DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Status of Poverty in San Antonio - Report Recommendations
SUMMARY:
This item provides a briefing on the findings and recommendations provided in the report "Status of Poverty in San Antonio." The recommendations of the report will be presented to relevant City Council committees to begin discussions around possible implementation; this item provides the first briefing on the report around relevant affordable housing recommendations.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In September 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau released the latest American Community Survey 1-year Estimate data. The data, which was from 2018, provided state and local estimates for factors such as poverty, income, and education. According to the report, among the 25 most populous U.S. Metropolitan Areas, the San Antonio-New Braunfels Metropolitan Area ranks highest for poverty. Since 2013, the overall poverty rate for the City of San Antonio has remained at 18-20%, indicating that about one in five individuals are experiencing poverty, which is one of the most important determinants of health, longevity, and quality of life.
The "Status of Poverty in San Antonio" report, developed by the City of San Antonio's Human Services Department and Metropolitan Health District, builds on previous reports and community conversations and provides recommended strategies included in a recent Asset Funders Network report, to focus investments and increase collaboration around poverty alleviation initiatives. The City's report is structured around eight major frameworks: Employment and Income, Education and Skills Development, Wealth and Assets, Business Entrepreneurship, Affordable Housing, Homelessness, Physical and Mental Health, and Access to Transportation.
ISSUE:
Staff will provide a briefing on key data findings in the report, including population data analysis and a summary of the current fundin...
Click here for full text