Connecting with Community through our new Housing Engagement Hub 

We're excited to announce the launch of Housing Engagement Hub [www.SpeakUpAustin.org/HousingHub], an additional way for you to interact with our work at the Housing Department.  This Hub offers the opportunity to: 

• Stay Informed -  Sign up for our monthly Austin Housing Newsletter and read previous editions for the latest updates.  
• Share Your Voice - Share input on current initiatives and read the impact of past engagement opportunities.  
• Find us in the Community - See which local events our staff will be attending to share housing resources and plan to join us.
• Connect with Resources - Access, download, and share program flyers of helpful information. 

We are in the pilot phase of this Hub, and we hope that you'll help us shape what it can become. We recognize that a digital platform will not reach everyone, and our team is committed to using the Hub as part of a broader strategy to meet people where they are in the community. We'll publish the Hub in 7 additional languages in the coming months. In the meantime, all languages can be accessed through the built-in translate button at the top of the page.  

We'd love to hear from you once you've had a chance to explore the Housing Engagement Hub. We look forward to incorporating other new features to meet your needs. 

Join us at the Fair Housing Conference & Resource Hub 

Join the City of Austin for the third annual Fair Housing Conference & Resource Hub. Austinites are invited to join leading policymakers, practitioners, advocates, and community members to share ideas and discuss current fair housing issues. The all-day conference is free and open to the public, with breakfast and lunch included. 

The day will include: 

• Insightful panel discussions on housing discrimination, tenant rights, and inclusive housing policies.
• Interactive workshops led by local experts.
• Resource Hub featuring organizations providing housing assistance, legal services, and community programs.
• Networking opportunities with advocates and professionals committed to housing equity.

📆April 16, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

📍Holiday Inn Austin Midtown (6000 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, TX 78752) 

🆓 Free and open to the public 
👉Register + access the full agenda at: SpeakUpAustin.org/FairHousing

Upcoming Community Events

Flood Safety Fest

The City of Austin Watershed Protection Department is excited to invite you to the Flood Safety Fest. The whole community is invited to this fun, educational event, which will include important safety tips and giveaways from several City departments, virtual reality tours, games, prizes, face painting, and much more. 

📆April 26, 2025 | 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

📍Lee Lewis Campbell Elementary School (2613 Rogers Ave., Austin, TX 78722) 

🆓 Free and open to the public 
👉RSVP is encouraged but not required

BCL of Texas Austin Homebuyer Fair 2025

Business and Community Lenders (BCL) of Texas is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Texans build wealth and assets through homeownership and entrepreneurship providing the financial tools and education necessary to optimize positive economic returns. Learn more at www.bcloftexas.org.

📆May 31, 2025 | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

📍AISD Performing Arts Center (1500 Barbara Jordan Blvd., Austin, TX 78723) 

🆓 Free and open to the public 

Spring Shred Day 2025

Austin residents can prevent identity theft by properly disposing of personal records and information at Austin ARMA's Spring Shred Day. Balcones Shred will accept the following paper items: Papers with personal or confidential information, tax returns, bank records, invoices, receipts, and medical records.

📆April 19, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

📍Balcones Shred (9301 Johnny Morris Rd. , Austin, TX 78724) 

🆓 Free and open to the public 

Apply for Rent Assistance

The application portal for the I Belong In Austin (IBIA) rental assistance program is currently open through Monday, April 7 at 5 p.m. The program is administered by El Buen Samaritano and provides financial assistance with rent, moving, storage, and relocation costs for tenants at risk of eviction. The application portal will open each month while funds are available to allow for an efficient and equitable program administration. A high volume of applications is anticipated. If applicants are not selected and assistance is still needed, applicants are encouraged to reapply when the portal reopens. 

Check eligibility and apply for assistance at www.AustinTexas.gov/rent. 

Share resources with a friend!

Help us expand our reach to those in need of affordable housing support in Austin. Encourage a friend or family member to sign-up for this newsletter to receive direct updates from us. Let us know what other helpful information you’d like to see shared here each month.

Share this link: Sign up to receive the Austin Housing Newsletter. 

New affordable housing, Parker Lane Apartments, opens in Southeast Austin

Parker Lane Apartments courtyard courtesy of Foundation Communities.

We are excited to announce the opening of Parker Lane Apartments at 2105 Parker Lane, in District 3 in Southeast Austin! The new multifamily property will offer 135 affordable units and will include housing and amenities for those who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. Residents interested in applying for an apartment should join the Foundation Communities online interest list or call the Parker Lane Apartments leasing office at 512-575-2800. 

The community is managed by Foundation Communities and offers features designed to make residents feel safe, such as clear sightlines and bright colors. There are kid-friendly amenities for outdoor play, green space, a learning center, a food pantry, and laundry facilities. A small percentage of the units (14) will be set aside for families with children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and 10 units for families at or below 30% of the area’s MFI (median family income).

Additional resources for affordable housing are available online at www.austintexas.gov/housing. 

Smoke-free Housing: The Benefits are Clear

If you are looking for housing that is smoke-free, you are not alone. Research shows that 77% of renters in Travis County would prefer to live in tobacco-free housing. Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals and there is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. In multi-unit housing, tobacco smoke seeps between adjoining units and throughout all areas of buildings through light fixtures, ceiling crawl spaces, cracks in walls, plumbing, shared ventilation, and doorways.

Everyone has the right to breathe clean, tobacco-free air. Austin Public Health’s Live Tobacco Free Austin initiative has a searchable map of properties that have smoke-free or tobacco-free policies. Contact Live Tobacco Free Austin at LTFA@austintexas.gov to get started today.

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