Recommendation 20260325-013: Quality of Life Studies for Commissions — original pdf

Recommendation

RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL JOINT INCLUSION COMMITTEE Recommendation Number: [20260325-013]: Quality of Life Studies for Commissions WHEREAS, the Joint Inclusion Committee is currently made up of eleven commissions each representing a specific demographic; and WHEREAS, each of the member commissions of the Joint Inclusion Committee is tasked with representing their specific demographic and information, such as is contained in a thorough Quality of Life Study is vital to such representation; and WHEREAS, results from the Quality of Life studies can have significant impact on the work of Joint Inclusion Committee member commissions, as it may take months or years to implement the issues that surface from these studies; and WHEREAS the Commission on Veterans Affairs has never had a City of Austin Quality of Life Study; and WHEREAS, the African American Resource Advisory Commission had a quality of life study that was completed 2006; and WHEREAS, the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission had a quality of life study that was completed 2013; and WHEREAS, the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission had a quality of life study that was completed 2015; and WHEREAS, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, and Queer Quality of Life Advisory Commission and the Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities each had a quality of life study that was completed 2021; and WHEREAS the Commission for Women, the Commission on Aging, and the Early Childhood Council have Quality of Life studies that were completed in 2025/2026 and are awaiting publication. WHEREAS, the Commission on Immigrant Affairs has a Quality of Life study that is in progress WHEREAS, the Human Rights Commission had funds appropriated but did not want to have a study. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Joint Inclusion Committee encourages the Austin City Council to fund Quality of Life studies for the Commission on Veterans Affairs, the African American Resource Advisory Commission, the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Resource Advisory Commission, and the Asian American Quality of Life Advisory Commission, at an approximate cost of $400,000 each in the upcoming budget cycle. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Joint Inclusion Committee encourages the Austin City Council to fund a quality of life study for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender, and Queer Quality of Life Advisory Commission, the Mayor's Committee for People with Disabilities, in the following budget cycle (two budget cycles out). NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Joint Inclusion Committee encourages the Austin City Council to fund a quality of life study for the Commission for Women, Commission on Aging, Early Childhood Council, and the Human Rights Commission, and Immigrant Affairs Commission in the budget cycle after that (three budget cycles out). NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Joint Inclusion Committee encourages the Austin City Council to fund future quality of life studies for each of the Joint Inclusion Committee member commissions on a five-year rotating basis. Date of Approval: March 25, 2026 Motioned By: Commissioner Laake-Stanfield Seconded By: Commissioner Thakkar Vote: 10-0 For: Vice Chair Bondi, Commissioners Alvizo, Benson, Castaneda, Chang, Laake-Stanfield, Kanawati, Oliva-Martínez, Parsons, Thakkar Against: None Abstain: None Recuse: None Off the dais: None Absent: Chair Afifi, Commissioners Bullard, McNary, Melendez Attest: _____________________________________________ (Ryan Sperling, Staff Liaison)