As told by Catherine Crago, Strategic Initiatives and Resource Development The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) is a high-performing housing authority per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), receiving top marks on a variety of measures every year. As far back as 2001, HACA went beyond its mission to provide safe, decent affordable housing by establishing the HACA Scholarship Fund. Today, the agency has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships. And many HACA residents who … Read More
Housing + Health Summit – Presentations
Publisher: Housing Works AustinThe Federal Reserve Bank is committed to ensuring that our community-based systems (including housing, education, health, jobs, transportation) are aligned to ensure better health outcomes. A major challenge is that funding for health is completely distinct from funding for housing and other systems. How can we better align these systems? Who is “doing it right”? Read More
Housing + Health: Building Blocks of Equity and Opportunity
Publisher: Federal Reserve Bank of DallasThe “Housing + Health: Building Blocks of Equity and Opportunity” summit brought together diverse audiences—including health care, community development and financial institutions—to better understand challenges and opportunities around creating and investing in vibrant, healthy, mixed-income communities. With the opening of the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, the conversation around housing and health has never been more timely. Read More
Working To Bridge the Digital Divide
Publisher: HUD Highlights Austin’s Unlocking the Connection program promotes digital inclusion among the city’s public housing residents by providing free high-speed home Internet connections, training in digital literacy, and free refurbished computers. Digital education programs focused on training participants to use online public and social services, teaching parents to engage with their children’s education, and promoting career advancement are central to Connecting for Good’s mission in Kansas City. Tech Goes Home Chattanooga partners with more than 60 organizations to ... Read More
Austin Wins Grant for Initiative to Increase Mobility Equity with Access to Online Tools
Next Century Cities recently announced that Austin was one of three winning cities for the inaugural Charles Benton Next Generation Engagement Awards, given to municipal governments that are harnessing high-speed internet to enhance civic engagement and democratic participation. The Benton Award was given to Austin for the city’s plan to develop Smart Work, Learn, Play, an effort to engage public housing residents near two public transportation hubs to increase citizen access to and use of online public services. Joining Louisville, … Read More
$30K grant to provide digital literacy training to low-income Austin families
Publisher: Austin Business Journal Austin is one of three winners of a $30,000 grant to fund efforts to expand access to high-speed internet. Next Century Cities' Charles Benton Next Generation Engagement Award aims to highlight cities with innovative approaches to broadening the reach and impact of their high-speed internet offerings. Read More
Look For the Silver Linings in the Problems You Face
Publisher: Inc. Last week, I had a chance to moderate a discussion about people problems in companies for the Human Dimensions of Organizations Program at the University of Texas that I direct. After a lively discussion, an incoming masters student in the program talked about difficulties her company has with employee retention. Like many high-tech companies, hers is lucky to keep an employee for more than 3 years. Two panel members, Sean Bauld and Catherine Crago took the question in a new direction. The natural first reaction to ... Read More
Partner Webinar: Bridging the Digital Divide: Review of a Successful Program Model and Lessons Learned
Publisher: Women's Funding NetworkWith the recent launch of ConnectHome, much attention has been directed at Austin, which was named a “mentor city” for this program. Join us for a conversation about Unlocking the Connection, an initiative underway in Austin aiming to bridge the digital divide for the more than 4,300 public housing residents, and learn about how the lessons learned can be applied elsewhere. Unlocking the Connection is a collaborative effort that was launched by the Housing Authority of the City of ... Read More
Turning knowledge into action
Publisher: LISC InstituteThe LISC Institute shares resources on how to turn cutting-edge community development ideas into action. Building on the experience of LISC’s network of partners and the broader field, we provide training, resources, and guidance on strategies that forge resilient and inclusive communities of opportunity across America. Read More
Austin Pathways Raises Over $30K for Housing Authority Residents
Austin Pathways raised $34,212 during Amplify Austin, doubling last year’s total of more than $17,000. One hundred percent of the funds, generously donated by 215 individuals, community partners and local businesses, provide direct support for programs like the Housing Authority of the City of Austin’s (HACA) scholarship and Family Self-Sufficiency programs for public and affordable housing residents. HACA and Austin Pathways have awarded more than 500 scholarships to public and affordable housing residents since 2001. Austin Pathways also provides services like … Read More