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Solutions to homelessness exist – they require scaling up social services and housing programs, including the pathways from shelter to housing. To date, Austin has not identified adequate funding to address this challenge. How would you work to identify the funding needed?

Mariana Salazar

City Council, District 1

As a city, we should be encouraging the private sector and foundations to play a bigger role in ending homelessness. When recalibrating the City’s Density Bonus Programs, the City should make sure increased fees-in-lieu for development continue to support Permanent Supportive Housing opportunities. I think it’s important for the City to review all of its homelessness contracts to make sure they all align in terms of the outcomes they should achieve and prioritize services that drive unsheltered people into permanent housing.