Recommendation 20250317-006: Support for a New Grant Program for Crisis Care and Temporary Housing in the Local Trans Population — original pdf

Recommendation

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission RecommendaAon Number: 20250317-006: Support for a New Grant Program for Crisis Care and Temporary Housing in the Local Trans PopulaAon Mo$oned by: Chair Neal WHEREAS, according the Trevor Project’s 2024 “Survey on the Mental Health of Young LGBTQ+ People” revealed the following data for Texas: Seconded by: Commissioner Krueger ● 60% of LGBTQ+ young people in Texas experienced discrimina$on based on their sexual orienta$on or gender iden$ty in the past year. ● 23% of LGBTQ+ young people in Texas were physically threatened or harmed based on their sexual orienta$on or gender iden$ty in the past year WHEREAS, the 2022 “US Trans Survey” found that 30 percent of respondents experienced homelessness during their life$me. WHEREAS, according to data from the Na$onal Center for Transgender Equality, one in five transgender people will face discrimina$on when seeking housing, and one in ten will be evicted because of their gender iden$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$-trans bills in the 2025 legisla$ve session, the most of any state in the country. WHEREAS, The Williams Ins$tute at the University of California Los Angeles School of Law, using data collected by the Department of Jus$ce's Na$onal Crime Vic$miza$on Survey in 2022 and 2023, found that transgender people experienced violent afacks at a rate of 94 per 1,000 people compared to just 21 per 1,000 non-LGBT people. WHEREAS, The LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission has received input from the community confirming the need for trans-focused housing and crisis care assistance in the Aus$n area. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends to the Aus$n City Council to: Establish a new grant program dedicated to providing financial assistance to local organiza$ons historically serving LGBTQIA+ individuals who are unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused, with priority to transgender, nonbinary, and gender-expansive individuals. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends to the Aus$n City Council: Any exis$ng or new FY2026 funding for affordable housing programs at the City priori$zes deeply affordable housing, below 30% MFI, with a focus on ensuring LGBTQIA+ community members are aware of these types of housing resources. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends to the Aus$n City Council to: Allocate this newly established grant program with $200,000-$300,000 in funding from the upcoming 2025 FY budget, or from remaining funds in prior years budgets AND priori$ze this funding over non-essen$al budget items. BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED, the LGBTQ Quality of Life Commission recommends to the Aus$n City Council to: Direct the City Manager to engage in commission in the process of draking the scope of work for the grant program and processes to help ensure community standards and expecta$ons are adequately represented in the newly established grant program. Date of Approval: March 17, 2025 Record of the vote: Approved on a 10-0 vote. Mo$oned: For: Chair Neal, Commissioners Andersen, Bandit, Brown, Coyne, Davis, Fierro-Pérez, Krueger, McLeod, Treviño Against: None Abstain: None Seconded: Commissioner Krueger Chair Neal  Absent: Vice Chair Benson, Commissioners Brookins, Wollerson Afest: ____________________________________________________ John Scof Neal, Chair