[ Austin Apartner in Safety Alliance Press Conference on February 5, 2026.]
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GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
MY NAME IS KIMBERLY FAULKNER AND I'M THE 2026 PRESIDENT AND BOARD CHAIR OF THE AUSTIN DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY AS WE OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED THE A PARTNER IN SAFETY ALLIANCE, A NEW PROGRAM OF THE AUSTIN DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION, CREATED AND PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AUSTIN TRAVIS COUNTY EMS ASSOCIATION, THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTER ASSOCIATION, AND THE AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION.
THIS INITIATIVE IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHILE STRENGTHENING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND THE PROFESSIONALS WHO SERVE AND PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY EVERY DAY.
THE A PARTNER AND SAFETY ALLIANCE IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS AUSTIN APARTMENT ASSOCIATION MEMBER PROPERTIES TO OFFER HOUSING INCENTIVES TO FIRST RESPONDERS.
THESE INCENTIVES MAY INCLUDE WAIVE FEES, REDUCED DEPOSITS OR RENT DISCOUNTS, MAKING IT EASIER FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO LIVE CLOSER TO WHERE THEY WORK AND WITHIN COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.
AUSTIN DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION WILL MAINTAIN AN ONLINE DIRECTORY LISTING, PARTICIPATING PROPERTIES AND THE AVAILABLE INCENTIVES.
FIRST RESPONDERS WILL BE ABLE TO BROWSE PROPERTIES, VIEW PHOTOS, AND EXPLORE LOCATIONS THROUGH A MAP VIEW.
PARTICIPATING PROPERTIES WILL ALSO BENEFIT FROM OPTIONAL SAFETY WALKTHROUGHS CONDUCTED BY THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
THESE WALKTHROUGHS CAN HELP IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE LIGHTING DOOR LOCKS AND ADDRESS SIGNAGE, MAKING PROPERTIES EASIER TO NAVIGATE AND RESPOND TO DURING EMERGENCIES.
IN ADDITION, PROPERTIES THAT JOIN THE PROGRAM WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS THAT ALLOW RESIDENTS AND FIRST RESPONDERS TO CONNECT IN A CASUAL AND WELCOMING SETTING OVER A MEAL.
AUSTIN DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION WILL SPONSOR SEVERAL OF THESE EVENTS AND ASSIST PROPERTIES IN CONNECTING WITH LOCAL FIRST RESPONDERS, INCLUDING A PD DISTRICT, REPRESENTATIVES, FIRE PERSONNEL, AND EMS TEAMS. WE ENCOURAGE THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING SECTOR TO JOIN US IN THIS MEANINGFUL INITIATIVE, NOT ONLY TO SHOW APPRECIATION FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, BUT ALSO TO FOSTER STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THIS PROGRAM GROW AND MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ACROSS AUSTIN.
IT IS NOW MY HONOR TO INTRODUCE COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL LANE, A STEADFAST ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THOUGHTFUL PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE OVERALL WELLBEING OF OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, COUNCIL MEMBER CRYSTAL LANE, REPRESENTING DISTRICT SIX IN NORTHWEST AUSTIN.
I WANNA START BY THANKING THE AUSTIN APARTMENT ASSOCIATION FOR LAUNCHING THE A PARTNER IN SAFETY ALLIANCE PROGRAM.
IT'S A THOUGHTFUL AND COMMUNITY-BASED RESPONSE TO A REAL CHALLENGE THAT OUR CITY IS FACING.
AFFORDABILITY CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IN AUSTIN.
OFTEN THAT MEANS THE VERY PEOPLE WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY AS POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS, AND EMS PROFESSIONALS STRUGGLE TO AFFORD LIVING IN THE CITY.
THIS PROGRAM IS A MEANINGFUL STEP TOWARDS CLOSING THAT GAP BY ENCOURAGING APARTMENT COMMUNITIES TO OFFER DISCOUNTS AND INCENTIVES FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.
THE A PARTNER IN SAFETY ALLIANCE HELPS MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO LIVE IN AND NEAR AUSTIN WHERE THEY SERVE.
