[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6472103,"mediaKeyId","5777030-4703274c53bac04665fabd4f67c776a1","parentId",5777030,"title","Public Safety Commission reports APD does not carry out immigration enforcement; plans follow-up with department","audioSeconds",251,"startMs",2669000,"endMs",2920000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5777030-4703274c53bac04665fabd4f67c776a1&start=2669&end=2920","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5777030-4703274c53bac04665fabd4f67c776a1/thumbnail_2669000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6472103/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Public-Safety-Commission-reports-APD-does-not-carry-out-immigration-enforcement-plans-follow-up-with-department","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472103-bef1f019bd87e32e20ca5938f11ff278/orig.mp4?Expires=1770487511&Signature=V76uZM1eVNQQoyfd88GZ2Jqa2BF9~0vz27bAMcS7HN5vDWmLoBDwPTLzw6B~qrcOCU03H4fDbcMzxnxkjLQSdADjC0AnvzIrVGMPVBPoBxx9HOS~IS9H5vQ4EFXNBcu-i1PjbFRRDAwX~p5hsp6D1DGKUjmxV8mFH7mywAEea5-1YsF9ViNRLbPRQBHgceentktkJTAEp-ry6CrPTOu3sILrdy3tCHh6FTiIuoRjJxW0kXvCxZBELiFHJsDyjPdOsgxhmTy7bKUOYgJbicTAUzFxY7bsickI7qL52UZPurt20DIKRuKAeNIhVJQqGsQGEJRjUZkDx1u5O6TjuH1EWA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-09-17T00:00:00Z","article","Commissioner Neli Paulina Ramirez briefed the Austin Downtown Commission on Sept. 17 that the Public Safety Commission’s current understanding is that the Austin Police Department does not participate in immigration-enforcement activity and that APD is notified when immigration-focused operations by other agencies will occur.

\"What we know is, I mean, to be frank is really what the what the public knows. And that's that APD does not, participate in immigration enforcement activities,\" Ramirez said. She added that APD staff have acknowledged the department may be asked to perform traffic control or other limited support functions but not to carry out immigration enforcement.

The Public Safety Commission is preparing to hear directly from APD at a future meeting to ask questions about how the department communicates its role to the public and whether immigration-enforcement activity affects reporting to 911 or other calls for assistance. Ramirez said the commission is still developing metrics and questions to frame that discussion and is coordinating with the Immigrant Affairs Commission to understand ongoing work on related topics.

Commissioners raised concerns about public perception in media coverage and social posts that show uniformed officers near immigration operations, asking how APD will ensure the public understands the department’s role when it is providing limited logistical support.

The commission's next steps include inviting APD to present and continuing to develop ways to monitor and measure any impact on calls for service or reporting attributable to immigration enforcement activity in the city.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Downtown Commission","oneSentenceSummary","Commissioner Neli Paulina Ramirez briefed the Downtown Commission that, per current understanding, the Austin Police Department does not participate in immigration enforcement; the commission plans to invite APD to a future meeting to ask about impacts on 911 reporting and to coordinate with the Immigrant Affairs Commission.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6472108,"Downtown Commission votes to recommend expanding its boundary to a Center City/Central District",333,2980000,3313000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5777030-4703274c53bac04665fabd4f67c776a1&start=2980&end=3313","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5777030-4703274c53bac04665fabd4f67c776a1/thumbnail_2980000.jpg","/articles/6472108/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Downtown-Commission-votes-to-recommend-expanding-its-boundary-to-a-Center-CityCentral-District","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472108-d278f7b378bd1003f63880355e99beba/orig.mp4?Expires=1770487511&Signature=b~v4XDdGXdiMV8HF6uZNd9PyPLbdPXEY5PT8Ash3D38mP3MmmU9q89Iaqeh~71VugAOZ3lcZ1pAg6sPkEifGxwf-CDEVrub39znq4tdIcXsXyu-2nCGcCgBUibCjHql4CoVZUDheXTObjqRKsVzhI89SnBj5-QT9fenl2~3DGIawacrGz1Jna-vQLp~mqu2hF1oZYp1DWc5EA1uko8nN7gLHG1x~~KLCof36xpJ3XOAdqFP3l57b9ElSammV099~h9ag9Fp76dcI-KzuFehuCRlP35-uoDCIk4fGQQkJipKn8zAEwo2sOYr3MGt8RSaCPAAT5IdKr11pbL5bOaaaEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Sept. 17, 2025, meeting the Austin Downtown Commission voted to send a recommendation to the City Council asking that the commission’s bylaws be amended to expand its boundaries and responsibilities to cover the Center City/Central District plan area, which staff have described to include the Downtown Austin plan core, the University North Overlay (West Campus) and the South Central Waterfront.

