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Housing department opens FY26 action-plan public hearing; commissioners urge broader outreach and paid participation
Summary
City staff presented the FY26 federal action-plan process (CDBG, HOME, HOPWA, ESG) and sought input; commissioners urged expanded outreach, compensation for survey participants, use of paid navigators, and more transparent partner lists.
City of Austin housing department staff held a public hearing on April 8 to gather input for the FY26 action plan, the annual submission that enables entitlement funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Staff described four federal grants covered by the action plan—Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG)—and outlined how funds were used in the prior year.
Rocio Peña Martínez and Julie Smith explained that the city typically receives an average of about $14 million annually in these federal grants and that the action plan organizes how those funds will be spent across housing production, homelessness services and supportive programs. Staff showed last-year allocations and noted that most assistance reached very-low- and extremely-low-income households.
Public and commissioner input: Commissioners and members of the public urged several outreach improvements. Commissioner Lyric recommended easier shareable links and social-media-friendly notices and asked whether the city could pay people to complete surveys to increase participation. Staff said compensation had been discussed but not budgeted in recent years and welcomed advocacy to secure funds for paid participation.
Navigators and lived experience: Nefertiti Jackman, Community Displacement Prevention Officer, described a paid navigators pilot for Dove Springs and Colony Park that the city is redesigning and expanding to Montopolis and areas near Project Connect stations; navigators are community members with lived experience who are compensated and who can help residents access housing-related services. Commissioners suggested tabling at neighborhood events and sharing a public list of nonprofit partners the department notifies; staff agreed to publish that list on the housing hub and to circulate a public- hearing graphic and flyers.
Why it matters: The action plan determines how HUD entitlement funds are allocated across housing and community development programs. Commissioners emphasized that broad and representative engagement—including compensated participation and one-on-one outreach—is needed to reach underserved populations and to ensure the plan reflects community needs.
Next steps: Staff will include input from the meeting in the action-plan application to HUD, continue targeted outreach and post partner contact lists and housing-hub materials for commissioners and the public to share.
