphasis on alternative resolutions, and provides an immediate connection to onsite case managers, basic needs, and social service resources. Community Court resolves Class C criminal offenses in catchment area, and Proposition B and State camping ban cases citywide. *Q2 to date contains Jan/Feb of Q2 • Clinical Diversion Program (CDP) – Dedicated case managers serve people engaging in Court Services to improve connection to case management and social services, while also improving appearance and case completion rates. *Q2 to date contains Jan/Feb of Q2 • Mobile Court – This program, initiated by Council Resolution 20230816-016, is intended to connect people in the community with solutions for resolving cases while providing immediate connection to services and resource navigation through case managers onsite. Homeless Services • Walk-in Case Management – Provides assistance obtaining identification documents and signing up for public benefits, access to basic needs, and linkages to mental health, physical health, and substance misuse services. *Q2 to date contains Jan/Feb of Q2 • Intensive Case Management – Person-centered, housing-focused services with low caseloads and wrap around supports. C’s Intensive Case Management and Walk-in Case Management programs both serve as a diversion from criminal justice involvement by meeting people’s needs before situations escalate to involve law enforcement. *Q2 to date contains Jan/Feb of Q2 *Includes ESG RRH CM as well Support Services - Responsible for special projects and support for all DACC units, administration for the department, internal and external communications, community engagement, support for the DACC Advisory Board and the Austin Homelessness Advisory Council, and social service contracting. • DACC-funded social service contracts …
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 BYLAWS OF THE Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board ARTICLE 1. NAME. The name of the board is Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board. ARTICLE 2. PURPOSE AND DUTIES. The purpose and duties of the board are as follows: to advise the Downtown Austin Community Court on policy and operations issues 14 and advise City Council about the operations and policies of the court. ARTICLE 3. MEMBERSHIP. (A) The board is composed of eleven members appointed by the city council. (B) A member serves at the pleasure of the city council. (C) Board members serve for a term of four years beginning March 1st on the year of appointment. (D) An individual board member may not act in an official capacity or speak on behalf of the board except through the action of a majority of the board in which the board identifies who is authorized to speak and identifies the actions the individual board member is authorized to take or topics on which the individual board member is entitled to speak. (E) A board member who is absent for three consecutive regular meetings or one-third of all regular meetings in a “rolling” twelve-month timeframe automatically vacates the member’s position subject to the holdover provisions in Section 2-1-27 of the City Code. This does not apply to an absence due to illness or injury of the board member, an illness or injury of a board member’s immediate family member, active military service or the birth or adoption of the board member’s child for 90 days after the event. The board member must notify the staff liaison of the reason for the absence not later than the date of the next regular meeting of the board. Failure to notify the liaison before the next regular meeting of the board will result in an unexcused absence. (F) At each meeting, each board member shall sign an attendance sheet (or if participating virtually via videoconference, send an email as provided by City Code Section 2-1-24(D)) which indicates that the member does not have a conflict of interest with any item on that agenda, or identifies …
REGULAR CALLED MEETING OF THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2026 AT 8:00 A.M. ONE TEXAS CENTER, TRAINING ROOM 505 BARTON SPRINGS ROAD AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Edna Staniszewski at edna.staniszewski@austintexas.gov or at (512) 974-1260. CURRENT [BOARD MEMBERS OR COMMISSIONERS]: Lea Downey Gallatin, Chair Anu Kapadia, Vice Chair Kergin Bedell Karly Jo Dixon CALL TO ORDER Mikaela Frissell Faye Mills Amanda Marzullo Katy Jo Muncie Josh Robinson Roy Woody PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda including individuals that wish to share first-hand accounts regarding their experiences being served through Austin’s homelessness system APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board Regular Called meeting on November 21, 2025. Page 1 of 2 STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. 3. Staff briefing regarding FY25 Austin Community Court Budget Update and FY26 City of Austin Budget Timeline – Robert Kingham, Court Administrator, Austin Community Court Staff briefings regarding status of Austin Community Court operational areas including performance measures and services delivered through Community Services, Court Services, Homeless Services and Support Services – (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia). Presentation by Jennifer Sowinski, Clinical Operations Manager; Bailey Gray, Court Operations Manager, and Robert Kingham, Court Administrator from Austin Community Court. ACTION ITEMS 4. Create a working group for 2026-27 Budget recommendations related to Austin Community Court case management services and community programs (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) – Robert Kingham, Court Administrator from Austin Community Court. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT 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 contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Edna Staniszewski at Austin Community Court Department, …
