The city of Austin cut some contracts with local agencies that serve seniors during a tight budget cycle. Aaron Alarcón, CEO of Family Eldercare, said recent cuts have forced the Austin nonprofit to scale back its financial advocacy and mental health programs. He said serving fewer clients could leave more older adults vulnerable to homelessness and to losing benefits, especially as new Medicaid eligibility changes take effect in January.
Shontell Gauthier, executive director of RBJ Senior Housing, said 10% cuts to city contracts mean her affordable housing provider cannot meet demand. She said the organization grew from 279 units before August of last year to 503 and is at 90% occupancy.
Local groups negotiated earlier this year to restore part of the social services funding, but the one-time restoration will not carry over into the new fiscal year. Richard Bondi, chair of Austin's Commission on Aging, called for better coordination among senior advocates and said more budget shortfalls are expected. Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, who represents District 2, said the challenges go beyond the city and pointed to a lack of collaborative partners at the state level.