2. Preservation Plan Engagement Report

Historic Landmark Commission – July 3, 2024

2. Preservation Plan Engagement Report — original pdf

Backup

Thumbnail of the first page of the PDF — Page 1 of 54 pages

Report of Public Involvement and Feedback Updated July 2, 2024 PHOTO CREDITS : DIANNA DEAN, CD&P, TAP-ATXTable of Contents Section 1: Executive Summary Community Engagement Objectives Metrics for Success Engagement Summary Partners Preservation Plan Committee Preservation Plan Working Group Historic Preservation Office Staff Technical Advisory Group Mini-Grant Partner Organizations Community Ambassadors Section 2: Engagement Activities and Materials Summary Engagement Activities Plan Materials Section 3: What We Heard Community Survey Results Section 4: Engagement Overview City-Hosted Events Partner Organization-Hosted Events Community-Ambassador-Led Events Presentations at Community Meetings Pop-Up Tabling Events 1-on-1 and Small Group Conversations City of Austin Board and Commission Briefings Deep Dives Flyer Distribution Unique Engagements Section 5: Plan Communications Videos Newsletter Social Media Personalized Communication Digital Toolkit City of Austin Resources Media and Advertising Areas of Improvement p. 1 p. 2 p. 3 p. 4 p. 4 p. 4 p. 5 p. 5 p. 5 p. 6 p. 9 p. 13 p. 13 p. 14 p. 16 p. 16 p. 17-26 p. 27 p. 27 p. 34 p. 36 p. 37 p. 38 p. 40 p. 41 p. 42 p. 42 p. 44 p. 45 p. 45 p. 46 p. 47 p. 47 p. 48 p. 48 p. 49 p. 50 Appendix p. 51-52 Executive Summary The draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan was created by community members as part of the Preservation Plan Working Group, as directed by Austin’s Historic Landmark Commission. This public engagement report outlines the comprehensive efforts undertaken to inform and engage community members around the draft plan in spring 2024. The four-month engagement window ran from February through May 2024 and built on previous multi-year outreach and engagement (Appendix A). The primary objectives were to raise local awareness of the plan’s creation and gather feedback on the draft plan’s goals and recommendations. Public outreach and engagement were executed by the City of Austin, community engagement consultant CD&P, community ambassadors, and mini-grant Partner Organizations, collectively referred to as the engagement team. The draft plan was developed to be accessible and applicable to all community members, not only the historic property owners and preservation advocates currently involved in local preservation initiatives. The number of self-identified preservationists in Austin is relatively small. In developing the draft preservation plan, the City of Austin, Preservation Plan Working Group, and Historic Landmark Commission sought to expand the number, racial/ethnic, and geographic diversity of people who are aware of and interested in historic preservation in Austin. In keeping with this goal, the engagement process around the draft plan was designed to be inclusive. It was a priority to reach and hear voices from all communities, particularly those who have been marginalized by the City of Austin and who are underrepresented in local historic landmarks and districts. Recognizing that English is not the first language of many Austinites, the engagement team made concerted efforts to ensure that all residents could stay informed and engaged throughout the process. The plan website was professionally translated into four languages (Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, and Vietnamese) with dozens of other languages available through machine translation. Online plan resources and printed plan materials were all made available in Spanish and some in Traditional Chinese. 1Themes from community feedback included: • Concerned with the loss of Austin’s history and “old Austin” • Understanding the importance of preservation but not knowing where to start • Wanting to learn more about the preservation of homes, buildings, churches, schools, parks, and businesses, especially in East Austin • Prioritizing helping longtime residents and businesses to stay in their current • Political, logistical, and resource concerns about whether the plan would be spaces implemented Throughout the engagement process, several important lessons emerged: • Pop-up events reached greater numbers of community members than City- hosted events. However, the community events and deep dives offered more opportunities for in-depth discussions and feedback. • The most successful methods to engage historically marginalized communities included outreach by trusted organizations and community members, such as the mini-grant Partner Organizations and community ambassadors. Outreach from these partners, as well as at cultural celebrations and events where people were already gathered, resulted in a higher number of survey responses and in-person engagements from historically marginalized communities. It is difficult to engage people quickly about the details of a long plan. It is more effective to ask the public about their priorities and goals than to ask for feedback on something they are unfamiliar with, as demonstrated by the short, accessible community survey. Community Engagement Objectives Objectives for community engagement included: Inform the public: Proactively raise awareness about historic preservation and the preservation plan among the community and key stakeholder groups, including providing necessary background. • Gather community feedback: Gather community input on the draft recommendations, gaps, and priorities to inform revisions to the draft Equity- Based Preservation Plan, particularly from historically marginalized communities and other key stakeholders. • Move the plan forward: Build awareness of the preservation plan among community members, allied organizations and institutions, City departments, and City decision-makers, leading to the plan’s adoption by the City Council and subsequent implementation by City departments and allied stakeholders. • • • 2The engagement process sought to consult and involve the public in revising the draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan. See Appendix B for a graphic of IAP2’s Public Participation Spectrum that helped guide the Public Engagement Plan and informed public engagement implementation. Most early preservation advocates were white. They focused on preserving the large homes and prominent institutions of white, wealthy people. The historic preservation field has since expanded to value ordinary buildings and neighborhoods and to tell the stories of racially and culturally diverse communities. Today, we are still making up for lost time. This is one reason—among several—that the Historic Landmark Commission initiated the creation of this plan. With this background, priority groups are defined as: 1. Historically marginalized communities: Communities of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ communities, low-income households, and renters 2. People directly impacted by the plan: Historic property owners and tenants; designers, developers, builders, and other real estate professionals; and City departments Metrics for Success In December 2023, the engagement team and partners created a public engagement plan to guide the four-month process. The plan included metrics for success to evaluate and measure public engagement based on the following: o Number of engagement opportunities across all stakeholder categories • Is the engagement purposeful? and priority groups: 192+ o Hours of engagement: 200+ • Is the engagement inclusive? o What % of participants came from priority groups? o What % of comments came from priority groups? o Did participant demographics (in meetings and online surveys/feedback) reflect Austin’s demographics? o How many ZIP codes were represented by participants? o For all, see: What We Heard section, Survey Results • Is the engagement transformative? o What % of people on the preservation plan email list are opening emails and clicking on links? § 51.8% open rate and 4.2% click-through rate. § See: Plan Communication, Newsletter o Interaction with social media posts (Is the audience active? Did we grow the audience?) 