The controversial plan to reorganize the offices of Civil Rights and Equity and two others is being put on hold and will be evaluated after City Council concludes its work to finalize and approve next year’s budget. At Tuesday’s budget work session, interim City Manager Jesús Garza said criticism from community groups and objections to […]
Equity Office
Posted inBudget
Equity Action slams budget proposal as ‘throwback to the ’90s’
Some community advocates are decrying interim City Manager Jesús Garza’s budget proposal as a “throwback to the ’90s.” Garza released his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24 in July. The $5.5 billion budget represents what Garza calls a “Back to Basics” approach to city government that focuses on core city services and reorganizes the city’s […]
Posted inBudget
Garza says reorganization ‘will in no way diminish’ offices of Civil Rights, Equity
Interim City Manager Jesús Garza has clarified his plans for reorganizing a handful of city offices, including the Equity and Civil Rights offices, which will be located in different buildings despite being part of the newly created Community and Business Equity Department. In a memo released Monday, Garza said those two offices, as well as […]
Posted inCity Hall
Garza explains motivations behind proposed changes to Equity, Civil Rights offices
At Wednesday’s budget work session, interim City Manager Jesús Garza offered some of his rationale behind the proposed reorganization of four city offices, a change that has drawn criticism from community groups involved in equality and racial justice. During the session, City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes asked Garza to explain his reasoning behind the changes, […]
Posted inCity Hall
Proposal to reorganize Equity, Civil Rights offices draws criticism ahead of budget release
The proposed reorganization of a handful of city offices under the early draft of the city budget is drawing criticism from community groups, who argue the changes will undermine years of work to improve equity, civil rights and services to underserved communities. As part of the budget plan delivered to City Council members and Mayor […]
Posted inAustin
Memo offers first peek at recipients of guaranteed income program
Early data from the city’s guaranteed income pilot program show that the $1,000 monthly payments are reaching residents with acute financial needs and varying degrees of housing instability. A memo released last week by the Equity Office included some of the first findings from surveys taken in September as the 135 participating households were receiving […]
Posted inAustin
Black dispossession study starts to quantify cost of city’s 1928 master plan
The city’s 1928 master plan, which effectively legalized segregation in Austin and limited public services for Black residents to a newly created “Negro District” east of what is now Interstate 35, has cost Black homeowners in just five neighborhoods – Clarksville, Wheatville, Red River, East Campus and South Austin – more than $290 million. Acting […]
Posted inCity Council
Guaranteed income pilot program likely moving forward today
Despite the misgivings of at least two City Council members, some members of the public and criticism from the Austin American-Statesman editorial board, Council seems poised to move forward today with a contract to set up a guaranteed basic income pilot program. Mayor Steve Adler and Council Member Vanessa Fuentes are the primary sponsors of […]
Posted inAustin
After initial push, city’s effort to eliminate Confederate names loses momentum
In the midst of the July 2020 protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd, the city of Austin passed a resolution committing to remove or rename all city-owned assets, such as streets and buildings, that have names commemorating the Confederacy or other white supremacist causes. The passage of that resolution is just one piece […]
Posted inCity Council
Families could get $1,000 a month as part of Austin’s first guaranteed income program
Government aid programs often come with a laundry list of do-nots. For example, if you receive SNAP benefits, more commonly known as food stamps, you can’t use them to buy to-go food, soap, vitamins or medicine. So, what if the government stepped back? What if it offered people cash without stipulations? That’s the question Austin […]
Posted inAustin
UT report says Austin could be more welcoming to immigrants
The city’s Equity Office is supporting the findings of a recent report published by University of Texas researchers who found there is work to be done to increase the economic and civic participation of immigrants locally. The report, titled “Advancing Immigrant Incorporation in Austin,” was published by researchers at UT’s Lyndon B. Johnson School of […]
Posted inAustin
Questions linger on both sides of $1.1M guaranteed income pilot program
Initial details of the city’s forthcoming pilot program to provide guaranteed income assistance to vulnerable families are expected to emerge later this fall, with just over 100 households expected to receive around $1,000 per month. A spokesperson for the city’s Equity Office said information about the program, which City Council budgeted at $1.1 million, is […]