Category Archives: Big Ideas

BLOG: Read Mayor Adler’s thoughts on the issues of the day.

HUD’S CASTRO: Austin has ended veteran homelessness

Housing Heroes

Today United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro and Mayor Steve Adler announced that the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, HUD, and the Department of Veterans Affairs are pleased to confirm that the City of Austin has effectively ended homelessness among veterans in Austin. This designation reflects the USICH’s confidence that Austin has built the infrastructure and systems that will ensure that any homeless veteran in Austin will quickly get the help he or she needs to get into a permanent home.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that once our veterans have served their nation, they have a safe, stable place to call home. Austin today has proven that ending veteran homelessness isn’t just aspirational – it’s achievable. I’m so proud to congratulate the city and its partners on working tirelessly to give our veterans a dignified home, setting an example for communities across the nation,” said HUD Secretary Julián Castro. Continue reading →

Speech – Mayor’s Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness

Thank you, Congressman Doggett, for that introduction. And thank you, Secretary Castro, for being here today, and good morning to everyone here.

Not with us today is Senator Kirk Watson, whose staff showed up to help with this initiative and never left. He can’t be here today, but rest assured he’ll know that we’re thanking him now, so thank you, Kirk.

Normally, the way you do this is to start off by thanking people before you get to the meat of your speech. This is not going to be that kind of speech. It’s all going to be all thank you’s. There are going to be so many thank you’s that if this were an Oscars speech I’d never be allowed to finish.

We’re here today to celebrate that all of you have achieved what at one time was thought impossible — the functional end to chronic veteran homelessness in Austin. And I mean all of you. If success has a lot of fathers, we’re never going to be able to establish paternity here.

Continue reading →

COUNCIL APPROVES SMART CORRIDOR MOBILITY BOND LANGUAGE ON THIRD READING

Today the Austin City Council approved an ordinance on third reading the $720-million Smart Corridor mobility bond that contains transportation projects that would address traffic congestion, improve public transit, and increase safety and convenience for pedestrians and bikes.

shelf“Today the Council took an important step to address traffic congestion and our other mobility challenges. These corridor plans have been sitting on the shelf long enough. It’s time to do the work,” said Mayor Steve Adler. “The Smart Corridor mobility bond reflects the widespread support in the community and on this Council to address traffic congestion, improve transit, increase safety, and build walkable neighborhoods. We have our congestion level in Austin because we have chosen not to invest in our infrastructure. This is a down payment on a better future for Austin’s traffic.” Continue reading →