Q&A: Austin City Council District 9 candidates advance to Dec. 13 runoff election

How would you work to tackle the issue of housing affordability for both renters and homeowners in the city?

Acting on our affordability and housing crisis must be a day 1 priority with the next council. We must expand affordability unlocked, eliminate exclusionary zoning, and ensure transit-oriented development is a priority. Affordability forces rising costs from rising demand without sufficient supply, so acting on reforms that legalize missing-middle housing and decreases cost of development caused by the antiquated permitting and review process currently raising costs with delay. Our current land use rules were first passed in 1984. We’re a growing city, but Reagan-era policies are funneling the gains of that growth away from the people who made it possible. We must ensure a future for Austin that is affordable and climate-resilient, so that our city can be a place that welcomes all and recognizes housing as a human right. It’s time to bring our land use rules in alignment with Imagine Austin, the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint, and the Austin Climate Equity Plan by reforming the rules that keep housing unaffordable. In addition, we must be proactive about preventing displacement of and stopping homelessness at the source by fortifying our right-to-return and right-to-stay programs, expanding community land trusts, investing in housing vouchers for low-income residents, and ensuring the $300 million in Project Connect anti-displacement funds gets spent on truly affordable housing. We must also expand the highly successful University Neighborhood Overlay (UNO) program to further expand student access to affordable housing, walkability near transit, and safe streets.

How safe do you believe Austin is today? Do you think any funding, staffing or operational changes are needed in the city’s public safety departments?

I live in downtown Austin, and while I believe that our city still is safe—I do know that criminalizing mental health crises, addiction, or housing insecurity won't solve safety problems especially as it only increases recidivism due to job or housing discrimination. Reimagining public safety in our city does require a hard look at if our city services are receiving equitable funding and pay parity. EMS workers have requested a pay raise and yet only received 17 additional cents to their paychecks. Additionally, the EMS pension and retirement program has not met parity with other city departments including firefighters and police, causing staffing shortages for emergency responses and forcing undued burdens on police response. We've seen that non-violent, mental health, or civil service conflicts have only increased pressure and weight on the Austin city police department and the existing staff. We don't want to lay-off hard paying workers in order to balance the city's budget that is currently inflated by major expenditures made to help people stay afloat as bandages to the affordability crisis. However, we have seen empirically in other cities that funding street lights can decrease violent crime in urban cores by 80%, and funding EMS services for holistic response to calls can do more to reimagine public safety to help all Austinites.

How do you believe city resources should be used to address homelessness? What do you see as the most effective policy options to get people services and housing?

As we approach conversations of development, we must ensure equity is prioritized and actualized in the distribution of the city’s anti-displacement funds, while also knowing that this is only a fraction of the funds necessary to prevent continuing city plans that hurt vulnerable communities more than they help. Additionally, to prevent displacement and stop homelessness we will push to fortify our right-to-return and right-to-stay programs, expand community land trusts, reform our land use code, and reflect on innovative policies like that in Oklahoma City in order to create housing programs for working families and city workers who may risk housing insecurity and displacement due to the prohibition by our state to raise minimum wages in cities across Texas. Finally, investing in community health clinics, wraparound services in schools, and building abundant and affordable housing are all necessary to intervene in the earlier stages of housing insecurity that lead to chronic homelessness.

How should council address the implementation of larger transportation initiatives including the I-35 expansion and Project Connect? What safety and mobility improvements would you propose for city roadways and bike/pedestrian routes?

I unequivocally stand with advocates calling for “No Wider, No Higher” regarding the expansion of I-35. A scar through the community, I-35 first started as an unspoken line of segregation 70 years ago, the expansion plan merely fortifies this divide. 1950's planning won't solve congestion and, when looking at examples like the Katy Freeway which only increased the average commute by 19 minutes, that induced demand without investment in reliable and frequent public transit only worsens congestion and traffic violence. With the prospect of ‘cap and stitch’ programs, we can reimagine our relationship to I-35, and invest in transit plans that help Austin meet our climate, safety, and equity goals instead of ones that send us backwards. I-35 expansion isn’t the answer, but instead this moment can be a vehicle in and of itself in pushing our city to look at investing in multi-modal, pedestrian-friendly, and robust public transportation reforms. Reforming city and regional policy goals to make our city more walkable and pedestrian friendly is critical as we join other cities in reimagining a vision of multi modal transit. This includes increasing protected bike-lanes, adding and expand ADA accessibility to the remaining sidewalk curb-cuts, and working with many of the experts in this crowd and at the organizations putting on this forum to develop innovative policy- and design-solutions that develops safe, attractive and walkable places in District 9 and across Austin.

How would you promote accessibility, transparency, and trust between City Council and the public?

There are a number of ways in which City Council meetings, our internal government bureaucracy, and the process of campaigning can be more representative and accessible for everyday Austinites. First, women, LGBTQIA people, and people of color are extremely underrepresented on our appointed city commissions. As your city council member, I will appoint commissioners that truly reflect the diversity of our city. Additionally, We must ensure interpretation services for people with disabilities and/or non-English speakers at any public-facing city government events and uplift the voices of our disabled neighbors to ensure accessibility in all parts of city life. Moreover, I will expand on our existing Campaign Finance and Elections Act as a city to close loopholes of personal loans to campaigns by independently wealthy candidates which still allows for the disparity against people-powered campaigns. While we can't legislatively ensure the public trusts our council, my commitment to frequent and accessible town halls, public input, transparency, and civic engagement reforms will hopefully work towards that goal.

