20240703-004: Community Investment Budget 2025 Presentation — original pdf

Backup

Community Investment Budget Fiscal Year 2025 Introductions Who is Equity Action? ● Equity Action is a non-profit (c4) focused on protecting and expanding Austin’s transformative justice efforts. What is the Community Investment Budget? ● In collaboration with dozens of community organizations, Equity Action facilitated a FY2025 Community Investment Budget prevent violence and overdoses, stabilize people and families living on the margins, address crises with appropriate first responders, create opportunity and ensure that the long-awaited Climate Equity Plan and Sustainable Food Plans are implemented starting FY25. History of CIB and other Community-Led Budget Initiatives Austin has a long history of community-based budgeting. ● For many years Communities of Color United organized and advocated for an annual People’s Budget. These community-driven spending priorities centered public health and equity. ● The first Community Investment Budget was FY22-23 and reflected input from the largest coalition ever coordinated to address unmet community needs. After voters rejected a ballot proposal to tie up $120M in additional police, we pressed the city to think about public safety in a new way -- well-maintained parks, housing, youth activities, living wages, an independent forensic lab, public health initiatives to keep people safe from the pandemic and more! ● This year we’re back because mental health first response, substance-related deaths, rehousing and housing stabilization, safe and well maintained parks, and workforce opportunity requires ongoing investment! Community Investment Budget Priorities Fiscal Year 2025 ● Crime survivor support, violence prevention ● Park maintenance, library materials ● Overdose prevention/NARCAN ● Mental health crisis response ● Sheltering/housing the unhoused ● Preventing eviction and stabilizing vulnerable families ● Re-entry assistance with jobs, housing for formerly incarcerated ● Resilience hubs in areas most vulnerable to extreme weather ● Workforce development & opportunity ● New sustainable food plan ● Implement climate equity plan and address water availability/cost Why is the CIB important? While Austin is considered one of the best cities in the country to live in for many people, we still have a long way to go to ensure that it is the best for everyone - regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status, language and income. The CIB this year details spending priorities for 5.7% of the roughly $1.4 billion General Revenue budget. These funding recommendations address well established community needs, gaps in existing programs and services, and suggest ways to improve the safety and quality of life for Austinites across the city. Many H/LQoL Recs Included This commission made 10 budget recommendations to the City at your March meeting. Our collaboration process ended up including 5 of them. ● Early childhood care with emphasis on home based care ● Legal services for immigrants (added another $100k) ● Increase Family Stabilization Grants to $3M ● Emergency funds for families: we went bigger, totaling $10.8M for rental assistance, non-rent emergency assistance and wrap around legal services to prevent eviction and $500k for first-rent/utilities/fees for people trying to enter housing from incarceration. ● Re-entry: $1.1M for housing and job placement for people after incarceration. Questions?