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A Neighborhood Without a Name — And Why That Matters
March 2026 ECC Neighborhood Meeting Agenda & Announcements
Eric Pace
March 25, 2026
Hello Neighbors,
It’s been a challenging month, and there’s much discuss. For example, what should we call our neighborhood?
Today’s meeting will again take place at the brand-new RBJ Residences (1320 Art Dilly Dr).
Please read below for the full agenda and updates.
Meeting Details:
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Table of Contents
A Neighborhood Without a Name — And Why That Matters
I’ve been the Chair of this neighborhood planning entity for over four years now, and this year feels like an inflection point for our community.
There are moments when a neighborhood is forced to take stock of itself. This is one of those moments.
Recent headlines about Cesar Chavez have prompted conversations across Austin about legacy, identity, and what we choose to honor. Regardless of where people land on that debate, it has surfaced something deeper for our neighborhood: a growing sense that our identity is not being shaped by the people who live here but by decisions made around us.
At the same time, the conditions on our streets are changing in ways that feel increasingly unmanaged. The rise in homelessness, public safety concerns, and inconsistent service delivery are not abstract policy issues. They are daily realities for residents and businesses alike. And yet, there is no coordinated, accountable presence from the City focused on stewarding outcomes in our neighborhood.
Whether it’s the demolition of an iconic historic building, the expansion of I-35 moving forward without funding for caps, the City and CapMetro’s shared failure to invest in developing Plaza Saltillo, school closures, the Nash Hernandez building sitting vacant for a better part of two decades or the recent government created emergency at the Food Forest…these aren’t isolated issues, but rather symptoms of a broader problem:
Planners view our neighborhood as corridor for cars to pass through on their way to Downtown rather than a vibrant community worth investing in.
The most recent example of this is Transportation Public Works unilaterally spending our neighborhood’s Parking Transportation Meter Funds to cover shortfalls in CapMetro’s budget. This is money that’s supposed to be invested in transportation projects for our neighborhood, and TPW felt they knew best how to allocate those resources without any coordination.
Historic Context
In the early 20th century, a mix of working-class communities including Mexican-American, Black, and immigrant families lived, worked, and built communities here. There was no single label. No formal boundaries. Just a neighborhood shaped by proximity to downtown, the river, and opportunity.
The 1928 City Plan changed everything. City policy pushed Black and Mexican-American residents east of what is now I-35 by concentrating services and resources there. What followed is well documented: disinvestment, redlining, and the physical division with the construction of I-35.
Despite systemic neglect, something powerful emerged. Along East 1st Street (now E. Cesar Chavez) and surrounding blocks Tejano culture flourished. Local businesses, music, and art defined the corridor. Families built deep, multi-generational roots and our neighborhood became known as the heart of East Austin.
In 1993, East 1st Street was renamed Cesar Chavez Street, to honor a civil rights legacy. Then in 2001, the City formally adopted the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood and Holly Neighborhood Plans.
For the first time, formal boundaries were drawn and planning structure was created. But it split a historically unified community into two separate planning areas. It had the unintended consequence of fragmenting cultural identity and weakening the collective influence of our neighborhood layered on top of an already complex and evolving community.
2001–Present: Growth Without Alignment
Over the past 25 years, our neighborhood has changed dramatically—and not in a coordinated way. We’ve seen rapid commercial development reshape the area, often without a clear connection to the existing community. At the same time, many of the cultural anchors have been displaced or lost entirely.
Major infrastructure projects continue to move forward, but without a cohesive plan that reflects the needs or vision of the neighborhood as a whole. And while all of this change accelerates, public investment hasn’t kept pace. We’re still largely constrained by decades-old land use and zoning frameworks that were never designed for the realities we’re facing today.
The result is something we all feel. A dynamic neighborhood with rich history, culture, and immense opportunity but without clear alignment, consistent representation, or a voice.
A Plan For What Comes Next
If the last 100 years were largely shaped by external forces, the next chapter has to be shaped by this neighborhood.
That means:
Reclaiming a shared identity
Creating a modern vision that reflects today’s realities
Building the organizational structure needed for us to advocate, coordinate, and shape the future of our neighborhood.
In my next update, I’ll share a plan for what that might look like.
Announcements
Festival Beach Garden Under Attack
Austin Energy is required to reroute an existing transmission line to accommodate TxDOT’s expansion of I-35. So, of course, the proposal is to move it to the East side.
One transmission structure will be replaced on Festival Beach Park property, and two new structures will be placed outside of the park property in the road right-of-way. All told, 15,368 sq. ft. of parkland will be displaced.
You can see Austin Energy’s proposal here. If this is something you care about, I suggest reaching out CM Velasquez.