3§ See: Plan Communication, Social Media o What feedback are people providing after events and other engagement opportunities? Have they learned how the preservation plan supports their priorities? o What % of comments led to a change to the draft plan? Engagement Summary comments • 2,662 community surveys completed (online and paper copies) with 3,317 • 2,409+ people engaged through plan-related outreach • 1,000+ people engaged with at pop-ups by the engagement team • 440+ people engaged by community ambassadors and mini-grant Partner Organizations at community meetings, in small-group conversations, and 1-on-1 • Nearly 350 people engaged at City-hosted events • 316 community comments added to board “What is a Place in Austin that • 150+ people engaged at events hosted by community ambassadors and mini- Matters to You?” grant Partner Organizations • 48 presentations by City staff to City boards and commissions, community groups, and professional stakeholder organizations Partners The Equity-Based Preservation Plan was developed and shaped by multiple groups within the community and the City of Austin. Four internal groups shaped the draft plan and advised on community outreach and engagement: the Preservation Plan Committee of the Historic Landmark Commission, the Preservation Plan Working Group, Historic Preservation Office staff, and the Technical Advisory Group. Two external groups—mini- grant Partner Organizations and Community Ambassadors—were contracted to help engage the public around the draft plan, with a focus on reaching historically marginalized communities. Preservation Plan Committee The three-member Preservation Plan Committee provided project guidance and regular reports to the Historic Landmark Commission. The committee and commission will collaborate with the Preservation Plan Working Group to revise and finalize the draft plan, with the commission having final decision-making authority on what to recommend to the City Council. The committee consists of: • Raymond Castillo, Chair • Roxanne Evans 4• Ben Heimsath Preservation Plan Working Group The 26-member Preservation Plan Working Group was appointed by the Historic Landmark Commission and charged with developing the plan. The working group will collaborate with the Preservation Plan Committee and the full Historic Landmark Commission to revise and finalize the draft plan based on community and stakeholder feedback. Members of the working group include: Michelle Benavides Justin Bragiel (2) Noel Bridges (1) Julia Brookins Amalia Carmona (2) Ursula A. Carter Mary Jo Galindo (1) Jerry Garcia (1) Ben Goudy (2) Hanna Huang (1) Linda Y. Jackson (1) Phase 1 member only Meghan King Jolene Kiolbassa (1) Kevin Koch Kelechi Madubuko Brenda Malik Alyson McGee (1) Debra Murphy (2) Robin Orlowski (2) Leslie Ornelas (1) Emily Payne Rocio Peña-Martinez Misael Ramos Mary Reed (1) Lori Renteria (1) Gilbert Rivera (1) JuanRaymon Rubio (2) Maria Solis (1) Erin Waelder (1) Brita Wallace (1) Bob Ward (1) Caroline Wright (1) (2) Phase 2 member only Historic Preservation Office Staff The Historic Preservation Office staffs the Historic Landmark Commission, facilitates historic zoning cases, and reviews permits for changes to older and historic buildings. Staff members also serve as the plan manager and primary support team for the development of and engagement around the draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan. Technical Advisory Group The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) includes City of Austin staff from 12 departments. The TAG reviewed the Public Engagement Plan and advised on cross-promotion opportunities offered by various City departments. The TAG will also assist staff with developing the implementation matrix as part of the final preservation plan. Departments in the TAG include: • Austin Energy 5• Austin History Center (part of Austin Public Library) • Austin Resource Recovery • Development Services Department • Economic Development Department o Small Business • Equity Office • Financial Services Office o Redevelopment • Housing • Law • Office of Sustainability • Parks and Recreation • Planning Inclusive Planning o Communications o Demography o o Urban Design o Zoning • Transportation • Watershed Protection o African American Cultural Heritage Facility o Equity and Inclusion o Heritage Tourism o Historic Preservation o Mexican American Cultural Center Mini-Grant Partner Organizations The mini-grant program sought to engage people from priority group #1: communities of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ communities, low-income families, and renters. After a competitive application process, five $5,000 mini-grants were awarded to the following organizations: Anderson Community Development Corporation was founded by former students of the historic Anderson High School of East Austin. Our organization and the community of former students actively engage throughout the year to support each other as well as the mission of ACDC. Our long- term empowerment initiatives advance support to marginalized populations. Historically, our programs have primarily served the Black and Latino populations, though we welcome all nationalities. We engage throughout the year by offering 6Education and Training Programs, Mentorship and Support Networks, Financial Assistance and Aid, and Health and Wellness programs. Creative Action provides opportunities for community-building, dialogue, education, and cultural preservation, especially in the East Austin area. Inclusion and equity are central to Creative Action’s mission, values and intergenerational approach. We celebrate and amplify the history and culture of historically Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) through community-led public art projects that focus on placekeeping by empowering community members to tell their unique story. Driven by our core values, we create arts-based activations, from large-scale community murals to free community arts events that invite community members to dream big, create community, stand up against injustice and spark joy. East Austin Conservancy works to preserve the people, history and culture of East Central Austin. Equity is at the core of what we do, especially with our focus on the legacy homeowners who live in this area of Austin due to the 1928 City Master Plan that institutionalized racial segregation with a division of the city from west to east. The EAC has been around for more than 10 years and has historically worked by word of mouth. This has allowed the organization to be a trusted name for the neighbors served. Recently, EAC has partnered with organizations to reach the larger community and hard-to-reach community members such as seniors. TAP-ATX (Taiwanese American Professionals – Austin Chapter) helps to develop community-oriented young professionals into leaders! Our work demonstrates that culturally specific groups do not just serve their named demographic, but are key lynchpins in the greater communities they are embedded in. Our group has fostered young professional-aged leaders in the AAPI community since 2011 and is part of a national web of Taiwanese American civic leaders that gather and learn from each other 1-2 times a year. Our community talks often and passionately about how to persevere and preserve history so that it’s not only told by those with more power, money, or authority. 7Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation (TPF) is committed to addressing the unique challenges faced by Black and Brown communities, with a particular focus on improving mental health outcomes for marginalized and at-risk youth. TPF recognizes the intersectionality of various systems that impact these communities, including incarceration, poverty, violence, and inequitable access to mental health support. TPF has a deep understanding of the cultural and heritage issues affecting Black and Brown communities and actively works toward breaking barriers and providing access to resources and opportunities for marginalized communities. By actively involving individuals with similar lived experiences as leaders and mentors, TPF promotes equity and representation in decision-making processes. Outreach and engagement by Partner Organizations included: • More than 192 people were engaged at 10 organization-hosted events. • 196+ people were reached via presentations at 12 community meetings and other events, including flyer distributions and more informal discussions to small groups. • Tabling at 23 community events reached more than 1,260 people. • More than 165 flyers were distributed. • 224 community surveys were completed and attributed to Partner Organization outreach. General feedback on the draft plan collected by mini-grant partner organizations included: • Concerns about past and ongoing displacement in East Austin, with doubts about the plan’s ability to reverse these trends • Strong demand for accountability, with fears that the plan might only serve as a “checkbox” exercise without real follow-through. • Widespread mistrust of the City of Austin, stemming from past perceived failures and broken promises. • Skepticism about the power of community voices to influence decisions, due to previous experiences of being ignored or overridden. • Desire for better coordination with other City policies and departments to avoid contradictory efforts and ensure cohesive implementation. 8 Representatives from Partner Organizations (Left to Right): Darwin Brown and Bill Wallace, Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation; Stephanie Chavez-Noell, Creative Action; Cheryl Anderson and Eva Lawler Esparza, Anderson Community Development Corporation; Catalina Berry, East Austin Conservancy; Hanna Huang and Melody Chang, TAP-ATX; and Cynthia Simons, Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation. Photo credit: City of Austin Community Ambassadors Like the mini-grant program, the community ambassador program sought to engage people from priority group #1: communities of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ communities, low-income families, and renters. After a competitive application process, 12 community ambassadors were selected. Early attrition led to a cohort of nine ambassadors who raised awareness and collected feedback throughout the engagement period. Sally Acevedo es una estratega en marketing digital y redes sociales con una amplia trayectoria enfocada en el mercado hispano y latino. Su experiencia abarca el desarrollo de estrategias digitales efectivas y la educación en marketing digital. Reside en Austin, Texas, donde participa activamente en la comunidad, siendo vicepresidenta de la Asociación de Vecinos de Mueller y voluntaria en causas sociales. Además, disfruta de la natación, el ciclismo y explorar Austin, demostrando su compromiso con el bienestar físico y la cultura local. 