Commissioner Christie (staff) read a draft recommendation that cites City Council Resolution 20240814-028 and proposes three changes: extend the Downtown Commission’s boundaries to include the Center City/Central District Plan area (including West Campus UNO and the South Central Waterfront); broaden the commission’s responsibilities to steward any plan for development within that area; and expand the commission’s advisory role to include policies and projects affecting the Central District.

The draft recommendation describes current downtown commission boundaries (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the north, Interstate 35 to the east, Lady Bird Lake to the south and Lamar Boulevard to the west) and outlines recommended additions and the geographic limits of the South Central Waterfront and West Campus UNO.

A commissioner moved the recommendation; a second was recorded and the commission voted \"Aye.\" The meeting minutes record no named roll-call votes; the chair announced the motion carried.

Supporters said the change would align the commission’s remit with planning staff’s recommendation to treat the urban core as a regional district and to provide continuity for implementation of the South Central Waterfront plan. Commissioners also discussed whether the Downtown Commission should absorb or coordinate with the South Central Waterfront Advisory Board if council decides to merge boards; staff said that possibility is related but unresolved.

The commission approved the recommendation without a named roll-call. Staff will forward the commission’s recommendation to City Council for consideration.

","The Austin Downtown Commission voted Sept. 17 to recommend that City Council expand the commission's boundaries to match a proposed Center City/Central District plan area, including West Campus (UNO) and South Central Waterfront, and to broaden the commission’s responsibilities accordingly.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6472112,"City outlines new Downtown Strategic Office, cites early Sixth Street pilot gains",2530,112000,2642000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5777030-4703274c53bac04665fabd4f67c776a1&start=112&end=2642","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5777030-4703274c53bac04665fabd4f67c776a1/thumbnail_112000.jpg","/articles/6472112/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/City-outlines-new-Downtown-Strategic-Office-cites-early-Sixth-Street-pilot-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472112-92b5b514dbe7e874c974cf7e81b40126/orig.mp4?Expires=1770487511&Signature=kb1qDKVv1nKVlp9wJdwDHZu3-uw-VZEli5HN3Odd3lVWU2nGNKx4kaw0SU8LRiOi3VtAQqFjIsAaOY2hqiVeNMvpZ5OzIY3Fxm1CDoIjZUX9xALeL7IrESYGafY8QQpIeI6BRs-F2R2yAUzySjKQPcXwLIbz7jR8d2Gcarsfapq135joB0p4MIps6UvJoG-dHEF3P2IMidslViO1H2tS6d-Qv~hyGVwwZOKMnIkg4IOXpcH6T5JsVbQI7P~mcvDjMWN1~aZUpUS5MgSrmzCzkVU6bK28iHyhBP9HeMLpQFEjtYTsGWUnbbgmVXdnmBFX00dipS478LvkLGd4X3lZxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Deputy City Manager John Fortune told the Austin Downtown Commission on Sept. 17, 2025, that the city is standing up a Downtown Strategic Office to coordinate downtown projects across departments and outside partners and that two initial staff positions — a downtown strategic officer and a community solutions officer — are expected to be filled within about 60 days.

