RECOMMENDATION 20240311-004 Funding for Emergency Housing Assistance — original pdf

Recommendation

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