,   Austin Chamber of Commerce

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)

City of Austin : City Council, District 1

It is important for the City to be looking for ways to help to assist with affordability. I am in …

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Vincent Harding

While I support the concept of debt forgiveness I also believe it’s crucial that we seek to prevent the debt …

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Natasha Harper-Madison

I am in favor of extending the duration in some instances. However we need a comprehensive approach that moves people …

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Reedy Macque Spigner III

City of Austin : City Council, District 3

Absolutely. Utility costs factor in for over all affordability. If we have the ability to help our neighbors get into …

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Justin Jacobson

Yes. Pragmatically, we don’t want to increase the homelessness problem. Morally, it’s the right thing to do, and I’d be …

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Amit Motwani

I’m fully supportive of removing barriers to affordable housing.

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Sabino “Pio” Renteria

City of Austin : City Council, District 8

Debt is one of the most systemic attributes of poverty. We should do more with our city owned utility while …

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Rich DePalma

Yes; while working for MPT Tovo, I helped revise our CAF program at Austin Energy to provide more flexible payment …

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Bobby Levinski

We need to give people in extreme poverty a second chance and an opportunity to get back on their feet. …

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Frank Ward III

City of Austin : City Council, District 9

I support working with individuals and utility providers to manage individual debts, and reduce barriers of people finding affordable housing.

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Danielle Skidmore

City of Austin : Mayor

There are some legal limitations to debt forgiveness by our utilities, but we need to be maximizing every opportunity and …

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John Doe

There are some legal limitations to debt forgiveness by our utilities, but we need to be maximizing every opportunity and …

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Steve Adler

Erase the debt completely, and offer other creative ways to “repay” through our Contributionism Incentivized Volunteer Valued Community Leaders Program. …

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Travis Duncan

As a Council Member, I was actively involved in bringing compassionate procedures to our utilities, including for instance, limits on …

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Laura Morrison

There needs to be accountability, but this is certainly a barrier to securing housing. I would want to study this …

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Todd Phelps