Austin Public Health outlines criteria for 2026 bond projects, cites equity and two priority neighborhoods

Philip Getzic, facility planning manager with Austin Public Health, told the Public Health Commission that APH will submit projects to the city for the 2026 bond cycle and walked commissioners through the department’s guiding principles and technical criteria.

“My director asked me to give a short intro into the process,” Getzic said, describing a standard city process in which departments use city guidelines and department-specific grading matrices to prioritize projects. He said APH is not yet able to discuss the specific projects’ funding amounts while the city completes its process.

Why it matters: APH said it receives capital for new construction almost exclusively from general obligation bonds and that in 26 years APH projects have received about 1% of city bond appropriations. The department argued that targeted bond investments—paired with facility design that emphasizes accessibility, sustainability and community engagement—are a primary way APH can add new neighborhood assets such as clinics, WIC sites and…