9Megan Barbour has called Austin home for over 23 years. Originally from the Northeast, five generations of her family lived in the greater Pittsburgh area before her parents moved to Connecticut. Upon graduating high school, she set out to explore the world, happily landing in beautiful Central Texas! Megan enthusiastically became immersed in understanding the history of Austin. She believes that rich knowledge of diverse experiences of place create context to inform policy solutions in contemporary society. She is passionate about building civic engagement around housing and food justice. Megan is a transplant, but she has grown deep roots in Austin. Every day she wakes up committed to helping create an inclusive, peaceful, prosperous, vibrant ATX for all. Ashley Besic, the Senior Associate of Market Transformation at the Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC), is a seasoned professional dedicated to driving impactful change. Leading initiatives that engage policymakers, the building industry, and consumers, she pioneers zero-emission lifestyle solutions, aiming to eliminate reliance on fossil fuels and significantly reduce climate pollution. I'm John Cervantes Jr., born and raised in Austin, Texas. For many generations my lineage has serviced Austin with civil rights movements, underground libraries, political affiliation, and common activism. I love the city and the land it sits on. Indigenously deriving from Kickapoo and other tribes, the lands mean everything to me. Austin’s springs and natural settings are sacred, as are the historic events that often go untold. My life’s work has become this, and the Equity-Based Preservation Plan ambassadorship is no exception. I look forward and am optimistic about how this will make change in the communities I am a part of as an Austin native. My name is Dianna Dean (Nurse Dean) and I am a Licensed Vocational Nurse with over 45 plus years’ experience in health. Twelve of those years were spent as campus nurse for Huston- Tillotson University. I enjoy using my skills to contribute to community work and health/wellness. I graduated from Austin Community College in 1980. My tireless inspiration is driven by service to my East Austin community and family. 10Earth Culture Dancer Daniel Llanes is an Austin based renaissance performance artist and arts educator, specializing in dance, music & poetry. A prolific writer, choreographer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, his original offerings are produced live in a variety of venues ranging from one man shows and exhibits to ensemble multi-disciplinary productions. He is an experienced community organizer deeply involved in many local organizations and neighborhood efforts. A Community organizer, Mr. Llanes is Chair of River Bluff Neighborhood Association, Coordinator of Govalle/Johnston Terrace Neighborhood Contact Team, a community member of PODER (People Organized in Defense of Earth and her Resources), the Austin Raza RoundTable, and is on the executive committee of the Austin Neighborhoods Council. Rocio Pena-Martinez: Through my community health work with Austin nonprofits and local government, I became more involved in Historic Preservation. The link between loss of home/community and illness became apparent in my work. Folks I work with are often eager to share their memories of a rapidly changing environment, not just for posterity but for survival. As a history nerd I am so grateful to work on a more equitable Preservation Plan and hear all these stories! In my spare time I research Indigenous Heritage, soak up the sun and have long meals. Find me outside. Ava Pendleton: Hi, I’m Ava! I’m currently focused on community building and cultural preservation through food, creating diverse and inclusive economic and creative spaces for emerging creators, and increasing access to culinary training and resources. With an eye on respectfully ‘maintaining cultural heritage for the benefit of all generations,’ I look forward to empowering fellow community members to engage with the Equity Based Preservation Plan. Kiounis Williams, aged 28, originally hailing from Center, Texas, has called Austin home since 2018. As a devoted father of two and happily married for five years, he has seamlessly blended family life with a successful career in Health and Wellness. Kiounis holds a Bachelor's degree in Health and Wellness Management from East Texas Baptist University and furthered his education with an MBA in Small 11Family Business from LSU-Shreveport. Currently serving as the Fatherhood Program Coordinator for the Austin Housing Authority, he passionately contributes to the well- being of families in the community. Outreach and engagement by community ambassadors included: • Six ambassador-led events that engaged over 56 community members • 10 presentations that were held at community meetings reaching over 86 • Small-group and 1-on-1 conversations engaged more than 79 people at 25 community members locations and events • Tabling and flyering engaged more than 80 people at 20 events ranging from farmers’ markets to the Si Se Puede Cesar Chavez Day of Action to a statewide green building webinar • Community ambassadors assisted at all four City-sponsored events General feedback on the draft plan collected by community ambassadors included: • Concerns over East Austin’s history and the impact of gentrification, with a • Frustration and distrust due to past City policies, with historically marginalized preference for cultural preservation. communities feeling excluded. • Long-term residents are struggling to remain in their homes, with calls for income-based property tax abatement and concerns about lost buildings. • Worries about sufficient staffing, funding sources, and specific changes for historic property owners. • General interest and curiosity about the plan, but some found it lengthy and complex, with request for more clarity on related City projects and initiatives. Community Ambassadors (Left to Right): Sally Acevedo, Dianna Dean, Megan Barbour, Daniel Llanes, and Ashley Besic. Not pictured: Kiounis Williams, Ava Pendleton, Rocio Pena-Martinez, and John Cervantes Jr. Photo credit: City of Austin 12Engagement Activities and Materials Summary The engagement process sought to engage Austinites equitably by recognizing and mitigating barriers to participation, such as providing plan materials in different languages, offering child-friendly activities at events, holding community events in accessible locations around Austin, and tabling at events in the community that reached priority groups. The Equity-Based Preservation Plan engagement team used the community survey and the draft plan as two key tools for engagement. The survey, designed to be quick to take with accessible language, was heavily promoted through tabling at community events, community presentations, and small-group and 1-on-1 interactions. Meanwhile, the draft plan was made available on the project website for detailed, recommendation- by-recommendation feedback, and paper copies in English and Spanish were provided in all Austin branch libraries to ensure broad access. Engagement Activities 45 Pop-Ups/Tabling: Pop-ups consisted of engagement team members setting up a table or station at a community event and engaging with event attendees by discussing the draft plan, encouraging people to take the community survey, and handing out flyers and other plan collateral. All four groups within the engagement team organized and participated in pop-up tabling at events relevant to priority groups and the larger Austin community. 42 Presentations at community meetings: The City of Austin, community ambassadors, and Partner Organizations all conducted short presentations at community meetings, detailing the draft plan, its purpose and contents, and relevance to the community being addressed. 29 Small group and 1-on-1 conversations: Community Ambassadors and Partner Organizations conducted small group and 1-on-1 conversations with community members at community centers and events to discuss the draft plan personally and share the community survey. 17 Board and commission briefings: Throughout the engagement period, City of Austin staff briefed 17 City of Austin boards and commissions on the planning process and relevant recommendations in the draft plan. 7 Deep dives: City of Austin staff presented to professional stakeholder organizations and community groups, then facilitated discussions and requested feedback on a shortlist of relevant recommendations. 