Urgent: Please Help Increase Safety & Quality of Life In Our Neighborhood

Hello Neighbors,

As we welcome summer heat, there are two significant occasions this month: Father’s Day and Juneteenth. Hopefully, everyone had a moment to honor the fathers and/or father figures in our community. Juneteenth also offers a powerful reminder of the importance of freedom and equality, and I was happy to see numerous celebrations starting on Saturday and continuing through the week.

To welcome and support in-person participation, this month’s meeting will feature free food on Wednesday, June 19 @ 6 pm at KMFA Studio located at 41 Navasota St, OR join via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85746914611

The meeting agenda is available here, which includes a 4th Street zoning case, safety initiatives, and noise pollution challenges at 1515 E. Cesar Chavez.

Table of Contents

• Neighborhood Initiatives

  • Angel House Resources: Letter to City Leaders

  • 1515 East Cesar Chavez Noise Survey

• Announcements & Events

  • Curtis Rogers Departure / Sector 6 Vacancy

  • Hybrid Parking Initiative Update

  • Land Use Updates

    • 1307 & 1309 E 4th Street Rezoning Request

Neighborhood Initiatives

Before we begin our monthly newsletter, there are two important Neighborhood initiatives to share about criminal activity related to homeless services and noise pollution centered around East Cesar Chavez Street.

Angel House Resources: Letter to City Leaders

As many of you know, residents and businesses around the Angel House have been experiencing unprecedented levels of crime and disorder that persist despite efforts to work with APD and the Homeless Strategy Office. We have drafted a detailed letter to Mayor Watson and City Manager Broadnax outlining our concerns and requesting immediate support.

Summary of requests in the letter:

• Immediate Security & Enforcement: APD staffing improvements, directed patrols, and installation of HALO cameras.

• Neighborhood Resources: Utilization of Parking Meter Funds for safety initiatives, increased security at Terrazas Branch Library, and improved trash collection.

• City Programs: Focus on city-wide nutritional support policies, improved crowd management at the Soup Kitchen, and immediate investment in homelessness solutions around I-35.

Call-to-action: Please consider supporting this effort in one or more of the following ways:

• Read and endorse the letter: Add your signature to show collective support.

• Impact Statement: Share your experiences and their impact on your residence or business.

• Provide Feedback: Let us know how we can improve this letter if you have ideas to share.

You can do so by completing this form. You may also review the draft letter here before filling out the form. We'll continue to collect impact statements until this challenge is addressed, but please complete your submission by June 20 to be included in the message to the Mayor and City Manager.

1515 East Cesar Chavez Noise Survey

Many residents living behind 1515 E. Cesar Chavez are experiencing noise disruption due to recently activated roof-top HVAC systems. To help address this issue effectively, we're gathering detailed information from impacted residents. If you live near 1515 E. Cesar Chavez, please take a few minutes to complete this survey and let us know whether you've been impacted.

Announcements & Events

Curtis Rogers Departure / Sector 6 Vacancy

After two years of exemplary contributions, Curtis Rogers is resigning as the Sector 6 Representative and Policy Chair. I’m incredibly grateful for Curtis’s hard work and insights, which have significantly impacted our team and community, and we look forward to working with Curtis in his role with City Staff.

If you or someone you know might be interested in filling the Sector 6 vacancy, please reach out to any of our team members to learn about what it entails and how our team works together to benefit the ECC Neighborhood.

Hybrid Parking Initiative Update

Background: The ECC Team is working with the City to develop a “hybrid” parking zone to help alleviate parking challenges for portions of the ECC neighborhood. For more details on the initiative, please see the presentation here and/or share your feedback here.

Update: It’s time to start the planning process! Join this Wednesday’s meeting to learn how to contribute to planning for your block.

Land Use Updates 

1307 & 1309 E 4th Street Rezoning Request

Background: The applicant seeks to change the zoning from Live/Work Flex to TOD Mixed Use with a maximum height of 60 feet. 15% of the square footage is dedicated to affordable housing.

UPDATE: The zoning case was approved by the Planning Commission on June 11. The adjacent neighbors prepared a great presentation, and the video of the presentation and discussion is available here starting at the 1:57 mark: https://austintx.new.swagit.com/videos/307699

Our team will vote on the topic on June 19 before the case reaches the City Council in July.

Thanks for participating in our community, and I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow! -ep

Eric Pace, Chair
ECCNA/NPCT