SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026, 6:00 P.M. AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS, MUELLER ASSEMBLY ROOM 4815 MUELLER BLVD AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Joint Inclusion Committee may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely via telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation by telephone. To register to speak remotely, contact Ryan Sperling, 512-974-3568, ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov CURRENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Primary Representative: Justin Parsons (Chair) Nirali J Thakkar Member Commission: African American Resource Advisory Commission Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission VACANT Commission for Women Commission on Aging Richard Bondi Commission on Immigrant Affairs Diane Kanawati Commission on Veterans Affairs Early Childhood Council Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission Human Rights Commission LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities VACANT Craig McNary Amanda Afifi Tannya Oliva-Martínez Jerry Joe Benson (Vice Chair) Lisa Chang Alternate Representative: Alexandria Anderson Nayer Sikder VACANT Teresa Ferguson Azeem Edwin VACANT Delphi Alvizo Dulce Castaneda Lila Igram Asher Knutson Gabriel Arrellano AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL The first ten speakers signed up prior to the meeting being called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Recommendation from the FY2026-27 Budget Follow-Up Working Group regarding its budget priorities for the FY2026-27 City of Austin budget. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Approve a recommendation to Council regarding FY2026-27 Budget Priorities. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. For assistance, please contact the Liaison or TTY users’ route through 711. A person may request language access accommodations no later than 48 hours before the scheduled meeting. Please call or email Ryan Sperling at Austin City Clerk’s Office, at 512-974-3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov, to request service or for additional information. For more information on the Human Rights Committee, please contact Ryan Sperling at 512-974- 3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov.
FY2026–27 Joint Inclusion Committee Budget Follow-Up This document summarizes the status of budget recommendations advanced by the Joint Inclusion Committee and its member commissions. While some priorities were maintained or partially addressed in the City Manager’s proposed budget, most remain unfunded or lack a clear implementation plan. Departmental support without dedicated funding, responsible staff, and a timeline is not implementation. Council should protect essential services and invest in prevention, including housing stability, healthcare, childcare, nutrition, legal assistance, accessibility, language access, and trusted community outreach. Where full funding is not possible, Council should provide a first-year investment and direct staff to return with a clear, costed path forward. Commission Status and Remaining Priorities African American Resource Advisory Commission ● Status: The proposed budget does not fund the $250,000 Multicultural STEM Symposium, and several Black-serving social-service priorities remain vulnerable to reductions. The City is exploring coordination with existing youth employment programs but has not funded the proposed symposium. ● Ask: Protect social-service contracts serving Black residents and provide a first-year investment or implementation plan for the Multicultural STEM Symposium and other culturally responsive economic-mobility programs. Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission ● Status: The AARC operating budget increases modestly, and ACME supports addressing its staffing and senior-service needs, but the proposed budget does not identify dedicated funding for pavilion staffing, temporary workforce support, or expanded senior nutrition. Community Health Navigator and language-access needs also remain unresolved. ● Ask: Restore and expand Community Health Navigator and language-access services, provide an itemized implementation plan for AARC’s unmet needs, and establish a funding timeline for an updated Asian American Quality of Life Study. Commission for Women ● Status: Emergency rental assistance and immigrant legal services remain in the proposed budget, but the full Mama Sana Vibrant Woman maternal-health and housing- stabilization request has not been funded as a dedicated package. ● Ask: Restore Mama Sana Vibrant Woman to the requested $900,000 service level and reverse remaining reductions to immigrant legal-service contracts. Commission on Aging ● Status: Older-adult outreach, in-language communications, and $400,000 in digital- equity programming are supported or maintained. However, the Parks and Recreation allocation associated with older-adult meal services decreases from approximately $666,000 to $572,000, and additional resources are still needed. ● Ask: Protect and expand home-delivered and congregate meal services and require implementation plans for transportation safety, adult-day health services, and employment and volunteer access for older adults. Commission on Immigrant …
RECOMMENDATION REGARDING FY2026-27 JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE BUDGET PRIORITIES Recommendation No. 2026________ WHEREAS, the Joint Inclusion Committee and its member commissions submitted budget recommendations addressing housing, healthcare, childcare, legal services, accessibility, public safety, economic opportunity, cultural infrastructure, and other essential community needs; and WHEREAS, the City Manager’s proposed FY2026-27 budget maintains or partially addresses some recommendations, while many others remain unfunded or lack a clear implementation plan; and WHEREAS, investments in prevention and stabilization reduce harm, protect vulnerable residents, and avoid more expensive interventions later; and WHEREAS, departmental support alone does not constitute implementation without identified funding, responsible staff, and a clear timeline; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: The Joint Inclusion Committee recommends that the Austin City Council protect essential services and prioritize the remaining budget recommendations advanced by the Committee and its member commissions, including investments in housing stability, healthcare, childcare, nutrition, legal assistance, accessibility, language access, community safety, and economic opportunity. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: For recommendations that are supported but not fully funded, the Committee recommends that Council provide a first-year investment or direct the City Manager to identify the responsible department, funding required, implementation timeline, measurable outcomes, and minimum viable path forward. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: The Committee requests a written update following budget adoption identifying which recommendations were funded, partially funded, referred for further action, or not included.
. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL Joint Inclusion Committee Recommendation 20260812-002: FY2026-27 Joint Inclusion Committee Budget Priorities WHEREAS, the Joint Inclusion Committee and its member commissions submitted budget recommendations addressing housing, healthcare, childcare, legal services, accessibility, public safety, economic opportunity, cultural infrastructure, and other essential community needs; and WHEREAS, the City Manager’s proposed FY2026-27 budget maintains or partially addresses some recommendations, while many others remain unfunded or lack a clear implementation plan; and WHEREAS, investments in prevention and stabilization reduce harm, protect vulnerable residents, and avoid more expensive interventions later; and WHEREAS, departmental support alone does not constitute implementation without identified funding, responsible staff, and a clear timeline; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: The Joint Inclusion Committee recommends that the Austin City Council protect essential services and prioritize the remaining budget recommendations advanced by the Committee and its member commissions, including investments in housing stability, healthcare, childcare, nutrition, legal assistance, accessibility, language access, community safety, and economic opportunity. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: For recommendations that are supported but not fully funded, the Committee recommends that Council provide a first-year investment or direct the City Manager to identify the responsible department, funding required, implementation timeline, measurable outcomes, and minimum viable path forward. BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED: The Committee requests a written update following budget adoption identifying which recommendations were funded, partially funded, referred for further action, or not included. . Date of Approval: August 12, 2026 Motioned By: Commissioner Kanawati Seconded By: Chair Parsons Vote: 7-0 For: Chair Parsons, Vice Chair Benson, Commissioners Afifi, Bondi, Kanawati, McNary, Oliva Martinez Against: None Abstain: None Off the dais: None Absent: Commissioners Thakkar, Sikder, Chang, Arrellano Attest: _____________________________________________ (Ryan Sperling, Staff Liaison)