134 City-hosted events: Community events were held in accessible locations across the Austin area. The events were designed to appeal to all community members interested in the draft plan but especially priority groups, including open houses for individuals to review the draft plan in-depth. City-hosted events were organized by the City of Austin and staffed with the assistance of community ambassadors and Preservation Plan Working Group members. Plan Materials Prior to and during the engagement period, the engagement team created online materials and printed collateral to share the news of the draft plan to community members using accessible language. Physical collateral consisted of flyers, stickers, coloring sheets, postcard-sized handouts, and worksheets. Online materials consisted of 5 videos introducing, describing, and promoting the plan, including a mini-documentary and a short, animated video. Language differences in the community were identified as a significant barrier to participation that the engagement team worked to mitigate. The plan website was professionally translated into four languages (Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, and Vietnamese), with other languages available through machine translation. All printed plan materials—draft plans, flyers, postcards, stickers—and a promotional video were available in Spanish. The flyers also were translated into Traditional Chinese. A mini- documentary on the plan development offered captions in Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, Korean, and Vietnamese; a short promotional video was translated into Spanish and Traditional Chinese (captions) and Mandarin (spoken). The email newsletter distributed throughout the engagement window was provided in both English and Spanish. 14Art Sheet by Creative Action Coloring Sheets Flyers Handouts Stickers Social Media Graphics 15What We Heard The community survey was the primary tool for the public to engage with the Equity- Based Preservation Plan. In addition, detailed recommendation-by-recommendation feedback was collected through the plan website, deep dives, community ambassadors, and Partner Organizations. This plan-specific feedback is not included in this report but will be used to inform the revisions of the plan. Community Survey The community survey was open from February 6, 2024 through May 31, 2024 and received 2,662 responses total. The community survey aimed to identify community priorities around historic preservation and the plan goals. The survey was shared by every group of the engagement team and on the plan website. A QR code leading to the survey was included on plan flyers and posted at every City-hosted event. The survey was also shared with 4,000 randomly selected people on Austin Energy’s email list, with a 2% response rate. The community survey was developed by Katie Enders, a graduate intern with the City in the summer of 2022. The community ambassadors and Partner Organizations played a vital role in gathering survey respondents, especially those from priority group #1, historically marginalized communities. 86 community surveys were entered digitally by Community Ambassadors, while at least 60 individuals who completed the community survey mentioned hearing about the plan from a Community Ambassador. 168 community surveys mentioned a Partner Organization or board/staff member by name as the way they heard about the Equity-Based Preservation Plan. 16Results How long have you lived in Austin? What is your zip code? This heat map represents the areas in Austin where survey respondents identified their ZIP code. 17This heat map represents the areas in the United States where survey respondents identified their ZIP code. 148 responses were outside of Texas. ZIP Codes with the Highest Number of Responses ZIP Code Number of Respondents ZIP Code 208 78721 185 78731 156 78741 124 78753 89 78759 86 78701 85 78660 83 78749 80 78722 77 78724 74 78767 Number of Respondents 68 67 67 63 62 59 58 57 57 51 50 Of the 64 ZIP codes in the city of Austin, the survey received fewer than 5 responses from people in the following zip codes: 78716 78718 78719 78720 78726 78733 78742 78755 78760 78761 78762 78763 78764 78765 78766 78768 78769 78702 78723 78704 78745 78703 78751 78757 78748 78758 78744 78705 78708 78709 78710 78711 78712 78715 18How important are each of the following goals to you? The survey included 7 goals for respondents to rate on a sliding scale. This served to gauge community members’ priorities around the goals, which drew from the 14 goals of the draft plan. Ensure longtime residents and businesses can afford to stay in their current spaces. Help older neighborhoods and commercial districts maintain their unique look and feel as Austin grows. Represent the diverse communities and complex history of Austin. Encourage environmental sustainability through preservation. Provide opportunities to learn about local history and culture. Improve tools that help historical property owners in an equitable way. Create connections between people by sharing diverse stories. 19Which one of the goals do you think we should start working on first? Do any of the following describe you? Choose all that apply to you. 20If you selected local business owner, how long has your business been operating for? How would you describe your living situation? Living Situation Austin (2020 Census) Survey Respondents (1,472) 68.2% (1004) 27.6% (406) 3.06% (45) 44.2% 55.8% No census equivalent 1.2% (17) No census equivalent Homeowner Renter Staying with a friend/relative Other 21What is your race/ethnicity? Choose all the apply. Race/Ethnicity Survey Austin Respondents (1,447) (2020 Census) 37.0% (535) 22.0% (319) 19.4% (281) 6.4% (92) 63.2% 7.9% 32.5% 8.4% 0.8% Native American, Alaska 3.7% (53) Native, or Indigenous Middle Eastern, Arab, or 0.8% (11) No census equivalent Survey Age Census Age Austin (2020 Census) Survey Respondents (1,444) 15.8% (228) 20.2% (292) 14.7% (212) 17.8% (257) 28.6% (413) 2.9% (42) 20-29 years old 30-39 years old 40-49 years old 50-59 years old 60+ years old No census equivalent 19% 21% 14% 10% 15% No census equivalent White Black or African American Hispanic Asian or Asian American North African How old are you? 25-34 years old 35-44 years old 45-54 years old 55-64 years old 65+ years old Prefer not to answer 22Do you identify as LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, or other)? I prefer not to answer 10% Yes 14% No 76% How would you describe your disability status? Disability Status Affected by a disability Not affected by disability Prefer not to answer Survey Responses (1,468) 18.1% (265) 67.7% (994) 14.2% (209) Austin (2020 Census) 7.2% 92.8% No census equivalent What is your annual household income? Less than $25,000 7% $25,000 to $34,999 5% Over $100,000 28% $35,000 to $49,999 9% $75,000 to $99,999 12% $50,000 to $74,999 17% Prefer not to answer 22% 23Why is preserving Austin’s built and cultural heritage important to you? “We are pricing ourselves out of our city and losing our history at the same time.” “We need to protect and preserve black, brown, LGBTQIA+ culture and legacy to ensure a united future. I can barely see my reflection in Austin anymore, therefore, it’s sometimes uncomfortable to go out and it’s heartbreaking driving or walking around.” “Because without a past and a culture we lose our humanity and our connections to each other and our environment.” “To ensure longtime residents and businesses can afford to stay in their current spaces.” “Sustainability and a sense of place that engenders pride, engagement, and ownership for a healthy diverse community.” “It tells the story of where Austin came from and can be used to build on where Austin is going.” 24What is a place in Austin that matters to you? Why is this place important to you? In this map, the red markers represent the most commonly identified locations from survey responses. Each marked location had at least 15 recommendations. Heritage Oaks: “Over the decades I have visited to see wonderful art, to walk amongst the trees and attend various events. There’s a lot of connections there that bind me to the city.” 25Hyde Park: “The land and the trees are beautiful. They center several neighborhoods and provide gathering space for young and old – newcomers and longtime residents.” North Loop: “It’s not the place as much as it is the people.” Zilker Park: “Zilker is the Central Park of Austin and we must invest in preserving it for as long as possible.” All of Austin: “Austin is relaxed and accepting and fun loving, even in the midst of stress of daily living and pressure to ‘conform.’” Barton Springs: “Barton Springs feels so incredibly important both for the appreciation and preservation of our natural world, but also to the preservation of the intangible qualities that make Austin a wonderfully eccentric city.” Interactive Board: What Is a Place in Austin That Matters to You? To encourage participation and conversations at community events, an interactive board asked, “What is a Place in Austin that Matters to You?” People added 316 comments naming places in Austin that are significant to them, ranging from iconic sites to personal landmarks to many lost places, as well as parks, restaurants, and cultural centers. The