Preservation Austin backs equity plan

In a letter to City Council from President Linda Jackson, Preservation Austin is urging Council to allocate $300,000 in order to fund the next phase of the city’s Equity-Based Historic Preservation Plan. The letter notes that the city has not had a new historic preservation plan in 40 years, and the “need for a strong, community-oriented vision for preservation in Austin has never been greater.” Underlining that point, Preservation Austin points to its own research that shows residential demolitions rose 130 percent between 2010 and the end of 2021, from 271 to 622 annual demolitions. “(W)e support the Plan’s new approach to preservation, one that reflects twenty-first century values while honoring diverse histories of our past, that encourages investment in historic resources both for their inherent value and because doing so aligns with broader goals of building a more affordable, equitable, and sustainable city,” writes Jackson. The city’s budget process is currently underway, with public meetings to be held on July 27 and Aug. 2, in addition to district-specific meetings in districts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 10 before a budget adoption by City Council that is scheduled for Aug. 17. More information about the city’s budget process and how to weigh in can be found on the city’s website.