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CANews
July 9, 2014
In This Issue
Housing Market Survey
Teen Pregnancy in Texas
CodeNEXT: Cracking the Code
HACA Wait List Opens in October
Austin Receives ArtPlace Grants
Image One Austin Info Series
CityWorks Acadmey
Transportation for Those Most in Need
Mental Health and People of Color
Equity Across Systems
Applications Being Accepted for CAN Community Council
The CAN Community Council acts as a liaison between the CAN Board of Directors and the community at large. According to the CAN bylaws, the role of the Council includes encouraging collaborative solutions to community issues, considering the impacts of recommended strategies on vulnerable populations, and making recommendations to the CAN Board of Directors.  
 
Each year the Community Council votes to accept new members for 3-year terms.  Applications are now being accepted for members to serve from January 2015 through December 2017. Applications received by September 15, 2014 will be reviewed by a Nominating Committee comprised of Community Council members. 
 
Click here to learn more and to apply. 

The 2014 CAN Dashboard has been released.  This fifth annual report includes two new indicators - food insecurity and college success.  Also new this year is a set of recommendations, drawn from the work of CAN, to respond to our community's growth, increasing diversity, and economic segregation.
 
Call (512) 414-0323 if you would like CAN staff to share a presentation of the findings of the report with your board or community group. 
 
Healthy Living & Care 
Safety Net Forum
CAN invites you to join us for a conversation about healthy living and care in our community on Wednesday, August 6th from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
This is the third in a series of safety net forums that is intended to help our community understand trends, barriers, available resources and system changes that are needed to increase equity and opportunity for all.
The event is free, but registration is required.  
CAN Board of Directors will not meet in July
The CAN Board of Directors will not meet in July. The August 8th meeting of the Board will feature highlights from the August 3rd CAN Safety Net Forum on Healthy Living & Care and results of CAN's inventory of Prevention and Intervention efforts for children and youth.  The meeting will be held at the Central Health Administrative Offices, located at 1111 East Cesar Chavez.. 
 
Visit the CAN Board web page for presentations and more information.   
CAN Community Council Focus on Children & Youth
The CAN Community Council continues its review of issues facing vulnerable populations with a focus on children and youth at its July 21st meeting.  CAN staff will share an inventory of prevention and intervention services for children and youth.  A panel of local experts will discuss trauma informed care, community mental health planning for children and youth, and youth substance abuse services. The meeting will be held from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at 700 Lavaca.

 

Presentations shared at Community Council meetings are available here.  Minutes of meetings are available here.
"Together We CAN!" is a collaborative project of CAN and Leadership Austin.  The website shares  practical ideas for action we can all take where we live, learn, work and serve to make our community a better place. You can also share how YOU make a difference.
Cultural Competency, Diversity & Inclusion Toolkit 
 
Use these on-line resources and information to help your organization promote diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence.
More than 1,000 Twitter followers!
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Join the 1,000 Twitter followers getting updates on news, meetings, research and more at CAN_Austin.
 
Visit us on-line....
CAN has a new url to match our new name.  Check out the CAN website for research and reports. 
You will also find the 2014 Work Plan and the agendas, minutes and presentations from the CAN Board of Directors and Community Council meetings.
Austin Housing Market Survey
finds gap of 48,000 units affordable to renters earning less than $25,000/year

     

Austin needs an additional 48,000 rental units affordable to people earning less than $25,000 a year to meet current residents' needs, according to a draft Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis by City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development. The report, which is an update of a 2008 report, also includes an analysis of housing affordability by zip code. 

 

The housing market analysis notes a shrinking proportion of middle income residents with an increasing percentage of residents living in poverty and in upper income households. With data drawn from more than 5,000 survey responses, the report notes almost one-fourth of Austin homeowners and more than half of all renters have had to forgo basic needs to afford their housing. According to the report, "Nineteen percent of low income owners think they may need to move in the next five years, mostly because of increased property taxes.  Nearly 60 percent of renters plan to move, mostly to find less expensive housing."

Teen Pregnancy 

Texas teen pregnancy rate at historic lows but still higher than other states

     

Teen pregnancy and birth rates are at historic lows in Texas and nationally.  According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the teen pregnancy rate in Texas, which includes all pregnancies rather than just those that resulted in a birth, has declined by 38% since it hit a peak in 1988.  According to the most recent data available in 2010, the teen pregnancy rate in Texas was 73 pregnancies per 1,000 teen girls (age 15-19). 

 

While much progress has been made, a closer look shows that there is more work still to be done:  

  • Texas has the 4th highest teen pregnancy rate in U.S. 
  • The Hispanic teen pregnancy rate was 98 per 1,000 teen girls (age 15-19); compared to 82 for non-Hispanic Blacks and 45 for non-Hispanic Whites.  
  • Sexually active Texas teens reported the lowest rate of contraception use among all 50 states. 

