TipSheet: Travis County, 3.26.19

The Travis County Commissioners Court meets every Tuesday at 9 a.m. To help our readers stay informed, each week we offer a selection of interesting items from the voting session agenda. The entire agenda is available on the Travis County website.

1. Receive input from the public related to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) available from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regarding the community needs, funding priorities, and project ideas for the unincorporated areas of Travis County and the Villages of San Leanna and Webberville for Program Years 2019–2023 and funding priorities for Program Year 2019. (Commissioners Shea & Gómez)

Monitor’s Take: Oct. 1 will mark the start of Travis County’s fourth CDBG Consolidated Plan, a five-year effort to provide housing and create economic opportunities for low-income households. This public hearing is an opportunity for residents to help prioritize and shape the projects of the CDBG. The public can also provide written comment on the Travis County website (traviscountytx.gov/CDBG).

2. Receive comments regarding a resolution of no objection for Ventura at Parmer Lane, to be located at 8407 East Parmer Lane, Travis County, Manor, Texas 78653. (Action Item 8) (Commissioner Travillion)

8. Consider and take appropriate action on a resolution of no objection for Ventura at Parmer Lane, to be located at 8407 East Parmer Lane, Travis County, Manor, Texas 78653. (Public Hearing 2) (Commissioner Travillion)

Monitor’s Take: The Austin Affordable Housing Corporation and Dominium Development and Acquisitions, LLC will be submitting an application to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for a 4 percent low-income housing tax credit allocation. This property will feature 216 one- to three-bedroom units, each offered to households earning 60-80 percent of the area median income. The site is located at the intersection of State Highway 130 and U.S. Highway 290 in Manor.

7. Receive update on County partnerships with Workforce Solutions Capital Area: a. North Career Center b. Subsidized child care c. Master Community Workforce Plan (Judge Eckhardt)

Monitor’s Take: Workforce Solutions will be updating the court on its upcoming move to its new flagship North Austin building, scheduled for late June. The court will also hear about the restabilization of Subsidized Child Care, which failed to keep track with demand and new federal requirements in Fiscal Year 2017-18. Finally, the court will hear about a number of new initiatives regarding the effort to employ 10,000 individuals in middle-skill jobs by 2021.

9. Consider and take appropriate action on legislative matters, including: a. Update on legislative activities b. Senate Bill 1350 and House Bill 3649, relating to the creation and operations of a health care provider participation program by a certain hospital district c. Senate Bill 2169 and House Bill 4142, relating to the creation of an additional judicial district composed of Travis County d. Modifications to the Priorities, Policy Positions, and Positions on Other Proposals sections of the Travis County Legislative Agenda (Commissioners Shea & Daugherty)

Monitor’s Take: Intergovernmental Relations is asking the court to support one effort to create a local provider participation fund for Travis County and another that will create an additional county civil court. The LPPF could help the county draw down more federal dollars to be used to cover medical costs for uninsured and indigent residents. As for an additional civil court, the Commissioners Court already made that need a priority in October 2018, in light of a workload analysis showing that the civil court judges could use the extra hands.

10. Receive update from the Travis County Juvenile Public Defender’s Office. (Commissioner Gómez)

Monitor’s Take: While Travis County has no traditional public defender’s office, its Juvenile Public Defender’s Office has been leading the state in juvenile defense since 1971. Juvenile Public Defender Kameron Johnson will be discussing that progress with the court and exploring ways to improve that service.

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