Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission - March 22, 2022
Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission Regular Meeting of the Hispanic Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission - Hybrid virtual and in-person meeting
REGULAR MEETING OF THE HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2022 AT 5:30 PM AUSTIN CITY HALL – BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ROOM 1101 301 W 2ND St, AUSTIN, TX 78701 Some members of the Commission may be participating by videoconference Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by 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. To register: Call or email the board liaison at Amanda.Jasso@austintexas.gov or 512-974-9107. The information required is the speaker name, item number(s) they wish to speak on if applicable, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). AGENDA CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Amanda Afifi, District 2, Chair Sharon Vigil, District 7, Vice-Chair Ricardo Garay, District 3 Jesus Perales, District 8 Zaira R. Garcia, District 4 CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Each speaker will have three minutes to speak Maria C. Solis, District 5 Felicia Peña, Mayor Sandy Ramirez, District 6 Daniela Silva, District 1 District 9 - Vacant District 10 - Vacant 1. APPROVAL OF FEBRUARY MEETING MINUTES 2. STAFF BRIEFINGS a. Equity-Based Historic Preservation Plan – Update to plan that will replace Austin’s 1981 preservation plan with an inclusive, equity-focused, and community-oriented process and outcome. Presenters: Cara Bertron and Elizabeth Brummett, Housing and Planning Department b. FY 22-23 Action Plan – Briefing and discussion on upcoming spending priorities for federal housing and community development grants as part of Community Needs Assessment for the FY 22023 Action Plan. Presenter: Katie Horstman, Housing and Planning Department c. Body-worn and Dashboard Cameras – Briefing from Office of Police Oversight on public information and engagement campaign related to APD’s current body-worn camera and dashboard camera program and rules. Presenter: Karla Peredo, Office of Police Oversight 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Discussion and possible action regarding FY 2022-2023 Budget 4. OLD BUSINESS Discussion and possible action: a. Economic Development and Access to Affordable Housing work group (Commissioner Garcia) b. Health Work Group (Commissioner Garay) c. Representatives to Joint Inclusion Committee (Chair Afifi and Vice-Chair Vigil) d. Representatives to Commission on Seniors (Commissioner Solis) e. Budget and Policy Priorities Work Group (Chair Afifi, Vice-Chair Vigil, and Commissioners Peña, Silva, and Perales) …
Hispanic/Latino QOL Resource Advisory Commission Karla Peredo Office of Police Oversight, Community Engagement Specialist March 22, 2022 Website: ATXPoliceOversight.org Phone: (512) 972-2OPO or (512) 972-2676 ATXPoliceOversight ATX_OPO Agenda • OPO Overview • BIPOC communities & policing • Enhancing Transparency ➢How to File a Complaint/ Thank You • Building Partnerships ➢Community Outreach ➢Know Your Rights • Questions Mission Statement The mission of the Office of Police Oversight (OPO) is to provide impartial oversight of the Austin Police Department’s conduct, practices, and policies to enhance accountability, inform the public to increase transparency and create sustainable partnerships throughout the community. Three Main Focus Areas Community Engagement Complaints Research 2018-2019 Report findings relevant to BIPOC communities Joint Report: Analysis of APD’s 2019 Racial Profiling Data • Black/African American drivers are the most overrepresented group in motor vehicle stops, making up approximately 8% of the Austin population, 14% of the motor vehicle stops, 25% of searches, and 25% of the arrests, and were the only demographic to receive more high discretion than low discretion searches • The Black/African American driving population had two times more motor vehicle stops per driving population than the White/Caucasian driving population. White/Caucasians and Asians received a higher percentage of warnings/field observations at 63% and 64%, respectively • Black/African Americans were three times more likely to be searched and were approximately three times more likely to be arrested than White/Caucasians • Hispanic/Latino drivers make up 34% of motor vehicle stops and 43% of arrests resulting from stops, but make up 31% of Austin’s adult population • Hispanic/Latinos received the highest percentage of citations at 44% 2018 Officer-Involved Shooting Report • Austin officer-involved shootings in 2018 showed that 7 out of 12 incidents involved Latinx individuals. • Most individuals involved in the 2018 incidents were ethnic minorities, specifically Latinx males, and most individuals involved in the 2018 incidents were between 20-28 years old. • The highest concentration of Officer-Involved Shootings occurred in City Council District 2, the borders of which closely mirror those of APD’s Frank sector. District 2 and Frank sector cover southeast Austin. How to Make a Complaint/Thank you www.atxpoliceoversight.org Community Engagement • 41 community events attended in 2021 • Tabling - office hours, resource fairs, Back to School events, festivals, conferences • Presentations - service providers, community meetings • APD's Use of Force policies • Flyering in Districts 1- 4 • Townhalls • Race and Policing in Austin • …
HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 2022032-3aⅳ EXPAND FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS FOR HISPANIC/LATINO COMMUNITY Strategic Direction: Economic Opportunity & Affordability; Safety; Health & Environment Date: March 22, 2022 Subject: FY23 Budget Recommendations Motioned by: Garay Seconded by: Silva Recommendation to Council: Increase Austin Public Health’s funding for mental health services that serve Hispanic/Latino clients. Ensure services are provided in the client’s preferred language. Ensure services provided are culturally tailored and that the professionals are culturally competent as well. Background and Rationale: The Reimagining Public Safety Task Force 2021 Mid Year Recommendations report states, “There are very little programs and services that either offer clinicians that can effectively and competently provide services to predominantly marginalized populations such as people with disabilities, queer and trans individuals, Black and brown people, and our immigrant and undocumented community members, or non-English speakers or that provide low-cost sliding scales services and almost none that offer both. We call on the City to support and reinvest in the collected mental wellbeing of our communities and to invest in the provision of mental telehealth opportunities for particularly vulnerable populations.” The City of Austin needs to be intentional when selecting service providers to ensure the most vulnerable populations, which includes Hispanic/Latino people, are able to equitably access mental health services. According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, overall mental health issues are on the rise for Latinx/Hispanic people between the ages of 12-49. In 2018, 56.8% of Latinx/Hispanic young adults 18-25 and 39.6% of adults 26-49 with serious mental illness did NOT receive treatment. According to the American Psychiatric Association, bilingual patients are evaluated differently when evaluated in English versus Spanish, and Latinx/Hispanic people are more frequently undertreated than whites. Hispanic children and adolescents are at significant risk for mental health problems, and in many cases at greater risk than white children. Barriers to accessing mental health care include lack of insurance or inadequate insurance; lack of knowledge/awareness about mental health problems and services available; cultural stigma associated with mental illness; language; lack of culturally tailored services and culturally competent mental health professionals; shortage of bilingual or linguistically trained mental health professionals; difficulties recognizing the first signs of mental illness; and problems identifying psychiatric symptoms when chief complaint is somatic symptom. For: Afifi, Solis, Garay, Ramirez, Perales, Silva Vote: Against: None Abstain: Vigil Absent: Peña, Garcia Attest: _________________________________ Amanda Afifi, Chair …
HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20220322-3aⅲ EXPAND FUNDING FOR AISD PARENT SUPPORT SPECIALISTS Strategic Direction: Economic Opportunity & Affordability; Safety; Health & Environment Date: March 22, 2022 Subject: FY23 Budget Recommendations Motioned by: Garay Seconded by: Perales Renew and increase Austin Public Health’s funding for AISD Parent Support Specialists (PSS). Recommendation to Council: Background and Rationale: The City of Austin has an interlocal agreement with Austin Independent School District for the provision of resources connecting parents and families to family-centered and other social services. AISD Parent Support Specialists, who are funded 50% by the City of Austin, are placed in Title I schools. PSSs are charged to identify, develop, and engage parents in their child’s education by providing parent and family support, conducting communications and outreach, and creating parent leadership opportunities. AISD relies on PSSs to educate and refer students and their families to City and County resources, and to collaborate with social services community partners to provide support to the families and help to alleviate stressors. Their work helps improve maternal, child, and adolescent health outcomes. PSSs annually organize and conduct approximately 3,000 parent education events, with approximately 80,000 parents and guardians in attendance. PSSs organize and conduct approximately 600 life skills events annually, with approximately 17,000 parents in attendance Parent Support Specialists are rooted in