The strategic vision of Austin is to be a sustainable, socially equitable city offering economic opportunities for all. The strategy focuses on multiple outcomes: economic opportunity and affordability, mobility, health and environment, safety, culture and lifelong learning, and a government that works for all. The city aims to promote racial equity and healing to create a fair living environment for all community members. Affordability is a key focus, with strategies in place to ensure necessities are accessible for residents. Innovation, defined as a project with an uncertain outcome, is encouraged to address community challenges. Sustainability and resilience are vital pillars to protect Austin’s quality of life for future generations, and proactive prevention is adopted to address challenges early. The strategy also emphasizes building trust and relationships with the community, recognizing that leadership comes from the community members.
OUR VISION Austin is a beacon of sustainability, social equity, and economic opportunity; where diversity and creativity are celebrated; where community needs and values are recognized; where leadership comes from its community members and where the necessities of life are affordable and accessible to all. (from Imagine Austin) OUR STRATEGIC OUTCOMES Together we strive to create a complete community where every Austinite has choices at every stage of life that allow us to experience and contribute to all of the following outcomes: ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY & AFFORDABILITY Having economic opportunities and resources that enable us to thrive in our community.
MOBILITY Getting us where we want to go, when we want to get there, safely and cost-effectively. HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT Enjoying a sustainable environment and a healthy life, physically and mentally.
SAFETY Being safe in our home, at work, and in our community. CULTURE & LIFELONG LEARNING Being enriched by Austin’s unique civic, cultural, ethnic, and learning opportunities.
GOVERNMENT THAT WORKS FOR ALL Believing that city government works effectively and collaboratively for all of us—that it is equitable, ethical and innovative.
CITY OF AUSTIN STRATEGIC DIRECTION
CITY OF AUSTIN STRATEGIC DIRECTION austintexas.gov/StrategicPlan EQUITY To advance equitable outcomes, the City of Austin is leading with a lens of racial equity and healing. Race is the primary predictor of outcomes and it is time to recognize, understand, and address racism at its various levels: personal, institutional, structural, and systemic. Equity is the condition when every member of the community has a fair opportunity to live a long, healthy, and meaningful life. Equity embedded into Austin’s values system means changing hearts and minds, transforming local government from the inside out, eradicating disparities, and ensuring all Austin community members share in the benefits of community progress.
AFFORDABILITY Austinites deserve to experience the necessities of life as affordable and accessible. Simply put, this means a household can afford rent or mortgage, transportation, child care expenses, utilities, and taxes. This strategic direction lays out strategies to increase economic opportunities and affordable choices across Austin, so that Austinites, families, businesses, City employees, and all generations can thrive.
INNOVATION In Austin, we define innovation as any project that is new to you with an uncertain outcome. Aimed at addressing pressing challenges that affect our community, human-centered innovation means a new approach to exercising authority and decision-making that starts with the needs, behaviors, and experiences of our community, and continues through a process of questioning assumptions, engaging with empathy, stewarding divergent thought, reflecting, and learning. Innovation is future-oriented around what outcomes could be created together, rather than an analysis of already formed alternatives.
SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCY Being a sustainable and resilient community requires proactive steps to protect Austin’s quality of life now, and for future generations. A sustainable city finds a balance among three goal areas: (1) prosperity and jobs, (2) conservation and the environment, and (3) community health, equity, and cultural vitality. Resiliency is the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems to survive, adapt, and grow from difficult times. In Austin, we bounce back stronger.
PROACTIVE PREVENTION The City of Austin embraces the dual responsibility of being responsive to emerging challenges while also dialing up efforts to prevent problems on the front end. For example, this translates into addressing social determinants of health outcomes, rather than only treating the disease. This means investing in preventative maintenance of public assets like bridges, service vehicles, and community facilities. An intentional focus on prevention today leads to a brighter future.
COMMUNITY TRUST AND RELATIONSHIPS Austin is a place where leadership comes from the people. We believe in honoring the spirit and soul of Austin and creating opportunities for civic engagement that are easy, meaningful, and inclusive, and that lay a foundation for lasting relationships. Trust must be earned and through strengthening partnerships with the community, we will make more progress together to advance these six outcomes.
