Austin Transit Partnership has named Brad Cummings as its new senior vice president of procurement and contract management and Haley Garcia as its new senior vice president of program controls in the planning, community and federal programs department. Cummings most recently served as vice president of business services for Dallas Area Rapid Transit and was named as one of Mass Transit magazine’s 2023 40 Under 40. Garcia most recently worked as the project controls manager for Valley Metro in Phoenix. “Brad and Haley bring decades of combined professional experience and passion for the transit sector and will be valuable as we enter the next stages of implementation focused on our delivery framework and the federal funding process,” ATP Executive Director Greg Canally said in a prepared statement.

Cities and counties from throughout the Texas Hill Country recently met to identify best practices for addressing water needs throughout the fast-growing region, which includes Travis County. October’s One Water in the Texas Hill Country conference – organized by the Hill Country Alliance, the city of Boerne and Cibolo Center for Conservation – highlighted a number of sustainable water practices, including:

• creation of a low-impact development ordinance focusing on filtering stormwater and protecting stream setbacks
• raising minimum lot sizes for private wells to 10 acres
• delivering treated wastewater to areas needing irrigation
• integrating water conservation and reuse into building designs

Participants were encouraged to introduce these and other practices into their planning and development processes, which is important as the region continues to experience extreme drought.

St. David’s Foundation has granted $7.8 million to various Central Texas organizations that provide services for the homeless and boost affordable housing in Austin. The grants are part of a new initiative to ensure that homelessness is rare, brief and nonrecurring in the region.

Three of the main recipients are:

• Austin Community Foundation, receiving $2.5 million for the creation of affordable housing
• Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), receiving $3.3 million for general operations and specific projects over two years
• Foundation Communities, receiving $2 million for infrastructure and predevelopment for new supportive housing projects

While the funds deviate from the foundation’s regular strategic priorities, they are tailored to support sustainable solutions for Austin’s homelessness predicament. In a prepared statement, the foundation emphasized the data that finds a direct correlation between housing and health. Specifically, affordable housing provisions can drastically enhance health outcomes, particularly for low-income groups, positioning housing as a foundational aspect of health.

Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace begins today, and Central Health is offering Travis County residents options for help. These options include calling 211 for assistance with the application process or getting assistance through Foundation Communities and Sendero Health Plans. According to a press release from the district, 10.8 percent of Travis County residents don’t have health insurance, concentrated in neighborhoods east of Interstate 35. Central Health serves more than 150,000 residents through its Medical Access Program, MAP Basic and sliding-fee-scaled programs that provide health care to low-income residents.

“Central Health is encouraging all Travis County residents who need health insurance to take advantage of the expert help available to assist them with finding the best insurance for them at the best price. Individuals already enrolled in a Marketplace plan should also review the new plans available. Plan prices have changed, and you may be able to find a comparable or better plan at a better price,” said Central Health’s Kit Abney Spelce, vice president of operations, in a statement to the press. “No one should delay – you only have about 12 weeks to apply, and we know the holidays are busy for everyone.” You must enroll in a Marketplace plan by Dec. 15 to start coverage on Jan. 1. Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1 until Jan. 15, 2024.

For the centennial edition of Texas State Parks Day, visitors will get free day-use passes at all state parks. “Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wants to continue to connect everyone to our beautiful parklands and we hope that Texas State Parks Day will give someone new the opportunity to discover what makes our state parks special,” said Rodney Franklin, state parks division director, in a statement to the press. “This centennial has highlighted the work that past and current staff have accomplished in the last 100 years to make parks welcoming places for all visitors. We hope that folks take advantage of the opportunity to see these unique pieces of Texas this weekend and for the next 100 years.” Though admission will be free for the entirety of Nov. 5, normal capacity limits will apply and reservations are recommended. All other park fees will remain in effect.

Workforce Solutions Capital Area is hosting two upcoming job fairs. The Manufacturing, Mobility and Skilled Trades Showcase is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon tomorrow, Nov. 2, at Workforce Solutions’ headquarters on North Interstate 35. More than two dozen companies and agencies seeking employees in manufacturing-related jobs will be in attendance. Those interested can register online. The event called Hiring Red, White & You! will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Nov. 9, also at the facility on North I-35. Priority sessions for veterans will run from 10 a.m. to noon, with attendees eligible to receive interview practice, resume review and speed mentoring sessions. More than 30 employers will be on hand for networking and potential hiring opportunities. Registration is available online.

