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Blacks are disproportionately represented in Travis County jail bookings compared to their representation in the overall population.
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Save the Date: CAN Policy Forum on November 8th
The Austin region will continue to grow, but will our growth be sustainable? Will opportunity be shared, or will economic segregation deepen, providing opportunity to some, while leaving others behind? The CAN Policy Forum on Friday, November 8th will address these questions and more. Keynote speakers are Brooking Fellow Elizabeth Kneebone, co-author of the book "The Suburbanization of Poverty" and economist John Hockenyos. Registration will be available soon on the CAN website. |
Board to Focus on Diversity, Inclusion and Cultural Competence
Seton Board Chair Charles Barnett, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, AISD Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, and Dr. Gregory Vincent of UT's Division of Diversity and Community Engagement to join the CAN Board of Directors for a discussion of the impetus, challenges and benefits of creating an organizational focus on diversity, inclusion and cultural competence. The meeting at 1 p.m. on Friday, September 13th will be held in the Boards and Commissions Room of Austin City Hall. The meeting will be televised and recorded for later viewing on Austin Channel 6.
Agendas, minutes and presentations are available here. |
Community Council Application Deadline is September 15th
Each year the CAN Community Council holds an open application process for new members. The role of the Community Council is to provide a link between the community at large and the policy makers and elected officials who serve on the CAN Board of Directors.
On-line applications are accepted year-round. Applications received by September 15, 2013 will be considered for election to the Community Council for either a two or three year term beginning in January 2014. |
Community Council Focus on Affordable Housing Bond Election and Voter ID Law
The September 12th meeting of the CAN Community Council will include an overview of the Affordable Housing Bond Election and a discussion of how the new Voter ID law will be implemented in Travis County. The meeting will be held from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. in the Boards and Commissions Room of Austin City Hall. The meeting will be televised and recorded for later viewing on Austin Channel 6. |
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Get updates on news, meetings, research and more at CAN_Austin.
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CAN Partners
Austin Chamber of Commerce
Austin Community College
Austin ISD
Austin Travis County Integral Care
Capital Metro
Central Health
Capital City African American
Chamber of Commerce
City of Austin
City of Pflugerville
Community Justice Council
Del Valle ISD
Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce
Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Huston-Tillotson University
interfaith Action Central Texas
Manor ISD
One Voice Central Texas
Seton Healthcare Family
St. David's Foundation
St. Edward's University
Travis County
United Way for Greater Austin
University of Texas at Austin
Workforce Solutions - Capital Area |
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Economic Development Policy
Adding $11/hour pay and health benefit requirements
The City of Austin Economic Growth and Redevelopment Services Office has released a report with recommended changes to the city's economic development policies. A Subcommittee of the Austin City Council met earlier this year and recommended changes to the City's economic development incentives program that would create an $11/hour wage floor, require companies to provide domestic partner health benefits and encourage filling one-quarter of positions with local workers. The Council Subcommittee directed staff to recommend policies to implement the recommendations along with a process for companies to gain exceptions to some of these requirements. Read the report. |
Mayor's Task Force on Aging
Report highlights goals and strategies
The Mayor's Task Force on Aging has released its final report outlying what our community can do to ensure that seniors live active, healthy and independent lives. Austin has the fastest growing pre-senior population in the country. As the population ages, the community will need to adapt to allow this growing population to thrive and to continue to contribute to the community. Task Force recommendations are divided into Community goals and strategies and City of Austin goals and strategies. The report addresses the following five areas:
-Health;
-Housing and Basic Services;
-Transportation and Community Infrastructure;
-Social Participation and Inclusion; and
-Caregivers and Long-Term Supports.
Read the full report. |
Mapping the Latino Population
Austin metro has 20th largest Hispanic population in U.S.
The Pew Research Center has released its Hispanic Trends Project report with an analysis of Hispanic population trends in the U.S. Data is reported by state, county and city. Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, McAllen, El Paso, and Austin rank in the top 20 metro areas with the largest Hispanic populations.
Texas, with 9.8 million Hispanics, ranks second among the 50 states in total Hispanic population. Read the Demographic Profile of Hispanics in Texas. |
Austin 10-One
Redistricting Commission seeks public input
The independent citizen's panel tasked with drawing the boundaries for the ten new Austin single member districts will kick off its September public input sessions tonight. Austin voters will elect 10 Council Members from geographic districts, as well as the Mayor from the city at-large, beginning with the November 2014 election. The 14-member Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is expected to determine the districts by this December.
September public input sessions will be held in each of the four Travis County Commissioner precincts. More sessions are planned for November.
September sessions:
- Precinct 2: Sept. 4th 6:30 p.m. at Austin High School Cafeteria, 8403 Mesa Drive.
- Precinct 1: Sept. 7th 10 a.m. at Goodwill Community Center, 1015 Norwood Park Blvd.
