The Austin Independent School District Board approved several construction projects last night. That's despite the fact that the workers hired for those projects will be paid based on 2005 standards.

The issue came up at the school board's meeting last month - when trustees talked about adopting a new pay rate study. But so far, that hasn't happened.

Minerva Camarena-Skeith is a member of the non-partisan group Austin Interfaith. She says the old pay rate scale is hurting local families.

"Last month we were glad to hear from this board that we should not be approving construction projects with a price tag with the 2005 labor standards - and that was about $2 million. Yet here we are again today with the consent agenda asking for eight contracts that are over $3 million under those old wage standards."

Trustees said last month they decided to move forward with projects in order to make sure they were complete by the start of next school year.
Projects on the consent agenda last night included moving and renovating portable classrooms and modifying kitchen plumbing systems across the district.

"Kayvon Sabourian, an attorney with the Equal Justice Center and a representative with Austin Interfaith, said he wants the district to move forward with the federal rates because they are readily available and can be adopted immediately, rather than pay 2005 rates to workers for some projects and then paying them a different wage later once the district has updated its pay rates. 'There’s a real concern about spending the bond money using 2005 standards,' Sabourian said. 'Morally, we shouldn’t as a community use taxpayer money to pay people under the prevailing wages of today. We should be paying construction workers what they’re owed: the prevailing wages of today, not 10 years ago.'"

Labor Groups Ask Austin District to Adopt Federal Wage Rates, Austin American Statesman 

At a Social Justice Shabbat organized by Temple Beth Shalom, Koreena Malone regaled the crowd with her story of community triumph, a modern day David & Goliath battle between tenants of low-income Oak Creek Village and "lots and lots of lawyers" on the side of the developer.  Through conversation between tenants, neighborhood council, the developer, lawyers and the City, an affordable housing convenant addressing all stakeholders' interest was negotiated.

Background story (and press) here. 

Austin Interfaith leader, Leland Butler of St. Thomas More Catholic Church, points out that District 6 has its pockets of poverty, with "apartment complexes springing up and filling with people who can’t afford central-city rents."  

In Austin’s District 6, a Different Set of Priorities, Austin American Statesman [pdf]

Austin Interfaith leaders (including representatives from Education Austin) descended on an Austin Independent School District (AISD) meeting to urge Board members to support fair wages for construction workers on AISD-funded projects.  Philip Lawhorn, of member institution International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), urged the Board to adopt the Davis-Bacon wage rate, which relies on federal wage standards for laborers.  AISD is currently using wage rates based on a 2005 study, something Kayvon Sabourian of the Equal Justice Center notes "doesn't cut it in 2014 Austin."

Austin ISD to Reexamine Wage Rates for Construction Workers, Community Impact      

Leaders of Temple Beth Shalom are planning a 2-day event around social justice and politics in the public square.  On Friday, May 9th, synagogue congregants plan to hear Koreena Malone relate her story about community organizing a brand-new tenants' association to better negotiate with a developer threatening to abolish her affordable housing in South Austin. On Saturday, people will gather to learn more about the City of Austin's 10:1 redistricting and what that will mean for city politics and the capacity for families to advocate on their own behalf.  

Additional details here.    

University United Methodist Church Delivered at Press Conference on Fair Housing April 17, 2014

Whenever I, or one of my colleagues from Austin Interfaith, speaks in support of an issue of consequence before the halls of government, I can almost guarantee that someone will say, why don’t those preachers stick to spiritual stuff, stick with the Bible. Why do they have to stick their noses in politics?
In the western Christian tradition, it’s Holy Week. Today is Maundy Thursday. Over the next several days, in powerful and dramatic worship services, each of our faith communities will recall the final days of Jesus’ life to discern meanings for life in our own time. Whenever I return to these readings from our sacred texts, I’m struck not by how spiritual they are, but by how earthy and political they are.
Jesus, who could not remain quiet, who spoke up against empire and the powers that be, was arrested, tried, jailed, beaten, tortured and executed. It doesn’t get much more physical than that.
And his crime?
Proclaiming a vision of a new world, an egalitarian world where the poorest among us are lifted up, where everyone has a place at the table, where every family has their own vine and fig tree, which means everyone has what they need for a life of dignity and purpose and no one lives in fear.
It doesn’t get much more political than that.
Jesus was executed for daring to talk about the way the world might be, the vision of God’s desire for the world, what the gospels call the kingdom of God.
When the pastors of your city get together before the halls of government, as Pastor Joseph and Pastor Katie and Bishop Vasquez have this morning, to talk about discrimination in housing in our city, to talk about the need to open up more housing for folks who live and work in our city and are the poorest in our community—when we do that, we are speaking from the very heart of our faith. When we advocate for legislation that has a direct impact on getting more families off the streets and out of shelters and into housing, we are speaking from the very center of our historic religious traditions. I believe that the mark of a great city is not how it cares for those who have wealth and power. That’s easy. The mark of a great city is whether that city cares for everyone, and especially for the ones who have nowhere to lay their heads. I hope that our city council will vote to support amending the language of the fair housing ordinance to prohibit blatant discrimination and provide more housing for the most vulnerable members of our community.

Austin Interfaith leaders point out the rise in children and immigrants in District 4.  Angela Baker, a leader with St. Albert the Great Catholic Church, points out that apartment owners don't keep up: "You can kind of seethe shabbiness as we pass by," she says.  

Children, Immigrants Flavor Cultural Stew in Austin's District 4, Austin American Statesman

With 9 out of 10 apartment owners turning away Section 8 voucher users, single mothers like Evita Cruz have few options about where to live.  This affects what school her daughter attends, how far she travels for work and how safe she feels in her neighborhood.  During Holy Week, Austin Interfaith clergy and lay leadership stood up for people like Evita to demand that the council advance a resolution that would prohibit discrimination based on Section 8 vouchers.  Council responded with a 6-0 vote, directing the City Manager to draft language for a formal policy proposal.  In photo, Evita Cruz tells her story.  More photos here. 

Council Approves Voucher Ordinance, KVUE-ABC 

Council Passes Resolution to End Housing Discrimination, KXAN

Council Could Ban Landlords from Section 8 Discrimination, Time Warner Cable News

Council: Getting a Round Tuit, Austin Chronicle

Policy Austin City Council Says Landlords Can't Discriminate Against Housing Voucher-Holders, Austin American Statesman

Reverend John Elford's Remarks

The rising cost of living in Austin, though perhaps an inevitable twin to the city’s success, undercuts some of the notions ingrained in the city’s ethos: that growth shouldn’t strain longtime residents; that families are an essential part of the social fabric; and that Austin is an egalitarian, socially conscious, arms-open place where anyone can make it, be they starving artist or teacher or tech investor.

“We have a wide range of congregations, in all nooks and crannies of Austin, across all socioeconomic classifications, and all of them are saying the same thing,” said Bob Batlan, an organizer with Austin Interfaith, a network of churches, unions and schools that has made affordability a top priority. “They’re all telling us Austin is becoming less affordable, for just about everybody. And we need to do something about it.”

Austin's Rising Cost of Living Raises Questions About Who Can Live Here, Austin American Statesman