Friday, September 23, 2022

Austin Public Health & Travis County Partnering with Community Organizations for COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics This Weekend

Austin Public Health (APH) and Travis County are partnering with community organizations to provide free COVID-19 vaccination clinics around the county from Sept. 23 - Sept. 26.   

Clinics are open to all eligible individuals without registration or appointment and do not require identification, insurance, or proof of citizenship. All vaccinations are free. If you are receiving your second dose, third dose or booster shot, please bring your Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card to be updated.   

Individuals attending these events should be weather- and traffic-aware. Remember to wear appropriate clothing, including garments that allow you to easily expose your arm.   

To locate providers in your area with a supply of COVID-19 vaccines, go to Vaccines.gov (Vacunas.govfor Spanish), or text your zip code to 438829 (822862 for Spanish).  

NOTICE: Hours are subject to change. 
 

Friday, Sept. 23 

La Mexicana Market – Rundberg (Travis County) 

La Mexicana Market – Stassney (Travis County) 

Poco Loco Supermercado – Cameron (Travis County) 

Movies in The Park: Pan American Park (Travis County)


Saturday, Sept. 24 

Travis County Constable Precinct 4 Office (Travis County) 

Austin Country Flea Market (Travis County) 

812 Outdoor Flea Market (Travis County) 

Ponciana Neighborhood Park (Travis County)

Trove Eastside (Austin Public Health)

  • Time: 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
  • Address: 2201 Montopolis Dr. Austin, TX 78741
  • Vaccine: Pfizer (6+ months) Moderna (6+ months) Novavax (12+) Pfizer bivalent booster (12+ years) Moderna bivalent booster (18+ years) season flu shot (6+ months)

 

Sunday, Sept. 25 

Travis County Constable Precinct 4 Office (Travis County) 

Austin Country Flea Market (Travis County) 

812 Outdoor Flea Market (Travis County) 

Thinkery Children's Museum (Austin Public Health)

  • Time: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
  • Address: 1830 Simond Ave Austin, TX 78723
  • Vaccine: Pfizer (6+ months) Moderna (6+ months) Novavax (12+) Pfizer bivalent booster (12+ years) Moderna bivalent booster (18+ years) season flu shot (6+ months)

 

Monday, Sept. 26

Central Texas Allied Health Institute (Travis County) 

La Mexicana Market – Rundberg (Travis County) 

La Mexicana Market – Stassney (Travis County) 

Poco Loco Supermercado – Cameron (Travis County) 

*The vaccination sites are closed to the press. While vaccinations are occurring, each site is considered a hospital with patients, and only authorized visits are allowed. Agencies listed in parentheses for each location (Austin Public Health or Travis County) are the only entities that can authorize admittance.  


Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Roy Kizer Golf Course Grand Reopening


The Austin Parks and Recreation Department's Golf Division, Golf ATX, will host a grand re-opening of the Roy Kizer Golf Course (https://www.austintexas.gov/department/roy-kizer-course) on Thursday, September 29 from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. The course, which has been closed since early March 2022, underwent a putting greens resurfacing project and reopened under modified operations on September 8, 2022. The Grand Re-Opening will feature a live onsite radio broadcast, golf, music, giveaways and breakfast for all attendees.

The Roy Kizer Golf Course is a links-style layout spread over 200 acres located in southeast Austin. The course was named for Roy Kizer, a long-time golf course superintendent at Lions Municipal Golf Course from 1937 until his retirement in 1973. Mr. Roy Kizer earned the respect of the Austin golf community through his dedication to the course and his support of junior golf in the City of Austin. With 35 acres of lakes and 22 acres of wetlands, the golf course offers residency to migratory waterfowl in the area and is a beautiful experience for players of all skill levels.

 

About Golf ATX:

The City of Austin owns six golf courses and one short practice course all focused on a great golf experience at an affordable price. The Golf ATX courses serve a large and diverse golf public with more than 300,000 rounds played annually and over 300 tournaments and events hosted on its golf courses annually. Golf ATX offers golf programs for adults, juniors and players of all skill levels. For more information, visit www.GOLFATX.org.


