Homeless Task Force + New Priorities: January 2026 ECC Neighborhood Meeting

Hello Neighbors,

Happy New Year! Our first neighborhood meeting of 2026 will again take place at the brand-new RBJ Residences (1320 Art Dilly Dr). This month, our focus is on the growing safety and crime issues resulting from I-35 construction and the homeless population. We’ll also establish neighborhood priorities for 2026.

Please read below for the full agenda and updates!

Table of Contents

• Announcements

  • New: ECC Homeless Task Force Launch

  • Where should we invest $4M in our Neighborhood?

• Save the Date: Community Neighborhood Events

  • Holly Neighborhood Association Quarterly Membershi …

  • 2026 Austin Marathon

  • Holly NA Jam/Karaoke Night: Sunday, March 28

• Save the Date: Local City Events

  • DAA: Issues Over Lunch: Infrastructure in MotionDo …

  • Raising Travis County Town HallRaising Travis Coun …

• Neighborhood Initiatives

  • Initiative to Expand ECC NPCT Boundaries

  • Hybrid Parking Initiative Update

Announcements

New: ECC Homeless Task Force Launch

As highlighted in recent neighborhood discussions (particularly issues rising around Terrazas Library, Willow St., and adjacent alleys), residents have faced escalating aggressive behavior, trespassing, trash and biohazards, and personal safety concerns. In response, the ECC Homeless Task Force, led by Shannon Taylor, is being formed to:

• Coordinate neighbor outreach and reporting strategies

• Amplify community concerns with APD, Austin Resource Recovery, public health partners, and city leadership

• Help neighbors prepare for key meetings and public testimony

• Centralize information on encampments, 311/911 reporting impacts, and cleanup support

Immediate Actions You Can Take:

• Reply to this email to join the email distribution and/or attend today’s ECCNPCT meeting to discuss next steps.

• Central Health Board Meeting (Jan 28th): Join neighbors in asking Central Health to stop allowing camping on their property and assist in cleanup. You can speak via Zoom or in person. To sign up, call 512-978-9190 and leave a voicemail. Please coordinate with Shannon if you plan to attend!

• February Neighborhood Meeting with APD: Officer Martinez (APD’s Community Liaison) is organizing a meeting with city officials specifically for our area. Stay tuned for the date and time.

• Report Every Incident: Use 911/311 and the 311 Online Portal to report trash, public defecation, or drug paraphernalia. These reports create a data trail that helps APD and Austin Resource Recovery justify assigning more patrols and cleaning crews to 78702.

• Call or email Council Member Velasquez’s office to request increased APD enforcement and cleanup resources.

Where should we invest $4M in our Neighborhood?

Since 2015, portions of revenue from the East Austin Parking and Transportation Management District (PTMD) have been allocated to our neighborhood. The accumulated funds for East Cesar Chavez are now approximately $4M, which can be allocated to proposed improvement projects or to maintenance of features that improve traffic flow.

Your input can help inform where and how we allocate these funds. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey. Your feedback will help guide safety improvements for everyone—whether walking, biking, driving, or using a wheelchair.

Save the Date: Community Neighborhood Events

Holly Neighborhood Association Quarterly Membership Meeting

Holly Neighborhood Association’s next Quarterly Membership Meeting will be Tuesday, February 17, 2026, from 6:30-7:30 PM at the Mendez Recreation Center in Metz Park.

The meeting will include neighborhood and local development updates, and feature an in-depth presentation and slide show on Planting with Native and Adaptive Plants from Denise Delaney, Environmental Program Coordinator with the City of Austin.

Denise will educate us on why our neighborhood has soil unlike other areas of Austin, the advantages and disadvantages of specific plants for our area, and there will be lots of time for specific questions.

Note: Holly NA has extended an open invitation to all ECC neighbors to participate in their community events.

2026 Austin Marathon

The Austin Marathon will again come directly down East Cesar Chavez for the final stretch. You can see the route map here. 

The Trail Conservancy will be manning the final aid station. You can volunteer to join them by signing up here.

Holly NA Jam/Karaoke Night: Sunday, March 28

A night of local performers and some open mic karaoke is being planned at Esquina Tango. Final times and details will be announced later, but save the date!

Save the Date: Local City Events

Neighborhood Initiatives

Initiative to Expand ECC NPCT Boundaries

Update: We’re awaiting guidance from the City Staff planning department to confirm our next steps.

Background: The ECC NPCT has made a proposal to expand its boundaries to include the Holly Neighborhood.

Hybrid Parking Initiative Update

Update: Phase 1 of the Hybrid Parking plan is now underway!

Background: The ECC Team is working with the City to develop a “hybrid” parking zone to help alleviate parking challenges across the ECC neighborhood. You can see the proposed plan here.

Thanks for participating in our community! -ep

Eric Pace, Chair
ECCNA/NPCT