AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Here's a preview of notable items on the agenda for this week's Austin City Council meeting, scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 4, beginning at 10 a.m.
You can view the full agenda on the City website here. The meeting will be held virtually, available on ATXN online and on area cable providers.
Item 29: Additional $3.2 million in COVID-19 rental assistance
This item would expand the funds for the city's RENT (Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants) assistance program, which has already provided $12.9 million in CARES Act funding to 4,300 Austin families. Another 520 approved applicants remain unserved, along with more than 1,500 applicants remaining on a waiting list.
Item 32: Transferring forensics out of the Austin Police Department
As part of the council's ongoing efforts to "reimagine public safety" and move some functions out of the Austin Police Department, this item would create a Forensic Science Department within the city, transferring 86.75 full-time equivalent positions from APD, and shift $11.9 million in funding from the police budget to the newly created department. The newly created department would be responsible for crime scene investigation, evidence management, firearm and toolmark examinations, seized drug analysis, toxicological analysis, DNA analysis, and other related forensic services.
Item 49: HEAL Initiative
In a proposal from District 5 council member Ann Kitchen, the Housing-focused Homeless Encampment Assistance Link (HEAL) initiative would, in its initial phase, identify four priority zones across the city for staff to focus on homeless encampments, connecting individuals to housing and services. Once the initiative has completed its work in those four areas, camping would then be prohibited in those areas.
Item 61: $9.5 million to purchase a fourth hotel for homeless housing
After being postponed from last week's council agenda, this item calls for the city to purchase a fourth hotel property to provide permanent supportive housing for those who are experiencing homelessness. The property in question, located at 10811 Pecan Park Boulevard and built in 2018, is expected to provide approximately 80 units after renovations, at a cost of $9.5 million.
Item 64: Resolution denouncing the Jan. 6 "domestic terrorism incident" at the U.S. Capitol
This item calls on the Council to pass a resolution denouncing the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, calling the riots a "domestic terrorism incident" and denouncing "anti-government extremism, white supremacy, racism, antisemitism, misogyny, Islamophobia, anti-LGBTQ+ hate, ableism, ageism and all hateful speech and bias-motivated violent actions in our community," along with "extremist conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation that cultivate an alienated and mistrustful electorate, undermine democratic institutions and processes, and increase the likelihood of violence."