Los habitantes de Austin pueden ayudar a determinar el futuro de las rutas peatonales y las ciclovías de la ciudad

Usando las opiniones de la comunidad recolectadas durante el año pasado, el Departamento de Obras Públicas de Austin y el Departamento de Transporte de Austin están presentando tres escenarios para el futuro de los senderos urbanoslas ciclovías y las aceras. Los habitantes pueden compartir en línea sus comentarios acerca de estos escenarios y preguntas adicionales sobre políticas de transporte hasta el 23 de octubre. Los opiniones del público informarán los planes actualizados de las aceras, los senderos urbanos y las ciclovías de Austin.

La Reunión Pública Virtual de ATX Walk Bike Roll: Escogiendo Nuestro Camino pide a los residentes que compartan su opinión sobre una variedad de temas acerca del transporte.

Opciones para ciclovías y senderos urbanos: Al público se le presentan tres formas en que los senderos urbanos y las ciclovías podrían construirse en el futuro. Un escenario se enfocaría en facilitar el movilizarse alreadedor de la ciudad, otra opción crearía un mejor acceso a los destinos locales dentro de los vencindarios y el tercero le daría prioridad al acceso a la naturaleza. Los tres escenarios tienen como objetivo mejorar el acceso para las personas de color y las personas de bajos recursos económicos. Los habitantes pueden ayudar a decidir qué tipos de conexiones deberán priorizarse para tener el mayor impacto positivo para las personas que caminan, andan en bicicleta o se movilizan en transporte público.

Calles compartidas: También se les pide a los habitantes que compartan su opinión acerca de un nuevo concepto llamado Calles Compartidas. Calles Compartidas utilizará dispositivos para disminuir el tráfico, como bolardos, pintura o jardineras, para hacer que algunas calles residenciales sean más cómodas para las personas que caminan, andan en bicicleta o se movilizan en transporte público. El objetivo es construir lugares más seguros para caminar en menos tiempo y a un costo menor de lo que se necesita para construir aceras. Se pregunta a los habitantes si les gustaría ver un aumento en la construcción de calles compartidas.

Darle prioridad a los cruces peatonales: Además, la Ciudad de Austin está determinando cómo priorizar los proyectos de cruces peatonales. Se les pregunta a los habitantes qué tan importantes creen que son los cruces peatonales en lugares seleccionados para determinar dónde construirlos primero.

Conceptos de política de transporte: Por último, se les pide a los habitantes que compartan sus comentarios acerca de las preguntas de política, que se enfocan en ideas que podrían reducir el costo de movilizarse de una manera equitativa y abordar los subsidios ocultos que actualmente favorecen a los automóviles por encima de otras opciones de transporte.

ATX Walk Bike Roll se encuentra en un momento clave y está tomando decisiones importantes acerca de cómo la ciudad debe avanzar en la planificación para el futuro de la movilidad de Austin y necesita que los habitantes ayuden a decidir acerca de este futuro.

¡Por favor, comparta su opinión sobre estos modelos e ideas de políticas antes del 23 de octubre!

Visite la Reunión Pública Virtual
Los residentes que no puedan completar la encuesta en línea pueden recibir una encuesta por correo. Solicite este formulario llamando al (512) 974-7182 o enviando un correo electrónico a ATXWalkBikeRoll@AustinTexas.gov


Austin Residents Can Help Determine the Future of City’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Routes

 

Illustration of people walking, biking, and rolling.

Using community input gathered over the past year, Austin Public Works and Austin Transportation are presenting three scenarios for the future of urban trailsbikeways, and sidewalks. Residents can give feedback on these scenarios and additional transportation policy questions online through October 23. Public feedback will inform Austin’s updated Sidewalks, Urban Trails, and Bikeway plans. 

The ATX Walk Bike Roll: Choosing Our Path virtual open house asks residents to give input on a variety of transportation topics. 

Options for bikeways and urban trails: The public is presented with three ways urban trails and bikeways could be built in the future. One scenario would focus on making it easier to get across the city, another option would create better access to local neighborhood destinations, and the third prioritizes access to nature. All three scenarios aim to improve access for People of Color and people with low incomes. Residents can help decide what types of connections should be prioritized. 