CodeNEXT: Crack the Code 
rewriting Austin's outdated and complicated Land Development Code

 

CodeNEXTTimeline
CodeNEXT Timeline

Austin's current Land Development Code was written almost 30 years ago and has been amended hundreds of times.  As part of step 2 of the CodeNEXT process to re-write the code that guides land development in Austin, a Land Development Code Diagnosis has been released for public comment. The document discusses how the current code contradicts policy directives of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan.

HACA wait list to open  
2,500 will be selected by lottery for Housing Voucher wait list

    

The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) will open its wait list for Housing Choice Vouchers for eight days from October 22nd to October 29th. Pre-applications for the wait list will only be accepted on-line. At the end of the eight-day period, 2,500 applicants will be randomly selected by lottery and added to the wait list.  Due to extensive federal budget cuts, adequate funding is not available to serve all people who are qualified for housing assistance.  

 

HACA serves 5,800 families through the federally funded Housing Choice Voucher program. For more information about the qualifications for this program, visit www.haca.net or follow HACA on Facebook

ArtPlace America 
grants invest in Austin's creative economy

    

ArtPlace America has awarded grants totaling $656,500 to support two community projects in Austin.  The first project, "Drawing Lines," will harness the power of art and artists to create artistic expressions of each of Austin's new Council Member Districts' unique character. The other winning project,"thinkEAST Living Charrette," will support efforts to create a creative district of affordable living, working, learning and exhibition and performance activity. Read more about the winning projects.  

Imagine One Austin
information series on city's issues

    

Leadership Austin, in partnership with KLRU-TV (Austin PBS), The Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life, Community Impact Newspaper, the Center for Politics and Governance at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, and the League of Women Voters Austin Area, kicked off an education series on issues the new Austin City Council will face.

 

Imagine One Austin Information Series

Consecutive Monday evenings (June 30 - August 11) 

6:00 - 8:00 pm
LCRA Dalchau Service Center (3505 Montopolis Dr)
Admission: FREE 

 

  • July 7 - City Utilities, Budget, and Capital Planning 
  • July 14 - Economy
  • July 21 - Conservation, Environment, and Recreation 
  • July 28 - Land Use and Transportation
  • August 4 - Housing, Neighborhoods, and Public Safety
  • August 11 - Health and Human Services 
CityWorks Academy
learn the A to Z of city operations

    

The City of Austin is now accepting applications for the 2014 CityWorks Academy. This inside look at Austin government provides a unique opportunity for Austinites to learn about the City's governmental processes, its procedures and the people who deliver services. 

 

The Academy includes 12 three-hour sessions on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings and an optional half-day Saturday tour of certain City facilities.  Sessions begin September 9, 2014 and conclude December 16, 2014.  The application deadline is July 15th.

Regional Transportation Plan for Health and Human Services
summit to explore coordination of transit and transportation services

    

The Regional Transit Coordination Committee will share progress made in its regional plan for coordinating public transit and health and human services transportation.  The workshop will be held on July 17th in Round Rock. The workshop will bring together elected officials, health and human service agencies, and transportation professionals to discuss opportunities for regional transit coordination in the Capital Area.  Click here to register and to review the agenda.  

 

Minority Mental Health Month
breaking down barriers to mental health 

teen girl sad     

The U.S. Surgeon General reports that minorities are less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment for their mental illness. In recognition of National Minority Mental Health Month, the YWCA and NAMI Austin are hosting "A Discussion on Breaking Down the Barriers to Mental Health Care for Communities of Color."  The training will help mental health professionals improve their ability to provide culturally sensitive and proficient care.  The event, on Friday, July 25th from noon to 3:30 p.m. is free, or $20 for those seeking CEU credit.  Register by July 23rd

 

Equity Across Systems
summit on how to reduce disparities to create a healthier community

    

The Center for Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities is hosting its first Cross Systems Summit on August 21st and 22nd in Austin. The summit will focus on a collaborative approach to addressing inequities in multiple systems and how outcomes in health and human services, social services, education, juvenile justice, housing and other systems affect health and well being.  The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.  Click here for a link to the summit agenda and registration.

 
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. 
 
CAN PartnersAustin Chamber of Commerce, Austin Community College, 

Austin ISD, Austin/Travis County Integral Care, Capital Metro, Central Health, City of Austin, City of Pflugerville, Community Justice Council, Del Valle ISD, Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, Greater Austin Asian Chamber, Greater Austin Black Chamber, Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber, Huston-Tillotson University, Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT), 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, and Workforce Solutions - Capital Area