\"This initiative really started with a vision from the mayor who has a deep passion for making sure that the downtown is a vibrant, safe, and and, economically vibrant community,\" Fortune said, describing a council resolution passed earlier in the year that directed the city manager to create the initiative.

The office is intended as a convener, not a direct manager of other departments, Fortune said. He described the initial focus as setting a structure for interdepartmental coordination across areas including mobility, arts and culture, public safety, and parks.

Rob Trevino, a policy adviser to Fortune, summarized near-term work on East Sixth Street launched under a city pilot. He said the city assembled a multidisciplinary task force that includes Austin Police Department, Austin Fire, Austin-Travis County EMS, Development Services, Transportation Public Works, Austin Energy, the Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment Office, the homeless strategy office, the convention center, the law department and communications staff.

Trevin o (sic) said the pilot pursues three strategies: bolstering law and code enforcement to disrupt criminal networks, changing the physical environment to reduce opportunities for harm, and partnering with community organizations to sustain progress. \"Early success in the sixth street pilot program has demonstrated, both the value in in compassion and coordination,\" Trevino said, citing data trends from January to the present.

City staff described specific measures already in place: installation and beautification of concrete barricades with the Downtown Austin Alliance and the East Sixth Street Public Improvement District to improve crowd and traffic management; replacement of alleyway lighting and ongoing replacement of street lanterns by Austin Energy; expanded convention center garage hours to provide evening parking; rideshare pickup/drop-off zones established on the north curve of the 200, 300, 400 and 500 blocks; and weekly multidisciplinary patrols by Development Services, fire and police focused on property-related enforcement. The law department is reviewing legal instruments to abate nuisance and criminal activity at the source, staff said.

City presenters said their public-safety indicators show fewer use-of-force reports, fewer arrests and fewer officer injuries, while dispatch calls from the public increased (which staff interpret as improved reporting) and officer-initiated dispatches decreased. Staff characterized nonviolent incidents as having shown minor increases while the overall environment on Sixth Street has become more stable.

Commissioners asked about how the Downtown Strategic Office (referred to in the meeting as DOSI) will operate day-to-day, how it will coordinate with Transportation Public Works on a permanent Sixth Street design (including whether portions will remain one-way or revert to two-way), how the office will set performance metrics and how it will incorporate community engagement. Fortune and Trevino said the operational cadence (weekly, monthly or quarterly meetings) and specific performance measures will be developed after the positions are filled; staff said benchmarks and KPIs will be drafted in the office’s early months and welcomed input from the commission on what to measure, including residential and office occupancy and transportation metrics.

Fortune said the office will initially report to the city manager’s office and will be staffed by the two positions with the expectation it could grow. \"We hope to have those positions filled within the next 60 days,\" Fortune said. He said initial funding to begin work is available through the current budget process.

Commissioners and staff also discussed the geographic scope of the office. Planning staff previously recommended expanding the Downtown Austin plan into a larger Center City/Central District plan that would include West Campus (the University North Overlay) to the north and the South Central Waterfront to the south; Fortune said the downtown plan’s boundaries are a reasonable starting point for defining the office’s scope but that the boundary question will be resolved in setup phases.

The presentation closed with staff inviting the commission to provide ideas on KPIs and asking that the new downtown strategic officer be a regular participant in the commission’s meetings once hired. Staff said they will return with additional updates after hires are made and said they expect the office to be \"in full swing\" by the end of the year.

","Deputy City Manager John Fortune and policy adviser Rob Trevino briefed the Austin Downtown Commission on Sept. 17 on the Downtown Strategic Initiative, the creation of a two-person Downtown Strategic Office and early public-safety and mobility results from the Sixth Street pilot program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public Safety Commission reports APD does not carry out immigration enforcement; plans follow-up with department

Downtown Commission votes to recommend expanding its boundary to a Center City/Central District

City outlines new Downtown Strategic Office, cites early Sixth Street pilot gains