Shared Streets: Residents are also asked to give input on a new concept called Shared Streets. Shared Streets will use traffic calming devices, such as bollards, paint, or planters, to make some residential streets more comfortable for people walking, biking, or rolling. The goal is to build safer places to walk in less time and at a lower cost than it takes to build sidewalks. Residents are asked if they would like to see more shared streets in Austin.

Prioritizing pedestrian crossings: Additionally, the City of Austin is determining how to prioritize pedestrian street crossing projects. Residents are asked how important they think pedestrian crossings are at select locations to determine where to build first.  

Transportation policy concepts: Finally, residents are asked to give feedback on policy questions, which focus on ideas that could lower the cost of getting around in an equitable way and address the hidden subsidies that currently favor automobiles above other transportation options.

Visit the Virtual Open House
ATX Walk Bike Roll is at a key moment and making major decisions about how the City should move forward in planning for the future of Austin’s mobility and needs residents to help decide on this future! Residents can take the ATX Walk Bike Roll survey now through October 23.

Anyone who is unable to take the online survey can request that a survey be mailed to them by calling (512) 974-7182 or emailing ATXWalkBikeRoll@AustinTexas.gov 

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

City of Austin Completes Economic Development Department Leadership Team

The City of Austin Economic Development Department (EDD) is pleased to announce the final recruitment of its leadership team with the hiring of David Gray as Assistant Director and Susana Carbajal as Deputy Director.

“With a strong leadership team in place, we are positioned to continue recovery support and resources for growth in small business development, cultural arts and music industry rebound, heritage tourism, economic policy for business expansion, and redevelopment of city-owned property,” explains Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Director of the Economic Development Department. “We look forward to increased collaboration to build Austin’s future.”
 
The City of Austin's Economic Development Department supports and recruits business to Austin. The mission is to promote a competitive, sustainable and equitable economy for all through six divisions:

  • Cultural Arts programs integrate arts and artists into economic development.
  • Global Business Expansion increases jobs and investment in Austin with programs that support business expansion and attraction.
  • Heritage Tourism programs aim to attract tourists by preserving historic buildings, sites, and districts.
  • Music & Entertainment supports Austin’s venues, commercial music businesses, and musicians.
  • Redevelopment facilitates innovative partnerships and projects to re-invigorate Austin neighborhoods and commercial districts.
  • Small Business helps small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start a small business.

David Gray as Assistant Director will oversee the Creative and Cultural Ecosystem, which includes the Cultural Arts Division, Heritage Tourism Division, and Music & Entertainment Division, as well as the communications team.

“I look forward to working with our local creative and historic communities and ensuring that our services reach our most vulnerable neighbors,” notes David Gray. “We will continue to sustain Austin’s world-renowned cultural ecosystem by delivering programs, funding opportunities, and policies that produce economic and community benefits for our local creative professionals and organizations.”

Susana Carbajal as Deputy Director will oversee Business Engagement and Community Building, which includes the Small Business Division, Redevelopment Division, and Global Business Expansion Division, as well as the administrative and finance teams.

“We will continue to advocate for all Austinites through equitable development and business programming.” notes Susana Carbajal. “Engaging our local businesses and building inclusive communities are the foundation of economic development.”

David Gray

David Gray, Assistant Director

David initially joined EDD in March 2020 as the department’s Public Information & Marketing Program Manager and established the department’s first centralized communications team. David also served as EDD’s Economic Recovery Programs Project Manager when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in Austin. In this role, he led 12 program launches in two years, which collectively distributed more than $60 million dollars in emergency support for local businesses, creatives, and communities.

Most recently, David served as Interim Assistant Director for Austin’s Housing and Planning Department (HPD), where he supported the Displacement Prevention, Inclusive Planning, and Strategic Data Divisions. David’s experience prior to joining EDD includes leading community engagement efforts for the Austin Transportation Department’s Vision Zero Program; managing the Community Benefits Division for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; serving as the Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Richmond, CA; and holding other key positions in outreach and policy with local government organizations. David earned his Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Bachelor’s degrees from Tulane University.


