NHM FY 24-25 Budget Priorities

[John Lawler]

Colleagues,

As we navigate greater limits on resources than we’ve seen in recent times, it is still our hope to ensure that every investment we make fosters opportunities for greater self-sufficiency and agency for our community. For this budget cycle, I want to ensure we deliver efficient and effective services for all Austinites, while also supporting and sustaining Austin's unique cultural fabric. With that in mind, these are my current budget priorities.

Budget Amendment 1 - DACC Mobile Court and Case Workers

https://assets.austintexas.gov/austinco ... 142539.pdf

The Downtown Austin Community Court (DACC) Mobile Court Pilot program was highly successful and demonstrated the valuable and extensive role that the DACC has in our city's response to the homelessness crisis in Austin. The Mobile Court's success was centered around meeting community needs and meeting people where they are, with lower operational costs by avoiding the necessity of a permanent facility.

Additionally, we need to address the growing need for Case Management services so we can serve more Austinites with quality assistance. On average over the last several years, the DACC has consistently had a waitlist of between 200-300 people wanting to engage in housing-focused Intensive Case Management services, additional case workers are needed to alleviate the burden on current DACC staff and reduce long waitlists.

Budget IFC 1- Juneteenth Fireworks Display

https://assets.austintexas.gov/austinco ... 162930.pdf

Juneteenth is a national holiday and one of the historic Austin legacies that define our city's cultural identity, encourage community pride, and stimulate the local economy. It's crucial that we solidify funding to continue our traditions, including the iconic Juneteenth fireworks display. Austin's Juneteenth is for everyone, and we should work to sustain and enhance this amazing event for all Austinites to enjoy.

Budget IFC 2 - Support for AACHD and Texas Music Museum

https://assets.austintexas.gov/austinco ... 163049.pdf

The African American Cultural Heritage District (AACHD) is home to many important Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and continued investment within our cultural districts is vital to sustain our vibrant music and arts atmosphere in Austin. This includes maintenance of our community spaces, such as the Texas Music Museum, for storage, preservation, and display of our arts and music culture. These organizations are a significant component of our unique identity, and we need to ensure we sustain quality spaces for our creative culture to thrive.

I look forward to continuing our budget conversations.

-NHM

[Natalie Deller]

On behalf of Council Member Qadri:

Thank you, Council Member Harper-Madison, for bringing these budget items forward. I would be happy to support as a cosponsor Budget IFC 1 - Juneteenth Fireworks Display and Budget IFC 2 - Support for AACHD and Texas Music Museum. Thank you!

Best,
CM Qadri