The mission of the Downtown Austin Alliance is to create, preserve and enhance the vibe, vitality and value of downtown Austin for everyone. To advance our mission, the Downtown Austin Alliance will continue to advocate for policies, regulations, and funding that provide dense, walkable neighborhoods, preserve and enhance cultural assets, and make downtown safer and easier to get around. Additionally, DAA supports efforts to ensure the economic competitiveness of downtown through efforts such as performance-based financial incentives and a streamlined regulatory environment to attract private capital.
Our FY 25-26 advocacy priorities are organized in alignment with our Strategic Plan objectives. To advance progress toward these priorities, we lend our expertise and actively engage in decisions and actions at the local, state, and federal levels. The following priorities were approved at the Downtown Austin Alliance Board of Directors meeting on July 9, 2025.
Creating and maintaining a clean, safe environment is our highest priority, as reflected in our FY25-26 annual budget and advocacy agenda. In addition to advocating for policies that create a safe, welcoming environment for everyone, our focus this year is to facilitate economic growth through direct efforts to attract and retain businesses downtown and by shaping and influencing growth through a new plan for downtown Austin.
FY25-26 ADVOCACY PRIORITIES
Keep Downtown Safe, Clean and Welcoming:
Downtown Austin is a place for everyone. As such, it should be safe, clean, and welcoming to visitors, residents, and workers.
– Increase enforcement of the sit, lie, camp ban
– Increase Visible Safety Resources (APD, AFD, EMT): The visible presence of police officers is a deterrent to crime and improves response times and perceptions of safety. More officers downtown and patrolling on foot and bicycles increases their visibility and opportunities to interact with the public and people needing assistance.
– Advance the Mental Health Diversion Center and Pilot: The cross-agency collaboration (Travis County, City of Austin, Integral Care, Central Health) to create a Mental Health Diversion Center and implement an effective pilot should continue, including the appropriation of annual funding among the key partners. The mental health diversion center and pilot can provide offenders suffering from mental health issues with an alternative path other than jail, resulting in reduced recidivism and a safer community.
– Improve cleanliness: Ensure increased oversight of alleyway cleaning services by Austin Resource Recovery. Litter and recycling cans should be appropriately maintained, located, and fitted with locks.
– Expand the use of APD Technology and Safety Camera System: A private camera interface should be funded and implemented to link private business and property cameras to the HALO (High Activity Observation Location) system.
– Develop and implement a downtown lighting plan
Fund Innovative Homelessness Outreach Programs and Housing:
The police, EMS (Emergency Medical Services), and 911 should not be the first and only ways to address non-criminal, non-threatening issues related to people experiencing homelessness or non-threatening public behavior issues.
– Improve the homelessness response system: Actively coordinate with public, private and nonprofit partners to improve the system and its capacities at all levels. The system must help prevent homelessness and provide key services such as outreach, emergency shelter, temporary housing, and permanent supportive housing (PSH).
– Increase Funding: Secure additional local, state, federal, and private funding for non-congregate shelter and emergency services, and services needed to sustain permanent supportive housing projects.
Advance Transformational Infrastructure Projects:
Infrastructure projects such as Project Connect, CapEx Central, and Our Future 35 Cap & Stitch will not only transform downtown but will provide safer options for people traveling to and within downtown Austin. Additionally, the city must advance projects and plans that will make moving within downtown easier. Support from all levels of government is vital to bring these projects to fruition.
– Advance creative financing strategies to fund the deck and tunnel elements for the Our Future 35 Caps at Cesar Chavez to 4th Street, 4th Street to 7th Street, and 11th to 12th Street.
– Secure necessary federal funding for construction of light rail. Protect usage of local revenue sources to construct light rail at all levels of government.
– Adopt Wooldridge Station as an additional downtown light rail station.
– Begin construction on the Congress Avenue preferred design.
– Adopt and implement the Austin Core Transportation Plan.
– Advance and expand the Construction Partnership Program to include DAA as a key stakeholder and implement a community engagement strategy and timeline.
Downtown Austin Strategic Initiative & Economic Vitality:
In collaboration with DAA, the Austin City Council unanimously passed a resolution creating the Downtown Austin Strategic Initiative (DASI). The DASI is an action-oriented, public-private initiative to coordinate downtown projects and programs, ensuring communication and cross-collaboration during the next ten years of downtown growth.
– Ensure the DASI office is fully funded and working in close partnership with DAA and its partners.
– Adopt policies and funding tools to support return to office initiatives and increase downtown office occupancy.
– Downtown PID Policies: In partnership with DAA, update, streamline, and modernize the downtown PID contract and budget processes.
Reform the Downtown Development Code:
Downtown should be the densest, most walkable, and vibrant center of the region, and our city plans and land use policies should support these goals.
– Advance the new Downtown Austin Plan to reflect the changing landscape of downtown and create a sustainable implementation team with a culture of public-private partnerships.
– Implement land use policies that support and advance the Innovation/Medical District.
– Re-envision a development incentive program to complement the goals of the new Downtown Austin Plan.
– Encourage affordable housing near or adjacent to downtown Austin.
– Increase the base floor-to-area ratio in the Central Business District (CBD).
– Re-zone all downtown properties as CBD.
– Ensure that policies for the South-Central Waterfront fully leverage the unique opportunity of this district to become a vibrant, transit-oriented destination with world-class waterfront access and park space.
– Adopt policies that help support and enhance the health and sustainability of the downtown tree canopy.
– Plan for removing the Capitol View Corridors originating from I-35 and include policies for the continued presence and operations of live music venues in the area.
Save Live Music:
Austin is the “Live Music Capital of the World,” As the eastern edge of downtown Austin continues to develop, we must take action to preserve the cultural music venues for years to come.
– Implement financial incentives for the creation and preservation of live music venues, cultural venues, and legacy businesses.
Keep Downtown Vibrant:
Amidst ongoing growth and change, downtown Austin should be a place that ignites, attracts, and cultivates arts, culture, music, and a sense of place.
– Direct business stability/continuity funds to small businesses impacted by construction, prolonged street closures/repairs, etc, that cover operating expenses.
– Install WiFi in public spaces downtown.
– Protect major events and economic drivers for downtown.
– Advance implementation of intermediate E. 6th Street improvements.
– Make event processes and fees more affordable and streamlined.
– Adopt property owner incentives or tax abatements to encourage reuse of vacant spaces.
– Expedite and simplify permitting processes for new businesses, events, and tenant improvements.