the community and have meaningful relationships with the families they serve. Many are bilingual, and they communicate with families in their preferred language. The skills and relationships PSSs build and maintain are essential during times of crisis. At the start of the pandemic, PSSs saw an increase within the first three months of the pandemic. They served 8,000 families. On February 7, 2021, KVUE published a story about a PSS helping an AISD mother of two create a resume to get a job. This story also mentioned how PSSs have been working continuously since the pandemic began. At the February 26, 2022, Quality of Life Commission Budge Engagement Town Hall, commissioners learned that the PSS at Padron Elementary has been coordinating and finding housing for the school families that were affected by fires that happened in North Austin. Parent Support Specialists play a critical role in the communities they serve; however, there continue to be job openings. One reason for open positions is the low salary offered for this position. Current openings for PSSs show a salary of $17.34 per …
HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20220322-3aⅵ EXPAND FUNDING FOR AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER ARCHIVISTS Strategic Direction: Culture and Lifelong Learning Date: March 22, 2022 Subject: FY23 Budget Recommendations Motioned by: Vigil Seconded by: Solis Recommendation to Council: Expand funding for Austin History Center archivists that is specifically earmarked for outreach and creating exhibits. Additionally, expand funding to cover expenses associated with recording oral history. Expand funding by $100,000 for the LatinX Community Archivist to hire or train LatinX community to preserve history. Background and Rationale: As the local history division of the Austin Public Library, the Austin History Center provides the public with information about the history, current events, and activities of Austin and Travis County. They collect and preserve information about local governments, businesses, residents, institutions, and neighborhoods so that generations to come will have access to our history. The Austin History Center has limited capacity to complete projects with current funding. Each archivist has a budget of $5,000. This funding is not adequate for outreach, creating rotating exhibits, and recording oral history. Each archivist needs expanded funding to effectively complete job responsibilities. The Austin History Center has limited capacity to help preserve the LatinX experience in Austin. The Austin History center compiled the LatinX Resource Guide which contains valuable materials about Austin’s Mexican American communities. However, significant gaps in the Latinx Communities collection remain and continued work to fill the gaps is needed. An increase in the budget by $100,000 for the LatinX Community Archivist to hire or train LatinX community to preserve history is recommended. For: Afifi, Vigil, Solis, Ramirez, Perales, Silva Vote: Against: None Abstain: Garay Absent: Peña, Garcia Attest: _________________________________ Amanda Afifi, Chair
HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20220322-3aⅱ EXPAND FUNDING FOR IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES Strategic Direction: Safety Date: March 22, 2022 Subject: FY23 Budget Recommendations Motioned by: Vigil Seconded by: Garay Increase Austin Public Health’s funding for pro bono and low bono immigration legal services. Recommendation to Council: Background and Rationale: We continue to hear from the community concerns regarding underfunding of immigration legal services. Only a small number of individuals are served with the current funding. There are very few organizations in Austin that have the ability to provide legal services to our immigrant communities pro bono. One of the service providers is American Gateways. They are currently only able to meet 25% of the need. The need for legal services continues to expand due to the complicated immigration legal system. For: Afifi, Vigil, Solis, Garay, Ramirez, Perales, Silva Vote: Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Peña, Garcia Attest: _________________________________ Amanda Afifi, Chair American Gateways presentation to the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission - https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=377126
HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20220322-3aⅰ EXPAND FUNDING FOR TWO-GENERATION BILINGUAL EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS Strategic Direction: Economic Opportunity & Affordability Date: March 22, 2022 Subject: FY23 Budget Recommendations Motioned by: Vigil Seconded by: Solis Recommendation to Council: Increase Austin Public Health’s funding for two-generation bilingual early childhood programs. Ensure locations like Del Valle have access to programs in their community. Background and Rationale: The City of Austin has an agreement with Any Baby Can of Austin, Inc. to provide early childhood services to enable families to achieve self-sufficiency. These services are provided to residents through 10 agencies that comprise the Ready Families Collaborative. There are a few service providers subcontracted to provide two-generation bilingual early childhood education services. AVANCE-Austin is one of the agencies tasked to provide such services. They serve approximately 30 clients with City of Austin funding. They provide parenting and early education classes; home-visitation and case management; transportation; and food for clients. The Camp Fire USA Balcones Council provides the Play to Learn two-generation parenting program, serving approximately 60 clients. The Literacy Coalition of Central Texas provides the Playing and Learning Strategies (PALS) program in multiple sites and classrooms, serving approximately 100 clients. Communities In Schools provides comprehensive dual generation family literacy programming, PAT home visiting, and Incredible Years group parenting classes. They serve roughly 175 clients. These programs combined serve approximately 365 clients. This is not adequate funding for high quality Spanish and bilingual (Spanish and English) early childhood education and services that also includes case management, parenting education, literacy and educational programming for parents, and community support. These programs help the child and parents by providing them with support in their preferred language. These programs help families establish networks of support. The programs are designed to assist under-resourced families of young children in overcoming isolation and lack of opportunity. With the pandemic, we have heard numerous stories of learning loss in grade school children; however, we must not forget about the valuable socialization and learning loss suffered by the youngest children. Children born just before and during the start of the pandemic are turning 2 and 3 years old. They did not have the same socialization opportunities afforded to children pre-COVID. Although providers pivoted to online services, not all clients had reliable internet service to access them. It was difficult to provide online services to young children. Online services cannot replace in-person …
HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20220322-3aⅴ FUNDING FOR ART IN PUBLIC PLACES AND CULTURAL ARTS Strategic Direction: Culture and Lifelong Learning Date: March 22, 2022 Subject: FY23 Budget Recommendations Motioned by: Vigil Seconded by: Perales Recommendation to Council: Provide a one time budget increase of $75,000 so that Art in Public Places is able to study the impact of public/community art. Allocate additional resources to update CAMP Report community-created maps and directory of cultural assets across the city, including Thriving in Place, a primer on place-based economic development for cultural spaces. Expand funding to pay artists when repairing their work from graffiti. Background and Rationale: The City of Austin was the first municipality in Texas to make a commitment to include works of art in construction projects. By Ordinance, 2% of eligible capital improvement project budgets are allocated to commissioner purchase art for that site. Established by the City in 1985, the Art in Public Places (AIPP) program collaborates with local & nationally-known artists to include the history and values of our community into cultural landmarks that have become cornerstones of Austin’s identity. This legacy has yielded close to 400 artworks in the City’s public art collection. AIPP is several years into a constant improvement process to ensure that artwork resonates with the community receiving it, and to ensure that AIPP is commissioning artists whose voices have been underrepresented in the AIPP collection. The AIPP Program can point to anecdotal success from these efforts. However, since its inception this program has not had an impact study. Economic Development’s AIPP program will work with a contractor to study the impact of public/community art on our shared civic spaces. This is particularly important in communities where art has been an expression of the shared experience of Austin’s traumatized communities, such as is visible in the murals of East Austin. The AIPP program will seek recommendations for best practices from the evaluation consultant to: ● Evaluate how residents perceive the AIPP program and the City’s public art collection overall. ○ Is AIPP delivering services appropriately? ○ Do residents know about the art in their neighborhoods?; ● Evaluate how we are communicating the artist’s intent and important stories behind the artwork via the digital platforms and the artwork plaques which are now our primary forms of communicating this information. ○ Is this sufficient? ○ What new/additional delivery methods might we use? …
HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20220322-3aⅶ FUNDING FOR UPDATED HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE STUDY Strategic Direction: Government that Works for All Date: March 22, 2022 Subject: FY23 Budget Recommendations Motioned by: Vigil Seconded by: Garay Allocate $300,000 for an updated Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Study. Recommendation to Council: Background and Rationale: As a direct result of the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Initiative Report, Ordinance Number 20130808-059 established the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission in 2013. Per Austin Code Section 2-1-146, the Commission shall advise the City Council on issues relating to the quality of life for the City's Hispanic/Latino community and shall recommend 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. The Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission has been strongly advocating for an updated Quality of Life report for some time now. The report that was published in 2013 is outdated and needs have changed, especially during and after multiple emergencies, including COVID and winter storm Uri. A systems-level intersectional approach is needed for this study. The success of the LGBTQIA+ study in reaching directly impacted residents is a testament to how successful this work can be. For: Afifi, Vigil, Solis, Garay, Ramirez, Perales, Silva Vote: Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Peña, Garcia Attest: _________________________________ Amanda Afifi, Chair Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Initiative Report - https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/City_Manager/HispanicReport-ver_6-0901_1 3.pdf
EQUITY-BASED HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN Briefing to Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission—March 22, 2022 GOAL Replace Austin’s 1981 preservation plan with an inclusive, equity-focused, and community- oriented process and outcome WHY NOW? • Substantial population growth • High development pressure • Existing preservation plan approved in 1981 WHY NOW? EQUITY + COMMUNITY • How can we better recognize, preserve, and share important places and stories? • How can preservation policies and tools address essential issues like sustainability, affordability, and displacement? • How can citizens co-create preservation policies? ) t h g i r ( i n o s u c n l I l i a c o S d n a n o i t a v r e s e r P , ) r e t n e c d n a t f e l ( n i t s u A f o y t i C / r i a h C n e p O : s e g a m I EQUITY + COMMUNITY Images (clockwise from top): Westside Preservation Alliance/Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, Columbia University, City and County of San Francisco, Calle 24 Latino Cultural District, National Trust for Historic Preservation, San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation HISTORY MATTERS HISTORY MATTERS HISTORY MATTERS Historic landmark COMMUNITY-BASED PROCESS Professional facilitator Community heritage survey Focus: vision for plan City staff from 12 departments Focus groups Cultural and heritage organizations, legacy businesses, neighborhood associations COMMUNITY-BASED PROCESS Preservation Plan Working Group Recruitment through community partners $25/hour compensation available Laptop and wifi hotspot loans available COMMUNITY-BASED PROCESS Preservation Plan Working Group 150 applicants Multipronged selection process – Short answers – Stakeholder representation – Lived experience + geographic diversity COMMUNITY-BASED PROCESS 29 community members 22 ZIP codes 17 members opting into compensation AUSTIN WORKING GROUP COMMUNITY-BASED PROCESS Affordable housing advocate Archaeologist Architect Attorney Business owner City board or commission Community member Contractor Developer Economic development organization Educational institution Engineer Heritage organization Heritage tourism professional Historic property owner Historical commission (City, County, State) Landscape architect Neighborhood association Preservation organization Preservation consultant Religious institution Social justice organization Urban planner/planning organization LAYING THE FOUNDATION LAYING THE FOUNDATION MEETING SCHEDULE – PHASE 1 Essential Background and Process July ’21 Introduction and goals Apr. May Enforcement and …
Community Needs Assessment Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Commission Discussion on community needs and spending priorities for the FY 22-23 Action Plan Agenda Review of FY 20-21 Performance Federal Reporting Process Review of Existing Programs Community Needs Assessment/ Public Comment Schedule Provide Your Feedback Review of Past Performance A look at services provided with federal funding in FY 20-21 FY 20-21 Accomplishments Snapshot • Total number of people served through federally funded projects: 3,552 • Total number of people/households earning Extremely Low-Income (<30% MFI) served: 2,688 • Total number of federal dollars spent: Entitlement: $9,765,175 CARES Act: $10,196,749 4 Population Served by Income 2,688 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 