Roadway Rehab Underway Along Springdale Rd.

Sep 20, 2022 

Austin Public Works recently began a roadway improvement project on Springdale Rd. An effort funded by the voter-approved 2018 Bond; the project’s purpose is to rehabilitate Springdale Rd. and improve mobility options in the neighborhood.

The project was designed and is being managed completely by Public Works’ Capital Project Delivery Program. The repairs consist of: replacing existing pavement with new asphalt, limited concrete curb replacement, and adding new pavement markings. Austin Public Works is also taking the opportunity to adjust, and in some locations add, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps in the area. New pavement markings will also be installed on the road.

The first of three phases will focus on Springdale Rd. between Goodwin Ave. and Oak Springs Dr. and is expected to last a little over a week. The full Springdale rehabilitation will span from Airport Blvd. to Manor Rd. and will reach completion by mid-November 2022 (subject to the nature of construction and weather).

Localized construction impacts include:

  • Lane closures: Alternating lane closures and detours will be in effect as needed during construction.
  • Sidewalk closures: A portion of the sidewalks will be closed as needed as they are added/adjusted for ADA Compliance. Detour signage for pedestrians is posted.
  • Transit: Select Capital Metro bus stops along Springdale Rd. will be accessible as construction allows.

Austin Public Works urges everyone traveling in the area to watch their speed and stay alert for construction workers and pedestrian traffic.

To learn more about Austin's Road Resurfacing Programs, visit AustinTexas.Gov/StreetAndBridge or call 3-1-1.

City of Austin and HousingWorks Update Progress on Strategic Housing Blueprint Goals

Austin continues to make progress toward meeting the 10-year goals laid out in the Strategic Housing Blueprint, particularly by constructing income-restricted units in High Opportunity Areas and preserving existing subsidized units, while production of new affordable housing units lags slightly.

The data comes from the 2021 Blueprint Scorecard and a four-year Progress-to-Date Scorecard (2018-2021) released through a partnership between the City’s Housing and Planning Department and the nonprofit group HousingWorks Austin.  

The scorecards measure the progress made on the housing production goals and other metrics related to housing affordability set forth in the Strategic Housing Blueprint that was approved by Council in 2017. The Blueprint seeks to align resources and facilitate community partnerships around a single, strategic vision to create 60,000 affordable housing across the city, particularly for those making less than 80% of the median family income. 

According to the scorecards, in 2021, the city exceeded its goal of building new housing units within a half-mile of Imagine Austin Centers and Corridors for the fourth year in a row. Over the past four years, the city has been most successful in meeting this goal, with 91% of all new housing units from 2018 to 2021 located within these areas. 

Substantial progress was also achieved in preserving existing affordable housing, repairing and upgrading 1,550 units of housing units, ensuring that they remain affordable for low-income Austinites for years to come.  Additionally, construction of units for households earning 81% MFI or above continued to grow, with the construction of nearly 7,500 units in 2021.

Nora Linares-Moeller, the Executive Director of HousingWorks Austin said, "The increase in the number of affordable units preserved over the past year is especially encouraging. With the cost of living continuing to increase in Austin, it is important that we do not lose any of the existing affordable housing in the city while new units are built to address the current housing shortage."

While the scorecards also indicate a continued lag toward the goal of 60,000 new affordable housing units, officials say delays are expected due in large part to the time and resources necessary to launch extensive housing projects.

“Realistically, the slower pace of constructing new affordable units is understandable when you consider the time and resources required to build both rental and home ownership units,” said HPD Executive Director Rosie Truelove.  “We are currently looking at more than 2,000 rental and home ownership units in the construction pipeline within the next two years from funds made possible in large part by the voter-approved $250 million affordable housing bond in 2018.”

The annual scorecard (published 6-12 months after the close of the reporting period) can help Austin track its efforts to sustainably achieve affordability goals, expand housing opportunities, and ensure Austin remains a liveable city for all.
 
