Category Archives: Affordability
Mayor Adler to DOT delegation: Austin moving ahead, no matter what
“Simply put, mobility is a life or death issue for Austin.” -Mayor Adler
Today Mayor Adler and officials from the Austin Transportation Department previewed their presentation to the delegation from the U.S. Department of Transportation that is in Austin for the Smart City Challenge. In his remarks, Mayor Alder promised to move ahead with the technological transformation of Austin’s mobility regardless of the outcome of the Smart City Challenge because doing so, he said, could create “an economic boom that lifted up the people who are usually left behind.”
Mayor Adler, along with ATD Director Rob Spillar and ATD Chief of Staff Karla Taylor, made the case that Austin, one of seven finalists for the $50 million competition to use technology to make mobility safer, cheaper, cleaner, and more effective for everyone, was the best choice for the Smart City Challenge.
“No city needs this more, and no city is better situated to take advantage of all the Smart City Challenge offers on mobility. What we can accomplish with mobility technology can provide ladders of opportunity for everyone in Austin as well as greater mobility for everyone in the country. You don’t get opportunities like this all the time, and we are going all out to win it,” said Mayor Adler. Continue reading
Fair Chance Hiring ordinance signed
It’s no secret that Austin, Texas is a prosperous town largely because of our brand as a progressive, inclusive, innovative place. But we’re also facing serious challenges: Austin is one of the most economically segregated regions in America, which means a significant portion of Austinites are not sharing in our city’s prosperity. Almost a year ago, Council Member Greg Casar sponsored a proposal for Fair Chance Hiring in Austin to extend economic opportunities and expand civil rights for tens of thousands of people in our city. Fair Chance Hiring laws are anti-discriminatory at heart and require employers to consider a job candidate’s qualifications first, without the stigma of a conviction history, before running a background check at the end of the hiring process. Stable employment helps prevent recidivism and re-incarceration, so fair chance hiring policies also improve public safety for our community. Continue reading
Austin Becomes First Fair Chance Hiring City in the South
AUSTIN— On Thursday, March 24, the Austin City Council voted to approve a fair chance hiring ordinance for private employers in the City of Austin. The ordinance intends to give applicants a fair chance at employment by delaying inquiries into an applicant’s conviction history. This policy will apply to Austin employers with fifteen or more employees. Of the cities that have adopted fair chance hiring policies, Austin’s ordinance is one of the few that guarantees that a background check will only occur after a conditional job offer has been made. Continue reading