Colleagues:
I propose a schedule for our 11/30 special called work sessions as set out below. After the COVID briefing, we have the day to see if we can advance action on the challenges of Housing Affordability and Housing Supply. As CM Alter and I posted, after having spoken with several on our dais, we should be trying to find those things that we think have the greatest impact on those two issues and also have the greatest chance of achieving very broad (9+ votes) support.
Obviously, we’ll be taking no votes, but this is a chance to see if we can identify issues or actions that make sense to move forward on. Note: we could meet in the boards and commissions room this day, subject to colleague concerns or technical issues.
9-10:30 – Joint COVID briefing
10:30-11:30 – Council Members --those that wish-- speak briefly (5 minutes each) to set out ideas or topics we would like to work on or support, to set up our discussions for the remainder of the day.
11:30-12:45 – Briefing to Council regarding Housing Affordability & Supply
- Update on current housing market and market forces impacting housing affordability and supply
- Update on Housing Blueprint: Progress & Priorities
- Update on subsidized housing investments and anti-displacement work
- Update on other Work in Progress and challenges ahead
12:45-1:30 – Lunch Break
1:30-4:30 – Council discussion (with hard stop) on Housing Affordability and Housing Supply...
- What are the things that might have BOTH (1) the greatest impact and (2) achieve broad council support?
- Next steps (IFCs? additional work sessions? Staff initiations? Etc.)
Please post topics, ideas, thoughts prior to 11/30 (or sooner, where possible), so others can be thinking about issues you might raise.
Tomorrow I will be posting a list of our proposed ideas, as well as ideas shared with our office by advocates. Postings to date can be found HERE:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing. (Please correct me and contact Janine Clark in my office if we have missed anyone or any ideas.)
We should all be proud to be part of a City Council that is profoundly committed to this topic and that is responsible, along with Austin voters, for the largest affordable housing investments in the city’s history. And yet, the challenge continues to grow. I am anxious to learn your ideas for moving ahead. And I look forward to identifying together the ideas that have the greatest impact on housing affordability and housing supply AND have the chance of receiving broad support.
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