For access to the Blueprint Scorecards, more about the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint, and links to all of the past versions of the Blueprint Scorecard visit:  AustinTexas.gov/blueprint  


About HousingWorks Austin
HousingWorks Austin is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. They advance their mission to preserve and increase the supply of affordable housing through research, education, and advocacy in Austin, Texas and the surrounding region, with a commitment to ensuring those most in need have access to safe and affordable housing. Advocacy is guided by the maxim, ‘All Kinds of Homes, in All Parts of Town, for All Kinds of People’.
 
About Housing and Planning Department
The Housing and Planning Department provides resources related to planning, zoning, housing, and community development to enhance the quality of life of all Austinites. Equitable, efficient, and comprehensive planning with displacement prevention as a prioritized focus is the Department’s core charge in delivering housing services to the community.

Candidate Forums for District 5 and 8

 

Thursday, September 22 at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, September 22, 2022, the City of Austin is sponsoring the City Council Candidate Forums for District 5 and 8, allowing residents to learn more about the candidates running for the open City Council seats.
 
The City of Austin, the City's Ethics Review Commission and the League of Women Voters Austin Area, will sponsor six City Council Candidate Forums for City Council candidates competing in the November 8 election. Council Districts that will be electing Council Members are Districts 1, 3, 5, 8, 9 and Mayor. The other districts will be chosen in 2024.  

The event will be an opportunity for Austinites to listen to candidates express their views so audience members can understand candidates' positions and make an informed voting decision. The candidates will serve the remaining term of the office being vacated.

The forum for District 5 will begin at 6 p.m. followed by the forum for District 8, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. Both will be held at South Austin Senior Center - 3911 Menchaca Road. The community can also tune in live at ATXN.TV (ENG & SPA), cable TV channel 6, and AT&T U-Verse channel 99, and on streaming apps. The forum can also be heard live on KAZI FM 88.7 in English. Language Interpretation via Telephone will be provided in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin (Dial 1-855-756-7520 ext 83464# for English, 83465# for Spanish, 83466# for Mandarin, and 83467# for Vietnamese). For other language interpretation not provided for the forums, please call Austin 3-1-1 to request an interpreter at least 5 business days prior to the forum you wish to attend.
 
Austinites and Neighborhood Associations interested in suggesting a question to be asked of the candidates during the forums can email in any language to forum@lwvaustin.org or call 512-451-6710. Deadline is by 12pm (noon) the day of each forum event date. For more information about the Council Candidate Forums, visit AustinTexas.gov/CandidateForums.

To find out which district you live in, visit AustinTexas.gov/Government#FindDistrict.

To see a list of Council Candidates per district in the ballot, visit the Candidate Forums website.

For more information about the election process, visit AustinTexas.gov/Elections

Sunday, September 18, 2022

Now Hiring Aquatic Division Manager for Austin Parks and Recreation

 

Apply Now Through October 26 to Manage Austin's Pool System
The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department is hiring a new Aquatic Division Manager. This position will manage Austin’s pools and aquatic facilities. The City of Austin Aquatic Division operates a $12.5M annual budget and includes 45 public aquatic facilities – 7 Regional pools, 3 Community pools, 22 Neighborhood pools, 1 Wading pool, Barton Springs Pool and 11 splash pads. 

The Aquatic Division Manager works with diverse populations and communities, including interacting with individuals from a variety of social, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds. The purpose of the position is to provide guidance, support, and management to 24 full-time staff and approximately 800 part-time staff and to oversee aquatic safety and certification programs. The annual salary ranges between $80,662.40 and $110,094.40 depending on experience.

Once final candidates are selected, the Department will schedule a public meet and greet so that the community can provide input. Ideal people for this position have experience planning, organizing, and implementing aquatics programs and services for diverse populations. Applicants with a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration, Leisure Services, Public Administration, or a related field are preferred. Learn more about preferred experience and certifications for the position at AustinTexas.gov/Pools

City Plans Network of Resilience Hubs in Preparation of Next Disaster

 

Six ‘safe locations’ will be activated later this year under pilot program 


A network of Resilience Hubs is to be launched to prepare the Austin community for a range of threats including flooding, drought, extreme heat and wildfires – with a specific focus on vulnerable populations. 