community board was available at every City-hosted public event and many pop-up events. Places spanned across the city but were concentrated in Central and East Austin, as seen below: 26Engagement Overview Public engagement included a wide variety of types, weekday and weekend events, and locations and audiences. Events ranged from large City-hosted events for the general public to pop-up tabling at community events around Austin. City of Austin staff facilitated formal board and commission briefings, as well as discussions with professional stakeholders and community organizations (deep dives). A wide variety of community events, presentations and more informal discussions were facilitated by community ambassadors and mini-grant Partner Organizations. This outreach often led to more one-on-one and small group conversations and reached many members of historically marginalized communities (priority group #1). Partner Organizations also did creative engagement at schools and orchestrated strategic outreach partnerships with community organizations such as Meals on Wheels. In total, at least 2,409 people were engaged through plan-related outreach.1 City-Hosted Events The City of Austin hosted four community events throughout the engagement period. Events were held across the city, with two events in East Austin (both in historically Black spaces), one held in the Hyde Park Historic District, and the final event in South Austin. Community Kickoff Tuesday, February 13, 2024 | 6:30 to 8 p.m. Huston-Tillotson University’s King-Seabrook Chapel, 900 Chicon Street Attendees: 101 Newsletter Sign-Ups: 92 Targeted Groups: All community members Description: The event featured a series of 10 lightning talks by speakers who discussed Austin’s history, cultural heritage, community stability, sustainability, equitable engagement, and proactively identifying important places, among other topics. Speakers: • Linda Y. Jackson, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Huston-Tillotson University, and Preservation Plan Working Group member • Ben Heimsath, Chair of the Austin Historic Landmark Commission 1 Some attendees participated multiple times. However, the proportion of repeat participants was not large enough to significantly affect the overall engagement figure. 27• Alan Garcia, Founder of ATX Barrio Archive • Hanna Huang, Executive Director of the Austin Asian American Film Festival • Noël and Will Bridges, Co-Owners and Stewards of Cisco’s and Antone’s (Noël is a former Working Group member; Will is a Preservation Austin board member) • Dr. Marla Torrado, Manager in the Displacement Prevention Division, City of Austin Housing Department • Catalina Berry, Executive Director of East Austin Conservancy • Ashley Besic, Building Decarbonization Coalition, USGBC-Central Texas Chair, and • Ayshea Khan, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator, City of Austins Equity Office • Robbie Anderson, Chair of AIA Austin’s LGBTQIA+ Alliance and Co-Instigator of community ambassador Queer Austin Bike Tour Music was provided by Daniel Llanes, Earth Culture dancer, arts educator, and community ambassador for the plan, accompanied by James Fenner. The event was recorded by ATXN and broadcast twice on ATXN the week of Feb. 26- March 1. The recording was also posted on YouTube and available on the plan website. Speakers and attendees at the Community Kickoff. Photo credit: CD&P. 28 Nuts & Bolts Open House Thursday, March 28, 2024 | 5:30 to 8 p.m. Baker School, 3908 Avenue B Attendees: 66 Newsletter Sign-Ups: 60+ Targeted Groups: Priority group #2 – People who own, occupy, and/or work with historic properties (historic property owners and tenants, design and building professionals) Description: The City of Austin hosted an open house focused on how the draft plan could affect historic properties. Eight draft plan review boards featured relevant plan goals and draft recommendations, with room for people to add comments and questions. Attendees could read the full plan and ask questions at a draft review table. Property owners and renters engaged in conversations with plan representatives from City staff, the Historic Landmark Commission, the Preservation Plan Working Group, and the community ambassador program. Some people spent over an hour engaging with the community survey and the draft plan recommendations. Attendees provided feedback through sticky notes placed on eight plan review boards related to specific goals and relevant recommendations, paper community surveys (30 completed) and exit surveys (32 completed). 29Attendees were also offered the opportunity to engage with different City of Austin departments and relevant organizations. Tabling partners included Preservation Austin, the Economic Development Department’s Heritage Tourism Division (now in the Parks and Recreation Department), the Development Services Department, and the Architectural Review Committee of the Historic Landmark Commission. (Left) In the foreground, community ambassador Daniel Llanes converses with community members. (Right) Community members review the draft plan and draft plan boards. Photo credit: CD&P. 30Block Party! Saturday, May 18, 2024 | 12 to 4 p.m. Givens Avenue between Maple and Cedar avenues, in the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District Attendees: 168 Newsletter Sign-Ups: 5 Targeted Groups: Priority group #1 – Historically marginalized communities, including communities of color; priority group #2 – Historic property owners and tenants Description: The City of Austin co-hosted a Block Party with Preservation Austin to engage community members around the draft plan and celebrate the vibrant history of the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District. The Equity-Based Preservation Plan team provided free activities for children and set up six plan review boards to explain plan goals and recommendations. With financial support from the preservation plan, Preservation Austin provided free barbecue and cookies from local businesses, coordinated free walking tours of the historic district by Black Austin Tours, and hired a live DJ. Attendees were offered a free paleta (popsicle) for completing a community survey, creating a building from recycled materials, or completing a coloring page. Fifty-two community surveys were completed on paper, in addition to 70 online surveys completed on attendees’ phones. Tabling partners included Austin Resource Recovery, E4 Youth, the City's Financial Services and Parks & Recreation departments, the Home Repair Coalition (Austin Area Urban League and Meals on Wheels, among others), and Where Y’all At Though. Engagement team members interact with community members at the Block Party. Photo credit: CD&P. 31 An imaginary neighborhood was created with recycled craft materials for children and other attendees to create their own structures. Those who created a building received a ticket for a free paleta. Photo credit: CD&P (left), City of Austin (right) 32Community Open House Thursday, May 23, 2024 | 4 to 6:30 p.m. Broken Spoke, 3201 S. Lamar Blvd. Attendees: 23 Targeted Groups: All Community Members Description: The City of Austin hosted a Community Open House at the Broken Spoke to invite the community to engage with the draft plan, learn more about its recommendations, and provide feedback. The event featured 12 informational boards, a draft review table, a display monitor playing videos about the plan, and brief remarks from Planning Department Director Lauren Middleton-Pratt, Preservation Plan Working Group member Michelle Benavides, and plan manager Cara Bertron. Quesadillas and chips & salsa were served while local artists played live music. Attendees were invited to provide comments on specific draft plan recommendations by writing comments on Post-It notes and sticking them to plan review boards. Attendees had the opportunity to engage directly with working group members, community ambassadors, and City staff to discuss the draft plan in detail, facilitating high-quality engagement. Community ambassador (left) and Preservation Plan Working Group member (right) converse with community members at the Open House. Photo credit: CD&P 33Partner Organization-Hosted Events The independently organized Partner Organization-Hosted events did not follow a specific format and were instead tailored to their respective communities, ensuring meaningful participation. As trusted entities within their communities, the Partner Organizations facilitated in-depth feedback from people who might not have felt comfortable engaging directly with City staff. These events highlighted the effectiveness of the mini-grant Partner Organization model in reaching and empowering communities, particularly historically marginalized communities. Date Organization-hosted event 2/17/24 Youth gathering held by Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation at Participants 18 Chase Bank in Capital Plaza 2/21/24 Pearls & Preservation event hosted by TAP-ATX 2/24/24 Discussion with parents of school-age children during Black History Bowl at the Austin Area Urban League 3/17/23 Presentation and discussion with ambassadors from historically Black churches, facilitated by Anderson CDC 