THAT BENEFITS EVERYONE THROUGH QUICKER RESPONSE TIMES, STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS, AND DEEPER CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FIRST RESPONDERS AND THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE.
WHEN THE PEOPLE WHO KEEP OUR CITY SAFE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE HERE, OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY IS STRONGER AND SAFER.
I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT THIS PROGRAM ENCOURAGES COMMUNITY EVENTS WHERE RESIDENTS AND FIRST RESPONDERS CAN GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER WHEN PEOPLE SEE EACH OTHER AS NEIGHBORS AND NOT JUST AS UNIFORMS OR JOB TITLES.
TRUST GROWS STRONG COMMUNITIES ARE BUILT THROUGH THESE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS.
THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF COLLABORATIVE AND PRACTICAL SOLUTION THAT I'M PROUD TO SUPPORT THAT BRINGS TOGETHER HOUSING PROVIDERS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ADDRESS VERY REAL NEEDS IN A WAY THAT IS PROACTIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE AND BRINGS US CLOSER RATHER THAN DIVIDES US.
I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE 62 AND COUNTY HOUSING PROVIDERS WHO HAVE STEPPED UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM.
I ALSO WANNA THANK THE FIRST RESPONDER UNION LEADERS WHO ARE HERE WITH US TODAY REPRESENTING POLICE, FIRE, AND EMS. YOUR LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP ARE SO IMPORTANT, AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WORK YOU DO FOR AUSTIN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
FINALLY, I WANNA OFFER A STUDENT HERE THANK YOU TO EMILY BLAIR AND THE AUSTIN DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION TEAM FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP AND COMMITMENT TO MAKING THIS PROGRAM POSSIBLE.
YOUR EFFORTS HELP ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR OUR CITY CAN ALSO AFFORD TO CALL AT HOME.
AND NOW I'LL PASS IT OVER TO MICHAEL BULLOCK FROM THE POLICE ASSOCIATION.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBER, COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE.
UH, AND ALSO THANK YOU TO KIMBERLY, EMILY, AND HANNAH, THE ENTIRE, UH, APARTMENT ASSOCIATION TEAM.
THIS HAS BEEN A ONGOING PROJECT, UH, THAT IS VERY EXCITING TO BE ANNOUNCED AND TO BE LAUNCHED.
UH, DEVELOPING THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS IS NOT ONLY BENEFICIAL FOR BUILDING THOSE COMMUNITY
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RELATIONSHIPS AND GETTING OFFICERS TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN THE CITY THAT THEY SERVE, BUT ALSO AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT AND DRIVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS IS A GREAT WAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ATTRACT NEW RECRUITS AND CADETS TO COME HERE TO AUSTIN.SO THESE INTERACTIONS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I WE'VE HAD A VERSION OF THIS TO A DEGREE, BUT THANKS TO THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, IT'S GETTING TURBOCHARGED.
UH, AND THEIR LEADERSHIP IS REALLY TAKING IT TO A WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL WHERE OFFICERS CAN ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE NOT ONLY IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THAT, BUT ALSO BY TRYING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC SAFETY SOLUTIONS AT LOCAL COMPLEXES TO WHERE THEY CAN TRY TO IDENTIFY GAPS AND WAYS THAT, UH, PROPERTY CRIME, THAT OTHER TYPES OF CRIME CAN BE REDUCED IN THOSE COMPLEXES, WHICH ULTIMATELY BENEFITS THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE AND REDUCING THE CALL LOAD AND THE DEMANDS THAT MAY BE PLACED ON PATROL.
SO AS A WHOLE, WE'RE JUST VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROGRAM AND BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF IT.
AND THANK Y'ALL AGAIN VERY MUCH FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR, UH, HELPING US MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JAMES MONKS WITH THE S ASSOCIATION.
MY NAME IS JAMES MONKS AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE AUSTIN EMS ASSOCIATION.
