Austin City Council

University of Texas; American Planning Association; Austin School District; Austin Police Department; Latino Healthcare Forum; City of Austin Code Compliance

This food systems plan builds upon the city of Austin’s 30-year comprehensive plan by offering targeted priorities, strategies, and actions to address food systems-related challenges within the city. Unlike the broader comprehensive plan which utilizes city-level planning strategies, ‘Food for All’ offers planning strategies at a neighborhood-level in order for residents to participate in developing solutions and participating in change within their own communities. Residents reported four main challenges in the evaluation stage of the food system assessment: (i) access to appropriate information; (ii) availability of good quality, healthy foods in neighborhoods; (iii) accessibility due to lack of public transportation and dangerous neighborhood conditions; and (iv) affordability of healthy food. In response, the Austin Office of Sustainability and community partners developed a variety of policy recommendations, including providing information about food and food assistance programs in a variety of languages; monitoring healthy corner store initiatives to address challenges in retailer sourcing of fresh fruit and vegetables; requiring a food systems analysis for all new transportation projects; expanding transportation options for the elderly population; and advocating for higher city incomes, more affordable houses, and the implementation of community improvement projects, such as parks and recreation services.