The City of Austin is working alongside agency and community partners to activate six pilot hubs later in 2022. They will eventually form part of a citywide Resilience Hub Network of community-focused physical facilities that offer a variety of day-to-day services and support the community before, during, and after a disaster.  

“As climate change brings more frequent severe weather and other disasters, there is a need for accessible community spaces, supply distribution centers, backup power and water, and safe temporary shelters,” said City of Austin Resilience Officer Laura Patiño. “Working with Austin Independent School District, Travis County, the Community Advisory Committee, and the Community Task Force, we continue to make progress towards the creation of this vital support network.” 

Resilience hubs, which are intended to complement emergency response and operations, are trusted neighborhood spaces that strengthen community ties and provide basic needs when disasters strike. 

They can offer shelter, food and water, information, accessible bathrooms, cell phone charging, and meeting spaces. Additionally, during non-emergencies, Resilience Hubs help equitably enhance community resilience by offering resources and community-building activities year-round. 

In February 2021, hundreds of thousands of homes in Austin were without electricity and water for multiple days during the unprecedented winter emergency, underscoring the very critical need for advance planning for community-trusted, safe locations with redundant power and water supplies for individuals to shelter during emergencies. 

Some of these locations are being evaluated for potential onsite generators, solar power, or battery storage for backup power in case of an outage, as well as making use of rainwater or potable water cisterns so they can operate independently and reliably to sustain operations during an extended power outage. 

The creation of the Network is being led by the City of Austin’s Resilience Office, as part of the development of a comprehensive community resilience plan and strategy. 

While the early focus of the program has involved assessing City-owned and operated community facilities, such as recreation and activity centers, libraries, and neighborhood centers that could potentially serve as relief and assistance centers during extreme heat, flooding, or wildfire events, the Resilience Office is also looking to support community groups in equipping their community, church, and commercial spaces to serve as part of a future network of hubs. 

Today, the Resilience Office updated Council on its progress and launched a new website, Austin Resilience Hub Network, to improve engagement and information around emergency preparedness, response, and recovery, and help people prepare for the next emergency. 

The new website, which will be updated regularly as the Austin Resilience Hub Network program expands, contains general information on resilience hubs, status updates on the pilot program, and information on community events that will take place in the coming months. 

The website also contains a survey, which the Resilience Office will use to collect information from individuals and partners who are interested in setting up community hubs in private facilities. It is the first step in the creation of a database of available locations, resources, and a resilience hub toolkit for community-owned sites. 

It also hosts a Neighborhood Preparedness Guide with emergency preparedness information to help build individual and household preparedness and resilience capacity.  

Workshops within the six focus areas are taking place and will continue until next week, with a view to better understanding where to place resilience hubs and ensuring that these spaces are designed and programed to meet community needs. To get involved, visit https://communitypoweredworkshop.org/resilience-hub-network.

The development of a network of resilience hubs follows City Council resolutions declaring a climate emergency and directing the creation of community resilience hubs to serve as “shelters, evacuation centers, and disaster response hubs during climate emergencies”. 


Council Member Mackenzie Kelly’s Resolution to Appropriate Resources Related to Human Trafficking Passes

On 9/15/22, Item #52 on the Austin City Council meeting passed unanimously (11-0).

The resolution authored by Council Member Mackenzie Kelly directs Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk to provide appropriate resources related to human trafficking to vendors who do business with the City of Austin and encourages them to ensure vendors have the skills to recognize indicators of individuals experiencing homelessness at risk of human trafficking.

"I authored this resolution after an experience on a ride out with a sergeant where we went into an encampment, and I met a woman who was in distress. I spoke with the sergeant about her situation, and he let me know that she was being sex trafficked in the camp. At that point, it broke my heart because it occurred to me that she couldn't be the only person experiencing homelessness in this type of situation. Our City needs to do more to help these people get lifted out of their situation." Said council member Kelly about her resolution.

The resolution builds on a previous council action from 2015, which declared that freedom from human trafficking was a fundamental human right. This resolution declares that Austin City Council supports the fight to end human trafficking and condemns the ongoing exploitation and profit from human trafficking and encourages the Texas legislature and broader community to support enabling legislation to end human trafficking, amending the City's State and Federal Legislative Agendas to support legislation to end human trafficking.

