LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission - March 11, 2024
LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission Regular Meeting of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Quality of Life Advisory Commission - City of Austin Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr., Austin, Texas 78752
RECOMMENDATION 03112023‐2 Funding for Emergency Housing Assistance WHEREAS Aus(cid:415)n con(cid:415)nues to face a housing affordability crisis par(cid:415)cularly impac(cid:415)ng renters that have seen mul(cid:415)ple years of rental increases, and WHEREAS the LGBTQ Quality of Life Study noted that the increased cost of rental housing was the highest‐ranked domain of priority for par(cid:415)cipants in the town hall mee(cid:415)ngs, and WHEREAS, in the referenced Study, 10% of respondents indicated they had been homeless in the last 5 years, 65% of respondents spent 30% or more of their income on housing while 9% spent more than half of their income, and WHEREAS the City of Aus(cid:415)n provided funding for a program en(cid:415)tled “I Belong in Aus(cid:415)n” to provide emergency assistance for renters in danger of losing their housing including short‐term rental assistance as well as moving and storage expenses to lessen the impact of forced reloca(cid:415)on, and WHEREAS “I Belong in Aus(cid:415)n” had over 800 people on the wai(cid:415)ng list when the program began this year, and that wai(cid:415)ng list quickly grew to 4,000 before being capped at that number indica(cid:415)ng the con(cid:415)nuing need for this assistance, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends that the Aus(cid:415)n City Council approve con(cid:415)nued funding in the next fiscal year based on an evalua(cid:415)on of the program’s effec(cid:415)veness in preven(cid:415)ng homelessness for diverse clients to mi(cid:415)gate the affordability crisis and accomplish strategic goals related to housing stabiliza(cid:415)on, economic opportunity, and affordability.
MUSIC COMMISSION BUDGET RECOMMENDATION FY24-25 DRAFT Date: March 4, 2023 Recommendation: Directive to the City Council for the City to invest in Austin's music economy initiatives to sustain, grow, and transform our music industry. Description of Recommendation to Council: The Music Commission, in support of the music community, recommends that the Austin City Council designate a minimum $3.36 Million investment for FY2024 to fuel Austin's music industry growth and support the music community. The commission recommends that the funds be invested in: Fiscal support for the Creative Space Assistance Program – match FY23-34 funding lever. CSAP awards between $5,000 and $50,000 to commercial creative spaces facing displacement or new leases at higher and unaffordable rates. Grant funds may be used for revenue-generating space improvements, partial lease payments, and gap financing for creative space purchases. $1.5 Million/ City General Fund Fiscal support for the Music and Entertainment Division musician performance program. Funding for city-sponsored music events (festivals, street performance program, City Council, and Music Commission performances) showcasing artists from each of the 10 council districts and compensated at the city-approved rate of $200 per performance per musician. $100,000 / City General Fund Fiscal support for the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians health insurance programs. Funding for HAAM’s health insurance navigator and insurance premium programs. $500,000 / City General Fund Initiation and fiscal support for a new disaster-related Stormy Weather Fund. Financial compensation for musicians and music workers demonstrating financial loss caused by declared disaster emergencies and resulting power failures. $800,000 per year ongoing, subject to adjust based on the frequency of emergencies / Austin Energy Annual Revenue Rationale The music industry is vital to the economic and cultural life of our city and deserves the same investment as other key growth industries in Austin. 1 of 2 Music and musicians contribute significantly to Austin's economy, including our robust tourism economy. The cost of living in Austin has risen to nearly unsustainable levels. From 2011 to 2021, the median home price in Austin increased from $193,000 to $517,000, and the median rent increased from $815 to $1,387. Many musicians struggle to make a living in Austin due to affordability issues. According to a survey by the Austin Music Census, nearly three-quarters of musicians in Austin reported making less than $18,000 per year from music-related income. Funding activities that provide more paid work to Austin …
REGULAR MEETING of the LGBTQ QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION Monday, March 11, 2024, at 7:00 P.M. City of Austin Permitting and Development Center, Room 1401 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr., Austin, Texas 78752 MEETING AGENDA Some members of the Commission 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 Alyssa Parra, the Commission’s staff liaison, at 512-974-2934 or Alyssa.Parra@AustinTexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Dereca Sims Christian Aguirre Yuri G Barragán VACANT Jerome Benson David Garza J. Scott Neal, Chair CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL Appointment Commissioner Appointment District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 Garry Brown Mariana Krueger Brandon Wollerson Marti Bier Charles Curry Dr. Melissa Taylor Morgan Davis Alexander Andersen AGENDA District 8 District 9 District 10 Mayor Stakeholder Stakeholder Stakeholder Stakeholder The first ten speakers signed up before the meeting is called to order will each be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns regarding items not posted on the agenda. Page 1 of 4 MOTION TO SUSPEND ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission’s Regular Meeting on February 12, 2023. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 2. Discussion and action on identifying speakers, presentations, and setting or confirming agenda 6. Approve a motion to create two new working groups for Communication and Community Outreach. items for Community Townhall Meeting in April. Sponsored by Chair Neal & Vice Chair Aguirre 3. Discussion and possible action on a retreat date and agenda. Sponsored by Chair Neal & Vice Chair Aguirre 4. Approve an updated recommendation on Emergency Rental Assistance. Sponsored by Commissioner Curry & Chair Neal 5. Approve a recommendation to the council on demographic data. Sponsored by Commissioner Wollerson & Chair Neal Sponsored by Chair Neal & Vice Chair Aguirre 7. Approve a recommendation on Austin Music Economy Initiatives. Sponsored by Commissioner Wollerson & Chair Neal 8. Discussion and action to approve budget recommendations to the council. Sponsored by Chair Neal & Vice Chair Aguirre WORKING GROUP UPDATES Members: Curry, Davis, Wollerson the Increasing Community Input Working Group. Members: Neal, …