FY26 Budget Update & FY27 Budget Timeline Austin Community Court | 1/16/26 City Budget Highlights A base wage increase of 4% or $2,120, whichever amount is greater for all regular non-sworn employees hired on or before April 1, 2025. An increase in the City’s living wage from $21.63 to $22.05 per hour. No premium rate increases for any City medical and dental plans. Increase in calendar year limits for chiropractor care for all medical plans and acupuncture care for PPO and CDHP medical plans. Fertility benefits, including cryopreservation with a lifetime maximum of $20,000. Additional coverage option for Dependent Life Insurance of $30,000 for spouse/domestic partner and $15,000 for children. 2 Community Court Budget Highlights Funding to transition 6 ARPA funded staff to General Fund 10% reduction to wrap around support service contracts ($630k) EMCOT more than a $2 million increase to get to 24/7 Field Response Operations The Sobering Center, which has transitioned to Community Court as of this fiscal year, is seeing an increase of $500k, which will help them keep up with operational cost increases and make some positive 3 FY25 Community Court Social Service Contracts Jeff Sounalath Edna Staniszewski Purpose of Community Court Social Service Contracts • Social Service Contracts o Directly serve Community Court clients o Part of wraparound supports that are critical for our case management and community court model • Additional community wide programs including EMCOT and Sobering Center o Managed by Community Court Subject matter expertise and contracting infrastructure in place o Creates efficiencies for other public safety departments Community Court Social Service Investments Services include: • Long- and short-term housing solutions • Mental health services • Peer support • Substance use treatment • SSI/ SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery (SOAR) application assistance and representative payee services • Mental health first response • Community planning efforts for reentry services FY25 Investments Agency Program A New Entry, Inc. ANE Bridge Housing Communities for Recovery, Inc. Peer-based Recovery Support Services Contract Budget $75,000 $270,571 Family Eldercare Family Eldercare Foundation Communities Integral Care Integral Care Integral Care Integral Care Integral Care Integral Care Integral Care The Other Ones Foundation, Inc. Rep. Payee Services and SOAR App. Assistance $127,434 Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) DACC Permanent Supportive Housing $1,050,000 $433,000 Expanded Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (EMCOT) $4,725,569 Homeless Health and Wellness Center (Jan-Sep) $393,151 Homeless Health …
DACC ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES (16, JANUARY 2026) DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES JANUARY 16, 2026 The DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD convened in a REGULAR CALLED meeting on 16, JANUARY, 2026 at 505 BARTON SPRINGS RD in Austin, Texas. Chair Lea Downey Gallatin called the DOWNTOWN AUSTIN COMMUNITY COURT ADVISORY BOARD Meeting to order at 8:08 a.m. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance: Chair Lea Downey Gallatin and Roy Woody. Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Vice Chair Dr. Anu Kapadia, Faye Mills, Mikaela Frissell, and Josh Robinson. PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL No speakers were registered. Board reviewed minutes after items on page 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Downtown Austin Community Court Advisory Board Regular Called meeting on November 21, 2025. • The minutes from the meeting of November 21, 2025 were approved on Board Member Roy Woody’s motion, Board Member Anu Kapadia, second on a (6-0) vote with four members not in attendance. STAFF BRIEFINGS 2. Staff briefing regarding FY25 Austin Community Court Budget Update and FY26 City of Austin Budget Timeline. • Robert Kingham, Court Administrator and Jeff Sounalath, Business Process Specialist presented and responded to questions from the board. 1 DACC ADVISORY BOARD MEETING MINUTES (16, JANUARY 2026) 3. Staff briefings regarding status of Austin Community Court operational areas including performance measures and services delivered through Community Services, Court Services, Homeless Services and Support Services. • Presentation by Jennifer Sowinski, Clinical Operations Manager; Bailey Gray, Court Operations Manager, and Robert Kingham, Court Administrator from Austin Community Court. ACTION ITEMS 4. Create a working group for 2026-27 Budget recommendations related to Austin Community Court case management services and community programs (Downey Gallatin/Kapadia) – Robert Kingham, Court Administrator from Austin Community Court. • The to approve working group were approved on Board Member Roy Woody’s motion, Board Member Anu Kapadia, second on a (6-0) vote with four members not in attendance. Board volunteers; chair Lea Downey Gallatin and vice chair Anu Kapadia. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT Meeting was adjourned at 9:24am. The minutes were approved at the March 27, 2026, meeting on Board Member Patrick Howard’s motion, Board Member Katy Jo Muncie second on a (7-0) vote with four members not in attendance. 2