AND WHEN PEOPLE THINK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, THEY TYPICALLY PICTURE SIRENS, UNIFORMS, FLASHING LIGHTS, UH, BUT THE TRUTH IS PUBLIC SAFETY STARTS WELL BEFORE WE GET THE CALL FOR NINE ONE ONE.
UH, IT STARTS WHETHER WITH, IT STARTS WITH WHETHER THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GONNA RELY ON THE PARAMEDICS, THE EMTS, POLICE OFFICERS, AND FIREFIGHTERS ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE AVAILABLE TO SERVE THAT CALL AND LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE.
UH, FOR EMS, THIS ISN'T AN ABSTRACT ISSUE.
IF A MEDIC HAS TO LIVE AN HOUR OUTSIDE OF TOWN BECAUSE RENT KEEPS CLIMBING, UH, THAT'S AN EXTRA HOUR OF DRIVING, UH, RIGHT BEFORE THEY GO TO A 24 HOUR SHIFT.
IT'S LESS SLEEP, IT'S MORE STRESS, AND IT'S A HIGHER CHANCE OF BURNOUT.
AND WHEN BURNOUT RISES, AS WE KNOW, VACANCIES RISE, RESPONSE TIMES CAN GROW AND THE ENTIRE SYSTEM BECOMES MORE FRAGILE.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS PART OF WORKFORCE STABILITY.
IT HELPS WITH RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND THE RESILIENCE OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY WORKFORCE.
AND THAT'S WHY PART PROGRAMS LIKE A PARTNER AND PUBLIC SAFETY OR PARTNER AND SAFETY ALLIANCE MATTER BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE SOMETHING SIMPLE.
IF WE WANT FIRST RESPONDERS TO KEEP SHOWING UP FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES, THEIR COMMUNITIES ALSO HAVE TO CONTINUE SHOWING UP FOR THEM.
AND BY PARTNERING WITH APARTMENT COMMUNITIES THAT OFFER PRACTICAL INCENTIVES LIKE REDUCED FEES, LOWER DEPOSITS, AND RENT DISCOUNTS, THIS PROGRAM HELPS KEEP EMS PROFESSIONALS CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.
I SEE A MAJOR BENEFIT WHEN FIRST RESPONDERS LIVE IN THE SAME COMMUNITIES THAT THEY SERVE.
IT GROWS TRUST, LIKE COUNCIL MEMBER LANE SAID, NEIGHBORS BECOME FAMILIAR FACES AND SAFETY BECOMES A SHARED GOAL FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO THIS AFTERNOON I WANNA THANK THE AUSTIN APARTMENT ASSOCIATION FOR CREATING THIS PROGRAM.
AND I ASK THAT MOVING FORWARD, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS WORK TO TREAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS A PUBLIC SAFETY, A PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE POLICIES AND THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT HELP KEEP MEDICS IN.
AUSTIN READY TO ANSWER THE NEXT CALL.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I'M THE SECRETARY TREASURER OF THE AUSTIN FIREFIGHTERS ASSOCIATION.
AND I JUST WANNA START OFF BY SAYING THANK YOU TO THE AUSTIN, UH, APARTMENT ALLIANCE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION FOR, FOR SETTING UP THIS A PARTNER AND SAFETY ALLIANCE.
IT'S, UH, A, A GREAT VALUE TO OUR MEMBERS.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY NOW FOR, FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO, UH, FORGIVE ME, UM, TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.
WE APPRECIATE THESE ADDED BENEFITS AND WE VALUE A PARTNERSHIP IN GROWING PARTNERSHIP IN BUILDING A SAFER, STRONGER AUSTIN.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA? YEAH, I WAS WONDERING, UM, WHICH OF THE 62, HOW DID YOU GUYS DETERMINE WHICH 62 PROVIDERS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, A PART OF THIS? AND ALSO, IS IT JUST LIKE A COUPLE APARTMENTS AT EACH PLACE THAT ARE BEING OFFERED OR, YOU KNOW, HOW DOES THAT WORK? UM, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
SO EMILY BLAIR KIDS, UM, EMILY BLAIR ASKED APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
UH, APARTMENT COMMUNITIES CAN SIGN UP WITH THE APARTMENT ASSOCIATION.
