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Many low-income families and persons experiencing homelessness have debt to the utility companies, which are now barriers to their ability to securing housing. Would you support increasing debt forgiveness programs for 3-4 years to help more people access housing? (Y/N/Explain)

Vincent Harding

City Council, District 1

It is important for the City to be looking for ways to help to assist with affordability. I am in favor of increasing debt forgiveness programs to help more people access housing. According to Mark Dombroski, chief financial officer for Austin Energy, state law prevents Austin Energy from entirely writing off or forgiving bad debt. We may need to look for a creative solution to this problem, and I would supports efforts to make something like this possible.