How would you work to tackle the issue of housing affordability for both renters and homeowners in the city?

One way Austin can impact the affordability crisis willI be to provide housing supply for those at the lowest end. The best opportunities for this housing supply are obtained by developing city-owned properties. Mueller is an excellent example of this approach, although the income restricted housing is not for the lowest end. All city land used for housing must include 100% housing at 80% MFI and a percentage at 30% MFI. At least 50% of the units must be family friendly with two or more bedrooms. Ownership units must be included. I will introduce a collaboration between AISD and the City of Austin to use schools that have been closed (such as Pease Elementary.) These properties can be used for affordable housing for teachers and school staff (like the school crossing guard, clerical workers, lunchroom workers). Another useful tool is community development corporations. These are nonprofit organizations focused on revitalizing the areas in low-income, underserved neighborhoods. As a council member, I will work with these organizations as a means to increase housing stock at the lowest levels of affordability. The city’s anti-displacement strategy should include the purchase of existing structures to rehabilitate and keep them for permanent affordable housing. This strategy will prevent existing affordable housing from being converted into high income housing.

How safe do you believe Austin is today? Do you think any funding, staffing or operational changes are needed in the city’s public safety departments?

According to statistics, Austin is a moderately safe place. Our safety and first responders are working diligently to public emergencies and crime issues. I believe any increase in crime makes me and others feel unsafe. We need updated and accurate data on combating criminal activity in our community. The delay in the cadet classes, along with higher than average retirement rates, had measurable impacts on the vacancy rates. While the vacancy rate is of course an important metric, it only tells part of the story of increasing response times, concerns about officer safety, and overall morale. The next council will have to navigate through the meet and confer process to respond to these challenges, while also rebuilding trust in the community through enhanced police accountability and oversight. We’re going to need strong council leadership to help bring us forward and achieve such a contract. I support Austin’s Reimagining Public Safety Initiative (RPS), a holistic approach to training, retraining, assessing and evolving public safety systems intended to address community needs equitably for all Austinites. I will support continued funding and if needed increased funding for Austin’s Office of Police Oversight (OPO) to increase trust between Austinites and the Austin Police Department (APD). If approved by voters, I will support the "Austin Police Oversight Act" to strengthen the oversight of Austin police and encourage accountability for officer misconduct.

How do you believe city resources should be used to address homelessness? What do you see as the most effective policy options to get people services and housing?

There are different populations in the homeless community, and one size does not fit all. The city should develop a system to aid people appropriately. Community First Village does a good job of creating community. The following four steps can help with homelessness: 1. Have the data—identify and engage people at risk of and experiencing homelessness; 2. Support those that have housing now who may lose it. Intervene to stop people from losing their housing and divert people from becoming homeless; 3. Have shelter and crisis service available for immediate access; 4. Connect people who are homeless to housing assistance and services that they need to help them get, maintain stable housing, and deal with problems including mental health, addictions, and unemployment.

How should council address the implementation of larger transportation initiatives including the I-35 expansion and Project Connect? What safety and mobility improvements would you propose for city roadways and bike/pedestrian routes?

I see Project Connect as a transformative project. However, with the 30% design not yet completed, I have concerns about the impact of Project Connect on local businesses, the cost increases, and the environmental effect of two river crossings. As a Council Member, I’d like to serve on the CapMetro board, so that I have the opportunity and information to oversee Project Connect. I’m similarly concerned about TxDOT’s proposed widening of I-35 and subsequent displacement of an estimated 150 homes and businesses. Widening highways typically encourages more automobile traffic resulting in more pollution. I think the proposals for a greener, more sustainable I35 area will be embedded in the future Cap and Stitch process currently being worked on with stakeholder involvement. I support most of the Rethink I35 and Reconnect Austin’s goals which can be incorporated into the final plan. When I chaired the community scoping working group on this project, I established a relationship with the TxDOT staff. I will build on that relationship to find solutions for the impacts on affordability, displacement, and the environment. The City Council and members of the public need to continue to advocate for a better plan. Improving road safety requires better enforcement to ensure that drivers obey the signs and signals on the road. A public education campaign would help inform drivers of the importance of following the rules of the road.

How would you promote accessibility, transparency, and trust between City Council and the public?

I decided to run for council because many people were expressing feelings of being discouraged and unheard. Many residents report that Austin holds community engagement meetings and then fails to address the public's concerns. It is vital for transparency and an effective process that staff and council listen to the public. Part of our responsibility is to listen to the public during public hearings. I will advocate for the council to return to pre-Covid rules at City Council meetings, when everyone is allowed to speak for at least 3 minutes and use time certain to make sure people can be heard. In my own office, I will create an open door policy and quarterly round table discussion to understand residents' most pressing concerns. I am willing to meet with neighborhood associations ahead of time and discuss issues with committee members. I will commit to building on my strong relationships and community trust during my service on the City Council.