UM, THEY SELECT WHICH PROPERTIES THEY WANT TO PARTICIPATE AND TYPICALLY IT'S NOT UNIT LIMITED AT THE PROPERTY.
UM, IF A FIRST RESPONDER WALKS INTO THE PROPERTY TO APPLY, THEY'LL PROBABLY BE PRESENTED WITH A DISCOUNT INFORMATION OR THE INCENTIVE INFORMATION AT THAT PROPERTY.
HI, I'M SYDNEY GRAY WITH KAYAN.
UM, WHAT KIND OF DISCOUNTS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? I KNOW YOU SAID, UM, THE, SORRY, I'M TRYING TO THOUGHT INCENTIVES.
YEAH, THE INCENTIVES, BUT CAN WE GET MORE SPECIFIC AS FAR AS LIKE THE RENT? I KNOW IT'LL BE DIFFERENT PLACE TO PLACE.
IT IS, IT'S DIFFERENT PLACE TO PLACE.
EACH OWNER AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY WILL MAKE A DECISION OF WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO OFFER FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
SO IT MIGHT BE A WAVE SECURITY DEPOSIT OR IT MIGHT BE A FEW WEEKS FREE.
UM, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE INCENTIVE.
SOME OF THE INCENTIVES HAVE A TIME RESTRICTION
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AND THEY MIGHT CHANGE THEM IN SIX WEEKS AGAIN.SO WE'RE KEEPING UP WITH THOSE PROPERTIES TO KEEP THOSE FRESH AND, UM, YOU KNOW, AVAILABLE AND COMMUNICATED TO THE FIRST RESPONDERS THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED.
MY APOLOGIES IF YOU ALREADY ANSWERED THIS, BUT, UM, HOW DID YOU IDENTIFY THOSE 62 PROPERTIES? I KNOW IT'S VOLUNTARY, BUT THEY SELF-SELECT SO TO YOU? YES.
WE TARGETED PROPERTIES THAT ARE NEAR, UH, KEY AREAS SUCH AS A TRAINING CENTER FOR A PD, UM, AND ALSO IN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LANE'S DISTRICT TO START.
UM, JUST WHERE THERE, THERE'S SOME INTEREST IN EMPLOYMENT.
OBVIOUSLY WE WANNA FOCUS IN THE AREAS THAT ARE CONVENIENT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.
AND HOW LONG DID IT TAKE TO PUT ALL OF THIS TOGETHER? SOMETHING Y'ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A WHILE? WE'VE BEEN BUILDING THIS PROBABLY FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS, SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR TODAY.
AND I KNOW THAT MR. BILLICK MENTIONED THAT IT COULD, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIVING IN THESE COMMUNITIES COULD POSSIBLY REDUCE PROPERTY CRIME OR JUST CRIMES IN GENERAL.
LIKE HOW WOULD THAT WORK? ARE THEY POLICING IT WHILE THEY'RE LIVING THERE? SO THERE'S A FEW COMPONENTS IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS.
ONE OF IT IS EDUCATION FOR PROPERTY MANAGERS ABOUT HOW THEY CAN BE MORE MINDFUL IN, UM, DIFFERENT PROPERTY FEATURES TO MAKE THE PROPERTY MORE SAFE AND SECURE FOR RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY OVERALL.
UM, WE HAVE A COUPLE REPRESENTATIVES WHO, AND SPECIFICALLY ALAN, UM, VAUGHN WITH UH, COLONY CREEK THAT CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
UM, HE HAS DIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH THAT AND HAVING KIND OF A WALKTHROUGH OF THE PROPERTY AND ALSO, UM, UPDATING CERTAIN THINGS LIKE LIGHTING AND SAFETY AND SECURITY SYSTEMS AND UH, GATES FOR EXAMPLE, ACCESS POINTS.
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS KIND OF MAKE THE COMMUNITY MORE SECURE AND SAFE OVERALL AND IT'S JUST AN EDUCATION EFFORT AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? AUSTIN, ANY QUESTIONS?