- Precinct 3: Sept. 11th 6:30 p.m. at Concordia Uninersity, Building C, Meeting Room C238.
- Precinct 4: Sept. 18th 6:30 p.m. at the Montopolis Recreation Center, 1200 Montopolis Drive.
Keep up with 10-One Redistricting. |
Texas Voter I.D. Law
New requirements to vote in November
In testimony before Austin City Council last week, Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir characterized the new Texas Voter I.D. law as the strictest in the nation. Empower the Vote Texas has created a website, http://www.gotidtexas.org./ with information about the new law so voters can be ready to vote in November.
A non-partisan group called Coffee Party Austin will hold an informational meeting about the new law this Saturday, September 7th from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Yarborough Branch Library, 2200 Hancock Drive. Sondra Haltom with Empower the Vote and Travis County Voter Registrar Bruce Elfant will answer questions about the new law. |
Race and Racism are Complicated
Join a "First Saturdays" conversation
The Travis County Sheriff's Office's 'Building Bridges Brick by Brick' program and St. Johns Episcopal Church will host a conversation on race and racism this Saturday, September 7th. The event will begin with the screening of a Touched by an Angel Episode, "Black Like Monica." The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served the event will be held from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at St. James Episcopal Church, 1941 Webberville Road. |
Addressing Apartment Safety
Discussion of strategies to make homes safe
Highlights of a recent UT Law School report on legal and policy tools for addressing problem properties in Austin will be shared at a meeting during the lunch hour on Friday, September 13th. A panel of experts will discuss what strategies can be adopted locally and will focus on two proposed rental registration ordinances coming before the Austin City Council on September 26th.
This is the first event in a four-part Opportunity Forum series on Accessing Safe and Healthy Communities. The events are co-sponsored by Green Doors and the Center for Politics and Governance at the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Attendance is free, but seating is limited and registration is required. |
Gearing Up for Health Reform
Several upcoming meetings to learn about Health Insurance Marketplace
The Health Insurance Marketplace begins enrollment on October 1st. The online Marketplace will offer a side-by-side comparison of private insurance options for individuals, families and small businesses. It is estimated that more than 200,000 people in Travis County will be eligible for health care benefits through the Marketplace, but many are unaware of the opportunities available to them.
The Regional Healthcare Coverage Coalition invites service providers and others who want to learn more about the implementation of health care reform in Central Texas to attend a meeting on September 16th from 9 - 11:30 am. The meeting will be held at the Clinical Education Center at Brackenridge Hospital, 1400 North IH-35, Room 1.115. Register online.
Austin Travis County Integral Care and Central Health will host a meeting on Affordable Care Act implementation efforts in our community on Tuesday, September 17th from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Click here to register.
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Multicultural Career Expo
7th annual event
Studies have shown that companies that understand the importance of recruiting, retaining and promoting diverse talent makes the company smarter, more adaptive to changing consumer needs, and more competitive. In an effort to address this aspect of economic development, the Greater Austin Asian, Capital City African American and the Greater Austin Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with the City of Austin, will host a job fair on Friday, September 13th to offer qualified minority and women-owned businesses the opportunity to network with Austin based employers. Click here to learn more and to register for the event.
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Crisis Management
Traning for case managers
Case managers often encounter people experiencing personal crises. The Social Services Case Manament Network will provide training in crisis management for social services case managers on Friday, September 20th from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Goodwill Community Center.
This training will empower case managers to help their clients take control of their confusion, anger, anxiety, depression, and/or guilt. Case managers will learn skills to help people in crisis situations get organized and make difficult decisions so they can take the next steps of healing and recovery. Professional training credits will be available. RSVP to nicole.hamilton@austingoodwill.org. |
Community Connections
Get "plugged in" to city resources
Austin Energy will host a free, family-friendly event to help people get "Plugged In" to valuable resources and social services. Make plans to attend Austin Energy's 3rd annual Community Connections event on Saturday, September 21st, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Gus Garcia Recreation Center, 1201 East Rundberg Lane. Over 50 vendors including multiple City of Austin departments, county and state agencies, and non-profit groups that provide services to low-income families will be on hand to let families know about the resources available in our community. Staff will provide brief presentations to educate residents on the redesign of the Customer Assistance Program. There will be free food, prizes and activities for the whole family. For more information, call 972-7652 or 972-7718. |
Help Stigma Disappear
NAMI Walk to promote mental health
Austin NAMI will hold its 8th annual Community Walk for Mental Health Awareness and Wellness on Saturday, September 28th at Auditorium Shores. "Helping Stigma Disappear" is the theme of this year's walk. Click here to learn more and to register. |
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CAN is a partnership of governmental, non-profit, private and faith-based organizations which leverage mutual resources to collectively improve social, health, educational and economic opportunities in our community.
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