LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission - Aug. 12, 2026
LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission Special Called Meeting of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Quality of Life Advisory Commission
SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF THE LGBTQ QUALITY OF LIFE ADVISORY COMMISSION WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026 AT 5:00 P.M. AUSTIN ENERGY HEADQUARTERS, MUELLER ASSEMBLY RM 1111 A&B 4815 MUELLER BLVD AUSTIN, TEXAS 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 at 512-974-3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov. CURRENT COMMISSIONERS: Commissioner Appointment Commissioner Kitty McLeod, Vice Chair (she/they) District 1 Mariana Krueger (she/her) Appointment District 9 KC Shepherd Coyne, Chair (they/he) District 2 Devan Daniel (he/him) District 10 Steven Rivas (he/him) District 3 Rocío Fierro-Pérez (she/her/ella) Mayor Brigitte Bandit (they/she) District 4 Morgan Davis (he/him) Jerry Joe Benson, Secretary (he/him) District 5 Randy Pituk (he/him) Asher Knutson (he/him) District 6 Marlon Johnson (he/him) J. Scott Neal (he/him) District 7 Anna Nguyen (she/her) Garry Brown District 8 Stakeholder Stakeholder Stakeholder Stakeholder 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 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 LGBTQ+ 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 LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission, please contact Ryan Sperling at 512-974-3568 or ryan.sperling@austintexas.gov.
FY2026–27 LGBTQIA+ Budget Advocacy Priorities White Page This document summarizes the Working Group’s recommended advocacy priorities, it does not represent an official Commission position unless adopted by the full Commission. Our priorities are, in order: housing, healthcare, safety, legal assistance, and community place making. Most of these proposals strengthen existing programs and invest in fiscally responsible prevention. We also ask for clear accountability, including responsible departments and implementation timelines. 1. Housing Stabilization and Homelessness Assistance ● Protect and increase funding for existing housing stabilization, rental assistance, homelessness prevention, and emergency housing programs. ● Ensure City-funded programs provide safe, affirming, and accountable services for LGBTQIA+ residents, particularly transgender and gender-diverse residents. Ask: Maintain and expand proven housing assistance programs while reviewing whether LGBTQIA+ residents can access those programs safely and equitably. 2. LGBTQIA+ Legal Navigation and Community Safety Coordination ● Support coordinated assistance that helps LGBTQIA+ residents navigate legal concerns, safety incidents, referrals, and available City or community services. ● Head count here can provide residents with a clear point of contact and produce tangible, measurable results without creating a large new program. Ask: Fund legal-navigation and community-safety coordination through the Equity Office by having a dedicated resource. 3. APD LGBTQ+ Community Liaison Program ● Dedicate approximately $40,000 from the proposed APD budget to support the new LGBTQ+ and Community Liaison program. ● Funding should support written responsibilities, specialized training, community listening sessions, outreach materials, performance measures, backup coverage, and long-term continuity. Ask: Provide the new liaison with the resources and structure needed to create long term viability and meet the Chief’s stated goal of making this a full time role. 4. MPox, HIV/STI, and Vaccination Programs ● Follow Austin Public Health’s recommendation to maintain and expand MPox vaccination, HIV/STI testing, prevention, treatment navigation, outreach, and community-provider partnerships. ● These proven services save lives, prevent avoidable harm, and reduce the need for more expensive medical treatment later. This is truly an ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure. Ask: Fully fund Austin Public Health’s recommended service levels for MPox vaccination and HIV/STI prevention and ensure these essential programs are not reduced. 5. Safe and Proud Entertainment Corridor Support Stop the Bleed training, CPR/AED access, venue coordination, and emergency preparedness along Bettie Naylor and West Fourth Street. (The alarm component is not included.) Ask: Fund these safety measures and assign clear departmental responsibility for implementation. 6. LGBTQ Entertainment District and Micro-PID …
RECOMMENDATION REGARDING FY2026–27 LGBTQ+ BUDGET PRIORITIES Recommendation No. 2026________ WHEREAS, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission has previously adopted recommendations addressing housing stability, public health, community safety, legal assistance, and LGBTQ+ cultural infrastructure; and WHEREAS, the Commission’s Budget Working Group reviewed the City Manager’s proposed FY2026-27 budget, departmental responses, and the status of previously submitted Commission recommendations; and WHEREAS, investments in housing stabilization, disease prevention, emergency preparedness, and early access to services can prevent harm, save lives, and reduce more costly interventions later; and WHEREAS, several Commission priorities remain unfunded, partially funded, or without a clearly responsible department, implementation timeline, or path toward completion; and WHEREAS, the Commission has identified six priorities for immediate Council consideration during the FY2026-27 budget process; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LGBTQ QUALITY OF LIFE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN: The Commission recommends that the Austin City Council: 1. Housing Stabilization and Homelessness Assistance: Maintain and increase funding for housing stabilization, rental assistance, homelessness prevention, and emergency housing programs, while ensuring that LGBTQ+ residents-particularly transgender and gender-diverse residents-can access services safely and equitably. 2. Legal Navigation and Community Safety Coordination: Fund a dedicated Equity Office resource to help LGBTQIA2S+ residents navigate legal concerns, safety incidents, referrals, and available City and community services. 3. APD LGBTQ+ Community Liaison Program: Dedicate approximately $40,000 from the proposed APD budget to support the LGBTQ+ Community Liaison Program through specialized training, outreach, community engagement, performance measures, backup coverage, and long-term continuity, with the goal of establishing a sustainable full-time role. 4. MPox, HIV/STI, and Vaccination Programs: Fully fund Austin Public Health’s recommended service levels for MPox vaccination and HIV/STI prevention, testing, treatment navigation, outreach, and community-provider partnerships, and ensure these essential services are not reduced. 5. Safe and Proud Entertainment Corridor: Fund Stop the Bleed training, CPR and AED access, venue coordination, and emergency preparedness along Bettie Naylor and West Fourth Street, excluding the previously proposed alarm component, and assign clear departmental responsibility for implementation. 6. LGBTQ Entertainment District and Micro-PID: Direct the Economic Development Department and Transportation and Public Works to identify a lead department, implementation timeline, first-year funding options, and next steps for the LGBTQ Entertainment District and Micro-PID. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: For any priority that cannot be fully funded in FY2026-27, the Commission recommends that Council support a practical first-year investment or provide formal direction to the City Manager identifying the responsible department, …