3/20/24 Focus group at St. James Baptist Church, facilitated by 4/4/24 Pearls & Preservation event hosted by TAP-ATX with The New Anderson CDC Philanthropists Anderson CDC 4/18/24 Pearls & Preservation event hosted by TAP-ATX with Filipino 4/19/24 Focus group at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, established in 1899, Young Professionals facilitated by Anderson CDC 4/24/24 Creative Action staff lunch & learn (deep dive) 5/11/24 Community forum hosted by TAP-ATX, held at Austin Taiwanese Presbyterian Church 4/10/24 Focus group at Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, facilitated by 17 10 21 9 14 10 16 42 36 Total Participants: 192+ 34Pearls & Preservation community forum, May 11, 2024. Photo credit: TAP-ATX Focus group at St. James Baptist Church, March 20, 2024. Photo credit: Anderson CDC Focus group at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, April 19, 2024. Photo credit: Anderson CDC 35Community Ambassador-Led Events The community ambassador-led events consisted of gatherings focused on the preservation plan and organized or co-hosted by community ambassadors in familiar community spaces. These events aimed to inform community members about the plan and encourage their participation. By creating an open and accessible environment, the ambassadors fostered meaningful engagement and ensured that attending community members were informed about the preservation plan and empowered to participate. Community Ambassador-Led Event Date 3/5/24 ATX Free Fridge Prep session 3/19/24 Seniors workshop at Givens Recreation Center 3/27/24 Focus group discussion at Willie Mae Kirk Branch Library 4/26/24 Presentation and discussion at the Austin Clubhouse (deep dive) 5/15/24 Webinar: Preserving the Past, Building the Future: Austin & San Participants 3 7 8 10 25 Antonio Preservation Plans for Sustainable Decarbonization-U.S. Green Building Council-Texas 5/17/24 Focus group and discussion 3 Total Participants: 56+ (Above) Community ambassador Dianna Dean (top) with a group of community participants. Photo credit: Dianna Dean (Right) Invitation to preservation plan deep dive at the Austin Clubhouse, coordinated by a community ambassador. Photo credit: City of Austin 36Presentations at Community Meetings Twenty-four presentations were made at existing community meetings. Flyers, postcards, draft plans and surveys were also distributed, and community members were encouraged to comment on the draft plan. *Community Ambassador presented (10 total) **Mini-grant Partner Organization presented (8 total) Date Community Meeting Presentation 2/17/24 Mueller Neighborhood Association meeting* 2/19/24 East MLK Contact Team monthly meeting* 2/20/24 Presentation to Go Austin Vamos Austin (GAVA) and Participants 20 neighborhood association representatives** (East Austin Conservancy) 2/27/24 Segment on ATXSoul* 3/9/24 Pecan Springs Neighborhood Association meeting** (Anderson 9 3/10/24 St. College Height Church** (Anderson CDC) 3/13/24 Black Leaders Collective General Body Meeting** (Tomorrow’s 100+ 3/13/24 Let’s Talk Business event with Kendra Bracken-Ferguson at the 27 Promise Foundation) Carver Library** (Anderson CDC) 3/16/24 Property appraisal event at the University Hills Library** (Anderson 14 CDC) CDC) 3/25/24 Urban Land Institute (ULI) meeting* 3/27/24 Equity Action Team (EAT) meeting 4/1/24 Austin Zen Center* 4/3/24 Community Iftaar dinner* 4/5/24 Black Fund at Huston-Tillotson University** (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 4/13/24 Mueller Neighborhood Association meeting* 4/20/24 Property Appraisal event at the University Hills Library** (Anderson CDC) 4/24/24 Austin Neighborhoods Council meeting 4/25/24 Old West Austin Neighborhoods Association (OWANA) Zoning Committee meeting (area includes Castle Hill, Harthan Street, and Smoot/Terrace Park historic districts, as well as the Old West Austin National Register District) 5/6/24 Hyde Park Neighborhood Association meeting 15 15+ 5 46 375/11/24 La Raza Roundtable* 5/14/24 Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Historic District meeting 5/20/24 Team Central Texas event* 5/21/24 South River City Citizens Neighborhood Association meeting (area includes Mary Street Historic District, as well as the Travis Heights- Fairview Park National Register District) 5/23/24 Travis County Historical Commission 11 Total Participants: 262+ Pop-Up Tabling Events An essential facet of the draft plan’s equitable engagement strategy was to bring engagement to neighborhoods and local community and cultural events, with an emphasis on reaching priority groups. The Equity-Based Preservation Plan team and partners tabled at 45 community events around Austin to reach people in familiar settings. The approximate number of contacts was conservatively estimated to be 1,007. Events were selected based on their relevance to priority groups and community reach (expected attendance and location accessibility). In addition to their own tabling, community ambassadors and mini-grant Partner Organizations suggested potential outreach events for the plan team. *Community Ambassador tabled (2 total) **Mini-grant Partner Organization tabled (23 total) Date Pop-Up 2/24/24 Black History Month Kid’s Day at the Carver Museum 2/24/24 Black History Month at the Austin Central Library 2/25/24 Youthpreneur Event at Givens Recreation Center** (Tomorrow’s 2/27/24 Greater Austin Asian American Chamber of Commerce, State of 30 Promise Foundation) the Chamber 3/2/24 Friend Fest at Central Market on North Lamar** (Creative Action) 3/7/24 Community Resource Event at the Long Center** (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 3/10/24 Spurs/City of Austin Ribbon Cutting at Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park** (Creative Action) 3/11/24 Friend Fest at Meanwhile Brewing 3/16/24 Hawk Luck Night Market 3/16/24 Mutual Love Rest Fest Approx. Contacts 50 30 10 40 10 15 40 383/17 /24 Neill-Cochran House Museum – Women in Historic Preservation 9 3/23/24 Sustainable Food Center Farmers’ Market downtown 3/23/24 Playdate in the Park for Austin Parks Foundation 3/23/24 Black Makers Market at the African American Cultural Heritage 30 5 60 3/24/24 Corinth Missionary Baptist Church’s 86th Anniversary Celebration 125 Facility** (Creative Action) Homecoming** (Anderson CDC) 3/25/24 St. James Baptist Church 5k Run and Health Fair** (Anderson talk CDC) 3/30/24 ¡Sí Se Puede! Cesar Chavez March and Day of Action* 4/6/24 Portraits of East Austin Gallery Reception** (Creative Action) 4/6/24 Martin Middle School Steam Festival** (Creative Action) 4/10/24 Playdate in the Park at Great Hills Park** (Creative Action) 4/13/24 Rundberg Spring Fest at the YMCA** (Creative Action) 4/13 /24 Exploring Mural Art & Community 4/14/24 Monthly Art in the Park at Givens Park** (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 4/17/24 Continuing Creativity Class at Alamo Recreation Center** (Creative Action) 4/20/24 Playdate in the Park at Brentwood Park ** (Creative Action) 4/20/24 Campbell Elementary Spring Carnival** (Creative Action) 4/21/24 Mexican American Cultural Center’s La Mujer* 4/23/24 Second Chance Community Resource Fair* 4/27 /24 Sustainable Food Center Farmers’ Market downtown 4/28 /24 Creative Action: Community Art Sunday 4/30/24 Central Texas Opportunity Youth Collaborative at the Carver Library** (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 5/1/24 Asian American Employee Network Luncheon 5/2/24 DECA: How to Leverage Your Local Chambers and Maximize Your Community 5/3/24 Asian American Professionals Summit 5/4/24 Cinco de Mayo at Fiesta Gardens 5/4/24 Education with Heart: A Community Celebration at Mendez Middle School 5/7/24 Austin Young Chamber's LEAD Summit 5/8/24 ULI Austin's Marketplace 5/8/24 Playdate in the Park at Boggy Creek** (Creative Action) 30 45 50 35 50 30 100 50 8 15 10 7 21 395/10/24 Playdate in the Park at Barrington Elementary School Park** (Creative Action) 5/18/24 CelebrAsia 5/18/24 Family Fun Day at Olivet Baptist Church** (Anderson CDC) 5/19/24 Monthly Art in the Park at Givens Park** (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 5/25 /24 Ney Day 5/29/24 Mental Health Fair at St. James Baptist Church** (Anderson CDC) 90 12 Approx. Total: 1,007+ 1-on-1 and Small-Group Conversations The 1-on-1 and small-group conversations were conducted by both mini-grant Partner Organizations and community ambassadors, providing a more intimate setting for engagement. Trusted community figures and organizations leveraged their established relationships to have candid discussions with residents, hearing honest thoughts on the preservation plan and Austin’s history. These conversations allowed for deeper understanding and ensured that a broader range of community voices was engaged and considered. Partner Organizations • Creative Action staff shared the survey with older adults and adults with disabilities who attend the Alamo Recreation Center regularly • East Austin Conservancy staff shared information with Leadership Austin cohort • East Austin Conservancy staff shared information with Amigos de Parque Zaragoza • East Austin Conservancy staff had 1-on-1 conversations with seniors in East Austin during home