20240327-010_JIC FY24-25 Expansion of Emergency Housing & Utility Assistance Program Budget Recommendation Signed — original pdf

Recommendation

. BOARD/COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION Joint Inclusion Committee Recommendation Number: (20240313-010): Expansion of Emergency Housing and Rental Assistance Program WHEREAS, the Joint Inclusion Committee (“JIC”) of the City of Austin (“City”) serves as an advisory body that advocates for and inspires the City Council (“Council”) and City Manager on issues pertaining to equity, diversity, and inclusion to promote close cooperation between Council, City Management, City boards, commissions, committees, and task forces, and individuals, institutions, and agencies to increase and sustain equity, diversity, and inclusion in the city; and WHEREAS, those aged 65 years and older, represent the fastest-growing age group in Austin, expanding from 55,695 (7.0% of 2010 population) to 91,733 (9.5% of 2020 population), and growing at a rate of 64.7%; and WHEREAS, Austin continues to face a housing affordability crisis, particularly impacting renters that have seen multiple years of rental increases, and WHEREAS, the Age-Friendly Austin Community Feedback Survey indicates that older city residents want to age in-place for as long as possible and respondents who are experiencing unstable housing cited this was due to lack of affordability and gentrification; and WHEREAS, the City of Austin has provided funding for the RENT program, now referred to as “I Belong in Austin” which has successfully provided renters emergency assistance for rent, moving, and storage/relocation to prevent eviction, displacement, and homelessness; and WHEREAS, I Belong in Austin served a significant number of Austin individuals over 60 (14% of the total served) and continues to have an extensive waitlist, over 800 people when the program began this year and quickly grow to 4,000 before being capped indicating the continuing need for assistance. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Commission on Aging encourages the Austin City Council to allocate $15 million to support I Belong in Austin in the next fiscal year based on an evaluation of the program’s effectiveness in mitigating the affordability crisis and accomplish strategic goals related to housing stabilization, economic opportunity, and affordability. Date of Approval: March 27, 2024 . Record of the vote: 8-0, Commissioners Vargas and Gordon (ECC), Commissioners Davis and Aslam (Human Rights) absent Attest: _____________________________________________ Vice Chair Type text here