Back Up Agenda Item 32_Support for a new grant program for crisis care and temporary housing in the local trans population from LGBTQ QoL Advisory Com — original pdf

Backup

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission Recommenda(cid:415)on Number: 20250317-006: Support for a new grant program for crisis care and temporary housing in the local trans popula(cid:415)on WHEREAS, according the Trevor Project’s 2024 “Survey on the Mental Health of Young LGBTQ+ People” revealed the following data for Texas: ● 60% of LGBTQ+ young people in Texas experienced discrimina(cid:415)on based on their sexual orienta(cid:415)on or gender iden(cid:415)ty in the past year. ● 23% of LGBTQ+ young people in Texas were physically threatened or harmed based on their sexual orienta(cid:415)on or gender iden(cid:415)ty in the past year WHEREAS, the 2022 “US Trans Survey” found that 30 percent of respondents experienced homelessness during their life(cid:415)me. WHEREAS, according to data from the Na(cid:415)onal Center for Transgender Equality, one in five transgender people will face discrimina(cid:415)on when seeking housing, and one in ten will be evicted because of their gender iden(cid:415)ty. WHEREAS, according to data from The National Alliance to End Homelessness, 63% of transgender people and 80% of nonbinary people experiencing homelessness were unsheltered. WHEREAS the Texas legislature has introduced 104 an(cid:415)-trans bills in the 2025 legisla(cid:415)ve session, the most of any state in the country. WHEREAS, The Williams Ins(cid:415)tute at the University of California Los Angeles School of Law, using data collected by the Department of Jus(cid:415)ce's Na(cid:415)onal Crime Vic(cid:415)miza(cid:415)on Survey in 2022 and 2023, found that transgender people experienced violent a(cid:425)acks at a rate of 94 per 1,000 people compared to just 21 per 1,000 non-LGBT people. WHEREAS, The LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission has received input from the community confirming the need for trans focused housing and crisis care assistance in the Aus(cid:415)n area. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends to the Aus(cid:415)n City Council to: Establish a new grant program dedicated to providing financial assistance to local LGBTQ+ non- profits which are primarily focused on providing temporary housing and crisis care to the local trans popula(cid:415)on. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends to the Aus(cid:415)n City Council to: Allocate this newly established grant program with $200,000-$300,000 in funding from the upcoming 2025 FY budget, or from remaining funds in prior years budgets AND priori(cid:415)ze this funding over non-essen(cid:415)al budget items. BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends to the Aus(cid:415)n City Council to: Direct the City Manager to engage in commission in the process of dra(cid:332)ing the scope of work for the grant program and processes to help ensure community standards and expecta(cid:415)ons are adequately represented in the newly established grant program. Seconded: Date of Approval: _____________________ Record of the vote: Mo(cid:415)oned: For: Against: Abstain: Absent: A(cid:425)est: ____________________________________________________ John Sco(cid:425) Neal, Chair