The Downtown Austin Alliance has outlined its advocacy priorities for the fiscal year 2025-2026, focusing on enhancing downtown Austin’s environment and economic competitiveness. The organization aims to create a safe, clean, and welcoming atmosphere while facilitating economic growth by attracting and retaining businesses.
The alliance emphasizes increased enforcement of bans on sitting, lying, and camping in public spaces. It also supports expanding visible safety resources such as police officers and implementing a mental health diversion center pilot project. This initiative involves collaboration between Travis County, the City of Austin, Integral Care, and Central Health.
Efforts to improve cleanliness include enhanced oversight of alleyway cleaning services by Austin Resource Recovery. The alliance advocates for linking private business cameras to the HALO system to boost security.
Homelessness outreach programs are another focus area. The alliance seeks to coordinate with various partners to improve response systems and secure additional funding for shelter and supportive housing projects.
Infrastructure projects like Project Connect are highlighted as transformative for downtown Austin. The alliance is pushing for creative financing strategies and federal funding to support these initiatives.
In collaboration with the Austin City Council, the Downtown Austin Strategic Initiative (DASI) was created to coordinate downtown projects over the next decade. Policies supporting office occupancy increases and updating downtown PID processes are part of this effort.
Reforming the Downtown Development Code is another priority. The alliance aims to make downtown more walkable and vibrant by advancing land use policies that support innovation districts and affordable housing.
Preserving live music venues is crucial as development continues on the eastern edge of downtown. Financial incentives are proposed for cultural venues and legacy businesses.
Finally, maintaining vibrancy in downtown Austin involves supporting arts, culture, music, small businesses impacted by construction, installing public WiFi, protecting major events, improving E. 6th Street infrastructure, streamlining event processes, encouraging reuse of vacant spaces through incentives or tax abatements, and simplifying permitting processes.
Information from this article can be found here.
