Austin’s Digital Inclusion Program

Andrea GallowayDigital Inclusion

Publisher: Texas ComptrollerAustin considers itself the tech hub of Texas — so much so that it has embraced the nickname “Silicon Hills.” U.S. News & World Report has consistently ranked it as one of the nation’s best places to live. So it would be logical to assume its residents lead the nation in digital inclusion. But that assumption would be incorrect. Much work remains to be done to ensure digital inclusion for the city’s population, with the opportunity to access the internet ... Read More

Austin Forum Program Helps Level the Playing Field for Expectant Mothers

Andrea GallowayUncategorized

“Giving birth five times naturally in the hospital, I saw a wide range of care. Some good, some not so good.” Chante Wright-Haywood is determined to ensure new mothers understand all their options so they can make the right choices for their children – from pain medication to nutrition – for families who don’t have basic medical information. “I’ve seen a nurse’s personal and cultural preferences prevent new mothers from making their own choices,” she says. To become a midwife, … Read More

Broadband for America’s Future

Andrea GallowayDigital Inclusion

Publisher: Benton Institute for Broadband & SocietyConnecting our entire nation through High-Performance Broadband will bring remarkable economic, social, cultural, and personal benefits. Open, affordable, robust broadband is the key to all of us reaching for - and achieving - the American Dream. Read More

Disrupting Food Insecurity

Andrea GallowayUncategorized

Publisher: Urban Institute Tapping data for strategies that tackle the root causes: A report of the Urban Institute was informed in part by a focus group at Gaston Place October 22, 2019 An estimated 40 million Americans—including 12.5 million children—struggle with food insecurity, meaning they can’t afford an adequate diet. Federal nutrition programs and charitable meals make up the first line of defense, but solving this challenge will require communities to go beyond food to disrupt the root causes of economic distress.This ... Read More

Smart Cities and Digital Equity

Andrea GallowayDigital Inclusion

Publisher: Media Democracy Fund and Robert W Deutsch Foundation. Some Cities Have Found Ways to Pursue Both, but Federal Policy May Hinder Progress John B. Horrigan, PhD Overview Cities across the United States are trying to become “smart cities,” as they invest in digital technologies to help monitor the environment, enhance mobility, and improve the delivery of municipal services. Some of the technologies enabling the smart city, such as 5G wireless networks and autonomous vehicles, occupy the “inflated expectations” portion ... Read More

Mobility Ambassadors

Andrea GallowayUncategorized

Mobility Ambassadors are public and subsidized housing residents paid a stipend or hourly rate to teach low-income residents to navigate digitally-powered transportation, engage City officials on our community’s most pressing transportation issues and advocate for partnerships with impact. In 2018-19, Mobility Ambassadors learned to use multiple smart transportation tools and to conduct digital transit adventures, surveyed 240 public housing families about more than 1,000 trips, and hosted 15 events to reach 5,200 Austin residents with safe roads and life-saving transit … Read More

Connecting Economic Mobility Practitioners in Online Community

Andrea GallowayUncategorized

Publisher: Center for Applied Research, Johns Hopkins University By Libby Solomon The Center for Applied Public Research, has launched a pilot program connecting public sector employees across the country around the topic of economic mobility. The Economic Mobility Policy Forum, the first of its kind, kicked off this month with two webinars led by Policy Fellows, competitively chosen public sector leaders who have demonstrated in-the-field success. Topics discussed included gentrification, food systems, housing, education, and attempts to leverage technology and data ... Read More

Smart Work Learn Play – Participatory Smart City Innovation and Digital Inclusion in Public and Subsidized Housing

Andrea GallowayUncategorized

Publisher: Global City Teams ChallengeSmart Work Learn Play, initiated by the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), with support from Next Century Cities, the Transit Empowerment Fund and the City of Austin’s Digital Inclusion and Transportation departments, aims to ensure that the design, deployment and use of smart cities technologies are inclusive and equitable. The program hires HACA-resident Smart City Ambassadors to work local government and corporate partners to: 1) teach HACA residents how to use digitally-enabled education, ... Read More

Code for America Annual Summit: Keynote

Andrea GallowayUncategorized

Publisher: SCHED Catherine Crago: Housing Authority of the City of Austin Head of Strategic Initiatives & Resource Development Austin, Texas Let's talk about public-private partnerships, sustainability, metrics, smart cities and funding! Eager to hear about your most successful digital inclusion programming - from branding, promoting, monitoring and measuring results. Catherine began her career in the semiconductor industry, focused on public private research partnerships aimed at giving the U.S. a global competitive advantage. She's played an active role in building the ... Read More

Pilot program will help Austin’s low-income city residents tend to health needs

Andrea GallowayCommunity Health

Publisher: Community Impact NewspaperThe staff at the Housing Authority of the City of Austin always knew that the families living in HACA’s 18 low-income housing properties faced a number of serious health challenges. The families HACA serves average around $12,000 in annual household income. That means many residents have to make difficult decisions when it comes to their own health. As HACA Executive Vice President Sylvia Blanco put it, “Sometimes it comes down to whether to fill a prescription or ... Read More

Austin landlords check in on residents’ health through new program

Andrea GallowayCommunity Health

Publisher: KVUELandlords at one Austin apartment complex will keep up on residents' health through a program called, "Bringing Health Home. When was the last time your landlord called in or stepped by to not check on the status of a rent check, but the status of your health? Or the status of your child's health?  For residents living at the Pathways at Booker T. Washington Terraces in East Austin, their relationship with their landlord is about to change for the better. Read ... Read More

Got Extra Devices? Donate Them to Austin Pathways

Andrea GallowayUncategorized

Publisher: The Austin Forum“Technology is now fundamental to most every aspect of society, enabling almost everything we do…” — Jay Boisseau, Austin Forum Founder and Director How smart can a city be if some of its residents aren’t connected? Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) residents aspire to participate in Austin’s smart city — but lack of access to devices and digital literacy can keep families from achieving their dreams of education, gig economy and other jobs, and ... Read More