What's happening
City Council members currently don't have direct influence over the development of capital improvement projects and safety upgrades, which are generally handled by various city departments. And while Austin residents can contact their council offices to ask for help with specific issues, those requests often end up in a longer list of other needs or are wrapped into more lengthy planning processes.
This month, council asked to evaluate whether new "service funds" for all 10 council districts could be budgeted in Austin's fiscal year 2025-26, which starts next October. Council member Vanessa Fuentes proposed the request for the new funding plan approved Nov. 7.
Officials said the localized process could help City Hall be more responsive to cracked sidewalks, traffic issues and the variety of other requests they regularly receive.
“This is something that I have thought about and has come to our office. How many of us have not heard someone say, ‘We really need a speed bump here, a sidewalk here.’ And we call Transportation and Public Works and ... it’s No. 500 in line, right?" council member Ryan Alter said. "We have that system in place, but there are instances where there are prioritizations that need to be made."
Put in perspective
Austin spends hundreds of millions of dollars each year on capital improvements. However, the city's project rankings and the typical length of time between project starts and completions can cause "public frustration and mistrust that local government can be responsive to community needs," Fuentes wrote in her resolution.
Fuentes noted that cities like San Antonio and Houston have established funds that council members can use for local safety improvements, street repairs, neighborhood beautification and more. Her proposal asks to review a similar process for Austin.
“This district service fund, I believe, is a great way for our offices to show tangible improvements in the neighborhoods that we serve. I also see it as a great way for us to build on the 10-1 [geographic district] system, especially as we approach the 10-year anniversary of having district representation all throughout the city," Fuentes said Nov. 7.
What's next
City staff will spend the next few months planning for how much money could be included, how to ensure money would be distributed across neighborhoods equitably, and what legal and ethical guardrails could account for conflict of interest and transparency issues including public spending reports. A report to council is expected by next March.
As the potential fund comes together, council member Natasha Harper-Madison said she wanted more information on where funding would come from within Austin's budget. She also said the city should be sure to "clear out" past council funding requests before launching any new program.
“I think it’s difficult for staff to be able to accommodate our request when there’s already a backlog," she said.