411 406 85 Extremely Low Income (<30% MFI) Very Low Income (31%-50% MFI) Low Income (51%-80% MFI) >80% MFI 5 Population of Austin Vs. Population Served by Race Population of Austin Vs. Population Served by Ethnicity 120.00% 100.00% 80.00% 60.00% 40.00% 20.00% 0.00% 32.41% 33.90% 67.59% 66.10% Population Served, FY 20-21 Population of Austin, 2019 Not Hispanic/Latinx Hispanic/Latinx People Served by Investment Category Investment Category Persons/Households Served Special Needs Assistance Homeless Assistance Renter Assistance Homebuyer Assistance Homeowner Assistance Housing Development Assistance 33 Total 878 1,153 1,327 43 120 3,552 Austin Small Business Relief Grant Program Investment Category Businesses Served Other Community Development Assistance 89 8 FY 20-21 Services Provided- Goals vs. Outcomes Select Programs Down Payment Assistance Tenant Based Rental Assistance Senior Services • Goal: 25 • Actual: 43 • Budgeted: $1,484,108 • Expended: $1,585,999 Ownership Housing Development Assistance • Goal: 16 • Actual: 42 • Budgeted: $6,293,366 • Expended: Federal: $202,562; GO Bonds: $5,860,334 • Goal: 85 • Actual: 113 • Budgeted: $1,140,849 • Expended: $979,663 • Goal: 175 • Actual: 184 • Budgeted: $123,995 • Expended: $123,995 FY 20-21 Services Provided- Goals vs. Outcomes Select Programs Architectural Barrier Removal-Owner Minor Home Repair • Goal: 80 • Actual: 29 • Budgeted: $1,510,000 • Expended: $567,166 • Goal: 200 • Actual: 85 • Budgeted: $900,000 • Expended: $781,409 Homeowner Rehabilitation Loan Program • Goal: 9 • Actual: 6 • Budgeted: $840,000 • Expended: $748,584 *includes General Fund dollars) Rental Housing Development Assistance • Goal: 411 • Actual: 335 • Budgeted: $22,540,335 • Expended: Federal: $269,585; GO Bonds: $22,057,711 Homelessness Services* Tenants’ Rights Assistance Childcare Services • Goal: 1,118 • Actual: 426 • Budgeted: $682,911 • Expended: $1,638,420 • Goal: 527 • Actual: 297 • Budgeted: $287,223 • Expended: $287,223 • …
HISPANIC/LATINO QUALITY OF LIFE RESOURCE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20220322-3aⅸ CONTINUE AND EXPAND FUNDING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND AFFORDABILITY Strategic Direction: Economic Opportunity & Affordability; Safety; Health & Environment Date: March 22, 2022 Subject: FY23 Budget Recommendations Motioned by: Silva Seconded by: Ramirez Recommendation to Council: Continue and expand funding for rental assistance, including programs like I Belong in Austin. Increase subsidization of on site affordability to keep people in their homes. These tools for anti-displacement should be available at <60% median family income. Background and Rationale: The need for rental and mortgage assistance did not start with the pandemic. Before COVID, people were being displaced due to gentrification. Affordability was, and continues to be, a major concern for the Hispanic/Latino community. The cost of housing continues to increase for both homebuyers and renters. Recently, Austin topped the list of cities where rent has risen the fastest. Rent is up 40% since February 2021. Additionally, the median home price in Austin has nearly doubled since January 2016, going from just under $255,000 to $499,995 in February 2022. There are incentives for developers to include affordable housing units in their developments; however, it is up to them to come to this decision. By state law, there can be no affordable housing requirement placed on developers. Currently, we do not know how many developers decide to provide affordable housing versus how many decide not to. This restriction limits the number of affordable units in our city. Even when developers provide affordable housing, it centers around residents at 60%-80% MFI. Developers do not want 30%-40% MFI and below because there is no profit in it. There are a variety of rental and mortgage assistance programs centering those impacted by COVID. The most recent RENT program funds were all disbursed, and the application portal is now closed. This is not the first time all funding was disbursed. However, the community continues to express the need for additional funds. Assistance should not solely be related to the impacts of COVID. Assistance must include people impacted by gentrification. For: Afifi, Vigil, Solis, Garay, Ramirez, Perales, Silva Vote: Against: None Abstain: None Absent: Peña, Garcia Attest: _________________________________ Amanda Afifi, Chair Development Agreements Rent Rates (PDF) - https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Housing_%26_Planning/Dev%20Incentives% 20%26%20Agreements/Development_Agreements_Rent_Rates_06012021_final.pdf Development Incentives Sales Prices (PDF) - https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Housing_%26_Planning/Dev%20Incentives% 20%26%20Agreements/Development_Incentives_Sale_Prices_06012021.pdf Development Incentives Rent Rates (PDF) - https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Development_Incentives_Rent_Rates_Rev.7. 7.21.pdf
