Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission - April 10, 2020
Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission Special Called Meeting of the Hispanic Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission - Videoconference
Hispanic Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission Special Meeting of the “Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Advisory Commission” April 10, 2020 @ 3pm Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Advisory Commission to be held April 10, 2020 with Social Distancing Modifications Public comment will be allowed via telephone; no in‐person input will be allowed. All speakers must register in advance (April 9, 2020 by Noon). All public comment will occur at the beginning of the meeting. To speak remotely at the April 10, 2020 at the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Advisory Commission Meeting, residents must: • Call or email the board liaison at Amanda.Jasso@austintexas.gov or 512‐974‐9107 no later than noon, (the day before the meeting). The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on, whether they are for/against/neutral, and a telephone number or email address. • Once a request to speak has been called in or emailed to the board liaison, residents will receive either an email or phone call providing the telephone number to call on the day of the scheduled meeting. • Speakers must call in at least 30 minutes prior to meeting start in order to speak, late callers will not be accepted and will not be able to speak. • Speakers will be placed in a queue until their time to speak. • Handouts or other information may be emailed to Amanda.Jasso@austintexas.gov by Noon the day before the scheduled meeting. This information will be provided to Board and Commission members in advance of the meeting. Residents may watch the meeting here: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch‐atxn‐live 1 | P a g e Hispanic Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE Friday, April 10, 2020 at 3pm VIA VIDEOCONFERENCING http://www.austintexas.gov/page /watch-atxn-live Jovita J. Flay Felicia Peña Ricardo Garay Lourdes Zuniga Sharon Vigil AGENDA CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Amanda Afifi, Chair Angelica Erazo, Vice-Chair Diana Salas Melissa Ayala Zaira R. Garcia Maria C. Solis CALL TO ORDER RULES OF ORDER 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 3. NEW BUSINESS 1. DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON SUSPENSION OF ROBERT’S a. Consider Approval of March 10 meeting minutes a. Discussion and possible action regarding COVID-19 and resources needed for the Latinx and Hispanic community. b. Discussion and possible action regarding FY2020-2021 budget recommendations 4. STAFF BRIEFING a. Introduction of Rocío Villalobos, Immigrant Affairs Coordinator, Equity Office ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is …
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Commission Recommendation Number: 20200410‐003a ‐ COVID‐19 Equity in Food and Testing WHEREAS, early COVID‐19 data around the nation indicates that the coronavirus is disproportionally impacting Latino/Hispanic and African Americans; and WHEREAS, Latino/Hispanic and African American populations are often on the front lines of exposure to the pandemic and less likely to have health insurance and access to transportation, which complicates the ability to seek treatment for illnesses; and WHEREAS, mass loss of employment and financial strain has worsened food and resource insecurity and increased the urgent need for food resources. WHEREAS, the Austin community values equity and ensuring that all our vulnerable communities are protected and sufficiently served NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Commission urges the Austin City Council to ensure equitable testing of COVID‐19 Austin prioritizing the Eastern Crescent by restricting and tailoring funds to specifically service these areas. Equitable testing includes geographic equity in location of testing sites, the use of community health workers to conduct mobile testing and contact tracing, distribution of personal protective equipment to community health workers and other frontline staff, and equitable services in care and recovery from COVID‐19. All testing and treatment should incorporate racial and ethnic data collection. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Commission urges the Austin City Council to ensure equitable access to mobile social service and food distribution sites prioritizing the Eastern Crescent by restricting and tailoring funds to specifically service these areas. In the interest of equity as well as public health, food distribution should be decentralized through the use of neighborhood centers and other methods of mobile distribution opposed to just the Central Texas Food Bank and current existing methods. In order to achieve this, the City of Austin should look to receive recommendations on processes and locations from the Social Services Branch of the Emergency Operations Center and local community groups. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that these funds should not come out of the $15M RISE fund. Date of Approval: April 10, 2020 Record of the vote: (I.e. Unanimous on a 7‐0 vote, 1 abstained – Commissioner Sharon Vigil). Attest: (Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Staff Liaison)
BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission Recommendation Number: (20200410‐3a): COVID‐19 Minority Small Business Aid WHEREAS, immigrant‐owned businesses in 2019 employed 8 million Americans; and WHEREAS, about 3.2 million immigrants ran their own businesses, making up one in every five entrepreneurs in the country; and WHEREAS, in Texas in 2018 there were: 389,455 immigrant entrepreneurs and 635,942 employees at immigrant‐owned firms; and WHEREAS, in the Austin Metro Area in 2017 we had 25,037 immigrant entrepreneurs; and WHEREAS, local small businesses continue to shape and influence the local economic landscape of our city. Unlike other businesses, many local small Latino minority/women‐owned businesses continue to face market and financial barriers and discrimination. People of color continue to earn less than their white counterparts and are routinely subjected to predatory lending and higher interest rates, which impairs their ability to raise traditional capital and financing. Much of these disparities are documented in previous City of Austin disparity study reports; and WHEREAS, to date, there are gaps in the proposed loan programs recommended by the City that do not serve/support many Latino own businesses and/or our immigrant owned businesses; and WHEREAS, the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission’s purpose is to advise the City of Austin on Latino/Hispanic American quality of life; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission requests that Austin City Council: 1. Expand scopes of work, tasks and deliverables with existing service provider contracts with Trade Associations and Chambers in an effort to expand the City’s efforts to support local small businesses, enhance communications, outreach and resources including, but not limited to the following: ● Expand and provide additional bilingual technical support and advocacy to local small firms to address and resolve potential procurement, contract and/or payment resolutions with Prime contractors and/or the City of Austin; and ● Expand and provide bilingual technical assistance, consultation and support to local small, minority owned construction/consulting firms interested in seeking and submitting SBA loan requests; and ● Expand and provide additional bilingual outreach and communications to local, small firms access City/Community information, resources during the COVID‐19 pandemic to support their businesses; and ● Apply an across the board flat contract increase to all services providers; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: ● Allow for the electronic submission of invoicing and fast track payments; and ● Fast track payment on invoicing for all consultants/contractors working on …