visits. Staff offered a $20 gift card during these conversations. Community Ambassadors Date 1-on-1 or Small-Group Conversations 2/20/24 Local Aztec dance group 2/23/24 General outreach at an ATX Free Fridge 2/29/24 Outreach to a local property management company 3/5/24 Engagement with a local developer 3/5/24 Engagement with a local property manager 3/6/24 SB4 puppet-making party Participants 403/7/24 U.S. Green Building Council-Central Texas meeting 3/9/24 Brown Beret meeting 4/3/24 Brown Beret meeting 4/4/24 USGBC-Central Texas members 4/10/24 Brown Beret meeting 4/13/24 Annual ATX Asian Food Festival 4/17/24 Brown Beret meeting 4/20/24 Barton Creek Farmers Market 4/21/24 Evento Museo Mexicano: La Mujer Celebra 4/24/24 Brown Beret meeting 4/27/24 Austin Earth Day Festival 4/30/24 Local fatherhood group meeting (IDADS) 5/2/24 Metz Neighborhood Park Fiesta 5/4/24 Barton Creek Farmers Market 5/7/24 Local fatherhood group meeting (IDADS) 5/11/24 Barton Creek Farmers Market 5/11/24 Holly Shores / Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach plan input meeting 5/21/24 Local fatherhood group meeting (IDADS) 5/30/24 Mt. Zion preachers meeting 5 6 6 5 10 5 16 10 5 10 Total Participants: 79+ City of Austin Board and Commission Briefings City staff conducted 17 briefings to related City boards and commissions to inform them of the contents and potential impacts of the draft plan. These briefings included presentations on the details of the draft plan and recommendations pertaining to specific interests and constituencies. Briefing Historic Landmark Commission Zoning and Platting Commission Date 2/7/24 2/20/24 2/21/24 Downtown Commission 2/26/24 Design Commission 3/12/24 3/19/24 African American Resource Advisory Commission 3/20/24 Downtown Commission 3/27/24 Parks and Recreation Board Planning Commission 41Community Development Commission Tourism Commission 4/9/24 4/10/24 4/12/24 Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities 4/17/24 Austin Youth Council 5/8/24 5/8/24 5/13/24 5/22/24 5/28/24 Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Commission Commission on Aging Zero Waste Advisory Commission LGBTQ+ Quality of Life Advisory Commission Building & Standards Commission Deep Dives Presentations of the draft plan’s goals and recommendations were made to specific professional stakeholder groups, followed by in-depth discussion and feedback from participants on relevant recommendations. Date 4/3/24 4/4/24 4/24/24 Creative Action staff lunch & learn (also listed under organization-hosted Deep Dive RECA Policy Briefing AISD Parent Support Specialist training events) 4/25/24 Austin Clubhouse (also listed under ambassador-led events) 4/30/24 ULI Austin Convening 5/9/24 ULInsight (Facebook Live) 5/13/24 AIA Advocacy Roundtable Flyer Distribution Flyers were distributed at multiple locations, events and presentations to ensure attendees and community members received reminders and takeaway materials which outlined the purpose of the plan, the opportunity to comment on and review the draft plan and upcoming events and ways to stay informed and have their voices heard. Date Flyer Distribution 2/11/24 Mueller Farmers Market (community ambassador) 2/12/24 Black Men Rising meeting at East Pecan Cigars (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 2/23/24 Yes in My Backyard Conference (community ambassador) 2/25/24 Youthpreneur event at Givens Recreation Center (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 2/27/24 Givens Recreation Center (community ambassador) Flyers 32 75 42Posted flyers in East Austin (Anderson CDC) 2/24 3/1/24 Puerto Rican Facebook group meeting (community ambassador) 3/2/24 Bee Cave Farmers Market (community ambassador) 3/13/24 Various SXSW events (community ambassador) 3/19/24 African American Resource Advisory Commission meeting (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 3/16/24 African American Youth Harvest Foundation (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 3/23/24 Barton Creek Farmers Market (community ambassador) 3/23/24 Puerto Rican Cultural Center (community ambassador) 3/27/24 Goodwill (community ambassador) 3/29/24 Native Grocery (community ambassador) 3/30/24 Event in Hyde Park (community ambassador) 3/30/24 Barton Creek Farmers Market (community ambassador) 4/1/24 Austin Zen Center (community ambassador) 4/2/24 First Baptist Church (community ambassador) 4/5/25 LBJ Latino Policy Research Symposium (community ambassador) Foundation) 4/14/24 Monthly Art in the Park at Givens Park (Tomorrow’s Promise 50 4/30/24 Flyer distribution at local housing authority properties 4/24 (community ambassador) Libraries and recreation center flyer distribution (Anderson CDC) 4/30/24 Central Texas Opportunity Youth Collaborative at the Carver 50 Library (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 5/18/24 Barton Creek Farmers Market (community ambassador) 5/18/24 Terrazas Branch Library reopening event 5/24/24 Resist I-35 Coalition event at Festival Beach Food Forest (community ambassador) 5/25/24 Barton Creek Farmers Market (community ambassador) 5/24/24 HT campus tour distribution (Tomorrow’s Promise Foundation) 5/24/24 Equidad ATX in Colony Park (East Austin Conservancy) 5/25/24 Barton Creek Farmers Market (community ambassador) Flyers Distributed: 455+ 13 20 15 35 55 20 10 10 10+ 10 10+ 10+ 30 43Unique Engagements Additional unique engagements by Partner Organizations included: • The East Austin Conservancy partnered with Meals on Wheels to share information with homebound clients in East Austin. Case managers met with neighbors, then shared the survey and worked with them to help obtain feedback from about 40 seniors who received H-E-B gift cards in return. • Creative Action Teaching Artists o Blanton Elementary had two Teaching Artists who worked with youth groups, passing out flyers, sharing the plan and sending the survey to over 80 families. o Maplewood Elementary’s 3rd – 5th Graders worked on art sheets and created time capsules to preserve what is important to them. Information was also shared with parents for a Final Share of time capsules on May 10, 2024. • Creative Action created an art sheet for graphic and text input. • Creative Action created drop boxes for community surveys and placed them at Austin Public Library (Little Walnut and Willie May Kirk branches) and the Northwest YMCA. • TAP-ATX board members shared about the plan as part of a panel at the Austin Asian American Professionals Summit on May 3, 2024. • Anderson CDC board members shared about the plan with branch librarians and The Millennium staff. • TAP-ATX board members asked staff at three AAPI nonprofits to fill out the survey: § Asian Family Support Services of Austin § Asian American Community Health Initiative § Asian Texans for Justice • Organizations received a gift card to use for bubble tea at staff meetings or • Anderson CDC board members made personal phone calls to church leaders and employee mixers mailed letters. • Corinth Missionary Baptist Church distributed the plan website and survey link in their weekly online newsletter, following a focus group in March with Anderson CDC. • The East Austin Conservancy worked with BASTA (Building and Strengthening Tenant Action) to share information with their renters and social media followers (1,914 people). • Partner Organizations shared about the draft plan on social media (organizational and individual) and in organizational newsletters. o Creative Action youth member created an Instagram post about the plan, which the organization shared on its social media channels in May. o TAP-ATX created specialized graphics for its Pearls & Preservation events and boosted ads on Facebook and Instagram. 44Plan Communications 3,317 Comments 2,662 Participants 31,307 Website views Throughout the engagement period, the City shared all information on a PublicInput website (now SpeakUp Austin) that included the draft plan, community survey, and background about the planning process. The website was translated into Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, and Vietnamese with dozens of other languages available through machine translation. Over the four-month engagement period, website views nearly quadrupled (4x) from the starting point (from 8,505 to 31,307 views). The number of participants increased 7x (from 372 to 2,662); the number of comments grew 5x (from 609 to 3,317); and email subscribers more than doubled (from 537 to 1,315). At the close of the engagement period (May 31, 2024), website views totaled 31,307, with 2,662 total participants and 3,317 comments submitted. Videos Five videos were created to increase awareness of the plan, share background information, and encourage community members to learn more and share their input. 341 Views Equity-Based Preservation Plan | Introduction This mini-documentary was developed to introduce the plan, explain the importance of equity in historic preservation, and encourage the community to learn more online. Captions were translated into Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, Korean and Vietnamese. 188 Views Equity-Based Preservation Plan | What is it? This animated video provides a brief overview of the plan, community engagement process, and encourages people to help shape it. The video is narrated in English, Spanish, and Mandarin with accompanying captions. 