Council Member Kitchen said, "I am pleased that we are building on the work of previous council actions to bring awareness and education to victims of human trafficking and taking steps to end this egregious violation of human rights."

According to The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work, researchers found that there are an estimated 313,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas, approximately 79,000 minors and youths are victims of sex trafficking, and approximately 234,000 workers in Texas who are victims of labor trafficking.

Council Member Leslie Pool said, “One in four runaway children encounter a trafficker within 48 hours. This resolution gives the City an opportunity to spread awareness at places where traffickers prey, from certain industries to the unsheltered population. I encourage our vendors and non-profit partners to take very seriously the materials and education we will create through this resolution and am glad this resolution calls for partnering with the Chamber of Commerce so that the Chamber can encourage local business participation as well. Human trafficking shatters lives often beyond repair, and everyone on the front lines of potential intervention is in a position to save innocent people.”
 
Read the resolution here: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=392016

Letter of support from the SAFE Alliance here: https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=391955

Council Member Kelly will be available for interviews upon request.

Training for 1,100 Austinites Approved through Workforce Development

The City of Austin Economic Development Department announces funding to local workforce development providers Capital IDEA and Skillpoint Alliance for career training in the City’s target industries: Healthcare, Information Technology, Skilled Trades, and Advanced Manufacturing. Austin City Council approved $4.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to provide free occupational training and support services, like assistance with childcare, transportation, and weekly stipends, to over 1,100 qualified residents.

“One of the City’s strategic goals is to foster Economic Opportunity and Affordability for All,” explains Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, Director for the Economic Development Department. “Training providers like Capital IDEA and Skillpoint Alliance contribute towards that goal by helping Austinites gain the knowledge and skills they need to work in some of our area’s fastest growing, middle-to-high wage occupations.”

The programs are designed to provide no-cost training and support to Austin residents who are unemployed or underemployed, those without a bachelor's degree or other formal degree or certification, who have a limited work history, are single parents with minor children or other dependents at home, or who are receiving public services. Additional wraparound services for participants include childcare scholarships, transportation assistance, stipends, assistance with buying tools or clothes for work, referrals to other agencies, and case management.

“Training opportunities and support services through Capital IDEA and Skillpoint Alliance are available at no cost to qualified residents,” explains Megan Robinson, Program Manager for the Economic Development Department. “Depending on the program, residents can earn an associate degree in a high-growth field, or they can complete coursework that makes them eligible for apprenticeships in Skilled Trades like plumbing, HVAC, or electrical.”

To learn more about these providers and their programs, visit Capital IDEA and Skillpoint Alliance.

For more information on City of Austin workforce development programs, visit www.austintexas.gov/department/workforce-development.  


About the City of Austin Economic Development Department

The City of Austin Economic Development Department supports business growth, creative industries, and local communities. These programs build an equitable, sustainable economy to improve the lives of all Austin residents. To learn more about helpful resources, visit www.austintexas.gov/edd and subscribe to our newsletter. Connect with us @AustinEconDev on Facebook@AustinEconDev on Twitter, and @AustinEconDev on YouTube.

About Skillpoint Alliance

Skillpoint Alliance is a nonprofit workforce development organization that provides in-demand workforce training to vulnerable members of the Central Texas community. The organization partners with local industry to offer unique professional training in some of the most in-demand fields, including manufacturing, pre-apprentice electrical, HVAC, and plumbing at no cost to participants. To learn more follow us at @SkillpointAlliance on Facebook@Skillpoint on Twitter@SkillpointAlliance on LinkedIn and @skillpoint on Instagram.

About Capital IDEA

Capital IDEA is a nonprofit with a mission to move low-income Central Texas adults into high-demand careers. They offer guidance, tuition, and textbooks to more than 800 students each year, sending them through community college programs before connecting them with local employers. Capital IDEA graduates move out of poverty, earn a living wage, and fill critical roles in three high-growth industries: healthcare, technology, and trades. To learn more visit www.capitalidea.org or follow @capitalidea.austin on Facebook and @Capital_IDEA on Twitter.