LGBTQ QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 2 0 2 4 0 3 1 1 - 7 FOR Budget for Austin's music economy WHEREAS The music industry is vital to the economic and cultural life of our city and deserves the same investment as other key growth industries in Austin. WHEREAS Music and musicians contribute significantly to Austin's economy, including our robust tourism economy. WHEREAS The cost of living in Austin has risen to nearly unsustainable levels. From 2011 to 2021, the median home price in Austin increased from $193,000 to $517,000, and the median rent increased from $815 to $1,387. WHEREAS Many musicians struggle to make a living in Austin due to affordability issues. According to a survey by the Austin Music Census, nearly three-quarters of musicians in Austin reported making less than $18,000 per year from music-related income. WHEREAS Funding activities that provide more paid work to Austin musicians can help protect the city's economic growth. This includes supporting music venues, festivals, and events that hire local musicians, as well as initiatives that provide training and resources for musicians to build their careers and generate more income. WHEREAS By investing in the music industry and supporting musicians in Austin, the city can maintain the vibrancy of its cultural identity and ensure the continued contribution of the music industry to the local economy. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends to the City Council for the City to invest in Austin's music economy initiatives to sustain, grow, and transform our music industry and that the Austin City Council designate a minimum $3.36 Million investment for FY2024 to fuel Austin's music industry growth and support the music community. The commission recommends that the funds be invested in: • Fiscal support for the Creative Space Assistance Program – match FY23-34 funding lever. CSAP awards between $5,000 and $50,000 to commercial creative spaces facing displacement or new leases at higher and unaffordable rates. Grant funds may be used for revenue-generating space improvements, partial lease payments, and gap financing for creative space purchases. $1.5 Million/ City General Fund • Fiscal support for the Music and Entertainment Division musician performance program. Funding for city- sponsored music events (festivals, street performance program, City Council, and Music Commission performances) showcasing artists from each of the 10 council districts and compensated at the city-approved rate of $200 per performance per musician. …
LGBTQ QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 03112024-4 Funding for Emergency Housing Assistance WHEREAS Austin continues to face a housing affordability crisis particularly impacting renters that have seen multiple years of rental increases, and WHEREAS the LGBTQ Quality of Life Study noted that the increased cost of rental housing was the highest- ranked domain of priority for participants in the town hall meetings, and WHEREAS, in the referenced Study, 10% of respondents indicated they had been homeless in the last 5 years, 65% of respondents spent 30% or more of their income on housing while 9% spent more than half of their income, and WHEREAS the City of Austin provided funding for a program entitled “I Belong in Austin” to provide emergency assistance for renters in danger of losing their housing including short-term rental assistance as well as moving and storage expenses to lessen the impact of forced relocation, and WHEREAS “I Belong in Austin” had over 800 people on the waiting list when the program began this year, and that waiting list quickly grew to 4,000 before being capped at that number indicating the continuing need for this assistance, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends that the Austin City Council approve continued funding in the next fiscal year based on an evaluation of the program’s effectiveness in preventing homelessness for diverse clients to mitigate the affordability crisis and accomplish strategic goals related to housing stabilization, economic opportunity, and affordability. Date of Approval: 3/11/2024 Record of the Vote: Adopted without objection on a 12-1 vote. VOTE Present: Jerome Benson (Jerry Joe) John Scott Neal ● Christian Aguirre ● ● ● Gary Brown ● Brandon Wollerson ● Charles Curry • Mariana Krueger (virtual) • Yuri G Barragán (virtual) ● Alexander Andersen • Melissa Taylor Page 1 of 2 • Morgan Davis (virtual) • David Garza Attest: Alyssa Parra, Staff Liaison Page 2 of 2
LGBTQ QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION 20240311-5 COLLECTION OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY DATA WHEREAS Accurate data collection of marginalized communities provides the City of Austin with the information needed to adequately support and serve each community. Because there is no national collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data, the City of Austin must begin collecting that data from City employees and community members accessing City services. WHEREAS the City of Austin conducted an LGBTQ+ Quality of Life survey, with a report given on October 11, 2021, providing several recommendations on how to improve the quality of life for the LGBTQ+ community in Austin, TX; and, WHEREAS, a key recommendation from the Quality of Life survey is to “enhance sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data collection efforts”; and, WHEREAS, even before the QOL survey, on February 11, 2019, the LGBTQ QOL Commission passed a recommendation that supported the full inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data collection within the City of Austin; and, WHEREAS, on October 21, 2021, Austin City Council formally condemned non- consensual and medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children and directed the City Manager to explore methods to implement a public education campaign to provide accurate, affirming information to the doctors and parents of intersex children about these children’s health, to counter misinformation that can be presented as medical advice, therefore providing an important reason to collect data regarding the intersex population in the city as well (SOGI+); and, WHEREAS, in March 2016, the Health Resources Services Administration(HRSA) added SO/GI data as required elements to be reported yearly in the Uniform Data System (UDS), beginning in Calendar Year 2016. The Program Assistance Letter (PAL 2016-2) states that “sexual orientation and gender identity (SO/GI) can play a significant role in determining health outcomes,” and that “gaining a better understanding of populations served by health Page 1 of 3 centers, including sexual orientation and gender identity, promotes culturally competent care delivery, and contributes to reducing health disparities overall.”; and, WHEREAS, in February 2020, the Central Health Equity Policy Council adopted a policy initiative to move to expand SOGI data gathering as part of a push to adopt HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index, which is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities' policies and practices related to the equity and inclusion of their LGBTQ patients, visitors, and employees; and, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED …
