Your Needs Inform Our Decisions

The Housing Department works year-round to implement programs, build housing, and shape policies that will enable more households in Austin to stay in the neighborhoods they love. Many factors guide how funds are used, including your needs and your voice. If you want to understand more about the funding sources before you weigh in, make sure to click the funding overview tab above.  

The survey below is focused on you and your community. During our 2024 Community Needs Assessment period we heard a strong desire from the community for ongoing engagement. With that in mind, we have created a needs assessment survey that will remain open indefinitely. We will report back regularly on what we're hearing and how feedback is being used. We welcome your input at any point. Please take a few minutes to share with us about your experience and what your community needs. 

Community Needs Survey

The City of Austin Housing Department invites you to tell us about your needs and the needs in your community. This input will help guide the investment of housing and community development dollars...

Share Your Needs

What we're hearing

The reports below reflect what we heard during the 2024 Community Needs Assessment. The first phase of the engagement report summarizes the community needs we heard throughout the initial assessment. This input informed the first draft of the 5-year funding strategy.  A second phase of the report was produced as engagement continued. The phase 2 report (coming soon!) outlines the commitments our department makes to address the needs of the community. 

2024 Community Needs Assessment

As part of a new 5-year plan to invest housing and community development dollars where they are needed most, the City of Austin Housing Department conducted a community needs assessment. The Five-Year...

Learn More

 

 

Engagement and Reporting Timeline

Every 5 years a new plan is created for our federal funding.  Each year also has its own Action Plan. Before each plan is created, a community needs assessment is conducted. At the end of each year, a performance and evaluation report is produced. The timeline below outlines each of these simultaneous cycles. 

complete
complete
5-year Community Needs Assessment

February - May 

A comprehensive community needs assessment kicks off the cycle for each new 5-year plan. During our 2024 Community Needs Assessment, we met with 46 community organizations and received more than 300 survey responses. The feedback we heard was included in the report we submitted to HUD with our 5-year Consolidated Plan. The input continues to guide our department's work.

complete
complete
Year-end evaluation & reporting

November - December 

At the end of each year, we publish the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). Visit our performance tab to see the goals and outcomes for the previous fiscal year

live
live
Annual Action Plan begins

October 1

The plan is approved by City Council in July, submitted to HUD in August, and takes effect with the start of the new fiscal year on October 1. We are currently in the first year of our 5-year federal funding plan. 

live
live
Annual Community Needs Assessment

February - March 

During the annual needs assessment, City of Austin staff meet with boards, commissions, and community organizations in preparation for creating the next year's Action Plan. We are currently in the process of creating the Action Plan for FY25-26. 

planned
planned
Public Comment Period

May - June 

A draft of next year's Action Plan is published at the end of May. The community is invited to provide comments.