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Austin Housing Finance Corporation board approves consent amendments to accept $30 million from City of Austin
Summary
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation board adopted on consent two amendments on March 6 to (1) amend the FY24-25 capital budget to accept $30 million from the City of Austin and (2) amend a service agreement to permit spending of that $30 million. A public commenter opposed related Project Connect funding.
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation board on March 6 adopted on consent two related amendments to its FY24-25 budget and service agreement to accept and spend $30 million from the City of Austin, the board heard at a brief meeting at Austin City Hall.
Jamie May, housing and community development officer for the City of Austin, told the board the agenda included two items tied to a consent agenda item the council had just approved: an amendment to the capital budget for fiscal year 2024–25 to accept $30 million from the City of Austin and an amendment to a service agreement to allow the corporation to spend that $30 million.
The items drew one public commenter. Zenobia Joseph, a resident, spoke against Project Connect funding included in exhibit A to one of the items, saying the exhibit lists $18.5 million for Project Connect and that the plan “conflated ridership and coverage.” Joseph told the board she regarded Project Connect and related transportation decisions as discriminatory toward Black residents and cited federal civil-rights protections when urging the board to reconsider funding allocations. “It is Black people who are riding the system,” Joseph said.
Board Member Alter moved to approve the consent agenda for the Austin Housing Finance Corporation Board of Directors; Board Member Siegel seconded. The presiding officer declared the consent agenda adopted without objection, and the meeting adjourned at 10:54 a.m.
No further debate or separate roll-call votes were recorded in the transcript for the two AHFC items.
Details: the board considered (1) an amendment to the AHFC capital budget for fiscal year 2024–25 to accept $30 million from the City of Austin and (2) an amendment to a service agreement enabling expenditure of that $30 million. The items were offered on consent and adopted together. A single public-comment speaker raised concerns about Project Connect allocations and equity in transit service; no board member discussion is recorded in the transcript.