Restoration of downtown’s historic Buford Tower is complete. A 2021 fire at the six-story landmark was a flashpoint in the city’s heated discussion about the once-repealed camping ban and homelessness policies. It damaged brick, windows and a concrete plinth that has now been repaired and replaced in accordance with historic preservation standards. The project also updated electric systems and the tower’s carillon chimes. The bell tower has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2016. Ironically enough, it was built in 1930 as a fire drill tower.

Next Monday, the Texas Demographic Center will release its final population estimates for Texas as of July 2022 and January 2023. Anyone interested in a dive into the methodology behind the estimates is invited to register for a free public webinar that will get into the details at 10 a.m. Nov. 7. In related news, Texas maintained its position as one of the top destinations for domestic migrants, according to the Census Bureau, though in 2022, Florida edged ahead as the top destination for those moving to another state.

A new text message alert system will enable people experiencing homelessness to receive urgent information and timely updates from the city directly on their cell phones. The system was launched on Oct. 25 by the Austin Public Health Homeless Strategy Division, and the first alerts went to over 3,500 unhoused residents in preparation for last week’s heavy rainfall and the forecast of a 40-degree temperature plummet. Messages are intended to send information during a variety of circumstances including flood events, elevated seasonal wildfire risk, summer heat advisories and winter storms and on lifeline services like monthly Pop-Up Resource Clinics hosted by Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services and cold weather shelter activations. “Emergency weather text alerts are not only vital but can be the difference between life and death for individuals experiencing homelessness,” said Adrienne Sturrup, Austin Public Health director. “These alerts serve as their first line of defense against the unforgiving forces of nature. When a storm, extreme cold, or sweltering heat strike, a simple text message can mean the opportunity to find shelter, access warming centers, or be aware of life-threatening conditions.” The Homeless Strategy Division will soon launch an educational campaign focused on enrolling unhoused Austinites who have mobile phones to receive text notifications.

Go Austin/Vamos Austin will host a town hall this Wednesday that promises to be a “unique opportunity to convene, converse, and mobilize, with a vision to create an aligned, connected, and equitably-resourced early childhood community that empowers and protects childcare providers,” according to a press release from GAVA. The town hall, which will bring together child care stakeholders and Mayor Kirk Watson, will take place at the ACC Eastview Campus Auditorium from 6-8 p.m. Nov. 1. At the meeting, GAVA seeks to address systemic disparity and solutions that ensure equal access and better resources for children and their caretakers.

To mark the anniversary of the 2021 arson that caused extensive damage to its synagogue, Congregation Beth Israel will hold a commemoration at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 1. An invitation from Council Member Alison Alter, who is a member of the congregation, explains the ceremony will be an opportunity to share blessings and gratitude to first responders and members of the community who were able to help following the attack. The event is part of the WE ALL BELONG anti-hate program that aims to improve responses to hate in the community. “Austin is no place for hate. As we grapple with the violence in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and the wider region, we may experience increases in anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in our community,” Alter wrote. “The WE ALL BELONG program has two primary goals: To increase awareness of tools and resources to report hate; (and) To convene community to prevent hate from taking hold in Austin and celebrate Austin’s cultural richness.” Those wishing to attend the event, which is free and open to the public, can RSVP here. Anyone hosting an event in line with the spirit of WE ALL BELONG is encouraged to request sponsorship consideration and other resources here.

City Council will consider purchase of the Salvation Army’s downtown shelter at its Nov. 9 meeting. The shelter is currently being leased by the city after the Salvation Army unexpectedly announced plans to close the shelter, which serves single women experiencing homelessness, earlier this year. According to an Oct. 24 memo from city real estate officer Michael Gates, the real estate currently being considered for purchase includes “the former Salvation Army Downtown Center located at 501 E. 8th Street, a 1,500 square foot retail storefront property located at 718 Red River Street and an approximately 0.4-acre surface parking lot located at 700 Red River St.” The $15,050,000 purchase price for the property was supported by a third-party appraisal. “If approved, this purchase would allow for the reestablishment of that critical service on a long-term basis, save funding allocated for the remaining term of the lease authorized by Council on June 8, 2023, and allow the City to fully realize the benefit of building repairs currently being made to the facility,” Gates wrote.