City Council Member José Velásquez of District 3 in Austin, Texas, stands firm in his commitment to improving constituent communications and accessibility, stating, "We're doing exactly what we set out to do," in a statement obtained by the Austin Monitor. Velásquez highlights his mission to enhance community relations, especially in the wake of the February ice storm that brought widespread power outages and ultimately led to the ousting of the city manager.
The first-year city councilor pointed out the shortcomings of the past emergency response, acknowledging that last year's efforts were less than stellar but emphasizing ongoing improvements, "Last year, we did a piss-poor job. To me, if we’re not improving our communications, we’re not improving our response. And I think we have improved our communications," Velásquez told the Austin Monitor. He also discusses the development of Project Connect's rail plans and the importance of extending the Blue Line to the airport, stressing the potential for more affordable housing in District 3.
A notable move by the City Council this year included the passage of the HOME initiative which allows up to three units on lots in single-family neighborhoods, reflecting Velásquez's push for housing reform though this move stirred up opposition due to the opaque process criticized by some community groups. Velásquez, positioning himself amongst a pro-housing majority, notes the strides made, with a clear objective to enhance affordable living spaces, "We've done more for housing in the first 10 months than the past Council did in four years." according to the Austin Monitor.
With a dedicated communications staffer set to join his team, Velásquez aims to elevate the dialog with constituents in 2024, focusing on anti-displacement initiatives, and furthering efforts to tackle the stark disparities in quality of life across Austin neighborhoods.