ECC Homeless Task Force Update
Below is an update from the Task Force Chair, Shannon Taylor:
Hi everyone,
I wish I had better news, but we have made only minor progress this month on cleaning up our area from the issues caused by unhoused folks and enforcing the camping/trespassing laws. However, every bit helps!
Progress:
The empty lots on the south side of Cesar Chavez St. between I-35 and San Marcos St. have been cleared of unhoused folks, new camping ban signs were installed, and enforcement of those areas has been consistent for a few weeks.
Central Health continues to mostly enforce the camping ban and trespassing laws on its property at the corner of Waller and Cesar Chavez St.
The city installed more trash cans in the parking lot of the Terazzas Library.
Jose Velazquez organized a meeting between Shannon Taylor, Eric Pace, and city officials from several departments including APD, COA libraries, COA HSO (Homeless Strategy Office), Austin Resource Recovery (Trash/Recycling), Central Health, Integral Care, and the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance. While each department is doing good work in tacking the challenges faced by unhoused folks and the issues caused by them, it was clear that none of these departments has anything additional planned to help our neighborhood in immediate future.
Austin Resource Recovery has increased their trash sweep in our neighborhod from weekly to daily. Please tell me specific streets or alleys that aren't getting daily attention, and I'll let them know.
COA Libraries continues to allow trespassing and overnight camping in direct violation of the COA ordinance and state law. COA is aware of this and will not enforce the camping ban. This is a large area of concern for us.
Texas Harm Reduction Alliance has agreed to help with trash cleanup, including needles. Call them for assistance when you see trash that needs attention.512-893-3237 (during regular business hours)
Integral Health is committed to enforcing the camping ban on their properties.
Next Steps:
Apologies, I've been under water with work for a few weeks and haven't had time to gather those interested in joining and forming the task force with me. My next step will be to contact those folks and strategize. Please let me know if you'd like to be a part of this group.
Jose Velazquez is helping to facilitate a meeting with between Eric, Shannon, and Police Chief Davis.
Report trespassing and any law violations to 911. It does help in the long run to have more calls on record for our neighborhood.
Thank you, neighbors!
Shannon Taylor
Initiative to Expand ECC NPCT Boundaries
Update: Due to the City’s position on combining NPCTs, we are continuing to shift direction. While the boundary expansion itself is not moving forward under current City Code, we are advancing two parallel efforts that address the underlying issue in a more practical way.
First, we are developing a proposal to create a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing full-time planning, advocacy, and business services across both East Cesar Chavez and Holly. In this model, the ECC Neighborhood Association would be dissolved and replaced by a new entity designed to operate at the scale of the actual community—rather than the City’s administrative boundaries.
Second, we are actively exploring a state-level Cultural District designation that would span across both neighborhoods along E. Cesar Chavez Street. This is a separate effort from the neighborhood boundary discussion, but it directly supports the same goal: establishing a shared identity and unlocking new tools for preservation, investment, and cultural recognition.
Together, these efforts represent a shift from trying to change City boundaries to building the structure and identity needed to function as one connected community in practice.
More details to come on both initiatives in the coming weeks.
Background: The ECC NPCT has proposed expanding its boundaries to include the Holly Neighborhood. However, City Staff’s interpretation of the relevant City Code prevents this from happening.
Cap & Stitch is Getting Messy(ier)
To summarize the City’s current strategy, it’s to cross their fingers and hope that a philanthropist will cut a check. The problem with this strategy is that there’s not a single example that I can find of a philanthropist paying for the infrastructure portions of a major project like this. Philanthropists will pitch in for programming, but not the decks themselves.
Save the Date: Community Neighborhood Events
Youth Basketball at Pan Am Registration
WHEN: Registration in person, by phone or online now through May 9th. Practice begins week of June 28th. Also looking for volunteer coaches.
WHERE: Cantu-Pan Am Rec Center
The Trail Conservancey - Music on the Trail Series
WHEN: Wednesdays, March 11–April 15, 2026
WHERE: Rainey Street Trailhead
Bring a blanket and enjoy these free concerts featuring:
March 11–Next of kin
March 18–Lorena
March 25–Madam Radar Duo
April 1–Uncle Roy & Spice
April 8–Pat Byrne
April 15–Nick Parr
Spring Fling
WHEN: March 21, 10:30am–12:30pm
WHERE: Pan AM Rec Center
Easter Egg hunts, games music, games, visit a fire truck
Holly Jam Session
A night of local performers and some open mic karaoke is being planned at Esquina Tango.
Eric Pace, Chair
ECCNA/NPCT
Upcoming 2026 ECC & Holly Neighborhood Meeting Dates
March 25 - ECC General Meeting
April 15 - ECC General Meeting