45252 Views Equity-Based Preservation Plan Promo | Brenda Malik The president of the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, Brenda Malik, shares why historic preservation matters to her and her neighborhood. Short video captions were translated into Spanish. 206 Views Equity-Based Preservation Plan Promo | Gilbert Rivera Longtime East Austin Resident Gilbert Rivera shares locations in Austin that celebrate Mexican American history and are important to him. Short video captions were translated into Spanish. 307 Views Equity-Based Preservation Plan Promo | Noël Bridges The co-owner and marketing director of Antone’s Nightclub, Noël Bridges, shares why the Continental Club is important to her. Short video captions were translated into Spanish. Newsletter 1,315 Subscribers The preservation plan newsletter was sent to subscribers in both English and Spanish beginning in November 2022. Generally, the newsletter was sent monthly from November 2022 to December 2023. Beginning in January 2024, the newsletter was sent approximately every two weeks. The newsletter included calls to action, information about upcoming events, dives into the draft plan content, and more. It saw a consistently high open rate of 51.8%, on average, with the highest open rate in the week before the comment period closed on May 31, 2024. Click-through rates averaged 4.26%, with spikes of 13% with the release of the animated explainer video on February 29 and 12% with the release of the draft plan on February 6. 46Social Media Information was shared both organically and via paid sponsored ads on the City of Austin’s social media accounts. Posts promoted the community events in April and May and the community survey. Approximately 80 survey respondents said they heard about the Equity-Based Preservation Plan through social media. Social media campaign metrics from City of Austin posts on X, Facebook, Instagram, and NextDoor during community engagement: • Impressions: The number of times the post was displayed on the platform • Engagements: The number of interactions the post received from users (likes, comments, shares, saves, etc.) Personalized Communication In addition to broad outreach, the engagement team conducted personalized communication to reach priority groups and community members. The engagement team called stakeholders to engage around the plan ahead of the Nuts & Bolts Open House. Personalized emails were sent to 250+ allied organizations and community leaders, sharing about plan events and calls to action. Emails also were sent to historic landmark owners, historic district contacts, and the City’s Community Registry (262 contacts). 47Digital Toolkit At the start of the engagement period the City of Austin created a digital toolkit to share with partners to provide access to plan materials and language. The digital toolkit was distributed to 250+ partners multiple times and resulted in mentions in the following organizations’ newsletters and more: • Equity Action Team • Immigrant Affairs • Development Services Department • American Institute of Architects—Austin chapter • Tejano Genealogy Society City of Austin Resources The City of Austin utilized its network of opportunities to promote the plan widely throughout different City resources and events, including: • A hard copy article in Austin Utilities Now newsletter mailed out to households citywide in April 2024. • The Economic Development Department staff distributed plan information to Small Business Week participants in April 2024. • A billboard slide was included in rotation on the ATXN broadcast, Austin’s government access channel (formerly known as Channel 6). This reached the general community as well as City Hall employees and visitors. • The mini-documentary and animated video played on rotation on the ATXN broadcast. • A slide was included in rotation on Permitting and Development Center screens. This reached priority group #2, people affected by the plan, including City staff and contractors/development professionals who visit the building. 48Media and Advertising Targeted media outreach resulted in earned and paid media that helped spread the word about the draft plan and City-sponsored events, and encouraged taking the community survey by May 31. Paid advertisements included: • El Mundo, Austin’s only Spanish-language weekly newspaper: Digital and print ads ran for two weeks in May with a total reach of 114,500 readers; 5.5K content interactions and 510 click-thrus. • Austin South Asian, Austin’s only Asian newspaper: April and May digital home page (exact page views unavailable). The paper has a circulation of 6K monthly. • The Austin Villager, Austin’s oldest and only- Black-owned newspaper, featured both an ad in May and an earlier story in April to promote the plan. The paper has a circulation of 6k readers per week. • The Austin Chronicle: Two weeks of print ads, each with an average readership of 394,315 readers per week. 10,000 web impressions were reported for the co-sponsored calendar listing and targeted e-newsletter outreach over two weeks had over 5,000 average impressions each week. Newsletters were targeted to 19 zip codes selected for each of the priority groups. • The Austin Monitor conducted a high-profile digital campaign May 10-23 to promote the Block Party, Community Open House, and end of the engagement period, resulting in over 301K views with a total click-thru rate of 10%. • KAZI-FM’s “The Morning Grind” radio show on Austin’s oldest community radio and Black-owned and -founded station featured a live 30-minute interview with Preservation Plan manager Cara Bertron and Preservation Plan Working Group member Misael Ramos. The interview promoted the Block Party, the Community Open House in May, and general participation in shaping the draft plan. 49Additional coverage included: • KUT.org: An initial piece promoting the February event and launch of the plan ran on KUT.org, followed by a more in-depth interview with local Morning Edition Host Jennifer Stayton. The interview was taped on location at Parque Zaragoza’s historic bandstand and featured plan manager Cara Bertron and Preservation Plan Working Group members Julia Brookins and JuanRaymon Rubio. The story aired twice during rush hour programming on May 18 and is available online at KUT.org. Estimated average rush hour listeners are 10K in May and the podcast was downloaded 290 times. • The Austin Monitor featured a story about the launch of the draft plan on March 15, 2024 by Amy Smith. • The Austin Common, a grassroots, eco- friendly Austin newsletter reaching over 10K readers per week, promoted the Block Party on May 16. • The Daily Texan featured a story on February 23 promoting the launch of the plan. It has a daily circulation of 12K. • 18 Calendar submissions were published for the City-hosted events in April and May, including Austin Monthly, KXAN/NBC TV, Telemundo, SoulCity, Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce, UT News, KAZI, and Do512. Areas for Improvement The following ideas were identified by utilizing metrics from the communications tools and general assessments of outreach. As additional community engagement efforts are undertaken, below are suggestions to consider: • Secure more advance earned and paid publicity for early events like the Community Kickoff • Hold virtual/hybrid events to provide greater accessibility and reach more people • Conduct more focus groups and 1-on-1 conversations for in-depth engagement • Work with 3-1-1 to allow people to call in and fill out surveys • Send text reminders and outreach through the PublicInput platform • Secure more community calendar placements by conducting more personal follow-up calls 50Appendix Appendix A: Building on Previous Work The public engagement process built on extensive outreach and engagement completed by the City of Austin between spring 2021 and fall 2023. This included: • A yearlong process to develop the draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan, centered on the 26-member Preservation Plan Working Group • Well-publicized calls for applications for the working group and three focus groups • Seven total meetings of three focus groups: legacy businesses, cultural and heritage organizations, and neighborhood associations • A community heritage survey • Public presentations to six City boards and commissions • Newsletters sent out roughly monthly since fall 2022 • Project website with 5,400+ views • Three short videos from ATXN highlighting important places and stories • A toolkit with social media language and graphics, a flyer, and three ATXN videos • Flyers posted at libraries and recreation centers around Austin • Semi-regular outreach to 200 partner organizations and City departments to publicize engagement opportunities and the toolkit around the draft plan Existing contact databases from the City of Austin were utilized and expanded upon for this engagement process. Content and materials development incorporated graphics and language from prior outreach. 51 Appendix B: IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum 52