I got to meet Jose Velasquez, Austin City Council District 3 Candidate, East & Central South Austin, Texas

I actually got to meet and have a 1 on 1 coffee conversation @spokesman St. Elmo south, with our geographic area’s next Austin, Texas district 3 councilman. He earned my vote, moderate, practical, pro-housing, sensible

— drinking coffee at Spokesman (SOUTH - Located in THE YARD).

Photo courtesy of José Velásquez Campaign.

José Velásquez was raised by a single mother who supported him and his three siblings on $25,000 a year. He says today, even adjusting for inflation, the family wouldn’t be able to afford anything in the East Austin they grew up in. That’s what’s motivated his run.

“That is not the Austin that I was born into, and not the Austin that I want to leave future generations,” he tells the Monitor.

To tackle affordability woes, he’s designed the Affordable Austin Plan, which calls for encouraging remote work and taking on anti-gentrification efforts.

Velasquez says, “So we clear up a little congestion on the highway, less pollution, people have better quality of life because they’re able to remain at their homes and closer to their families.”

The plan would also designate Pre-K to start earlier, at age three, as a way to increase the likelihood of college attendance and encourage savings for families by offering an alternative to daycare.

The fourth-generation Austinite previously worked with Austin ISD’s marketing team, helping to help boost enrollment.

He also wants to address homelessness, offering ideas like coordinated assessments and affordable housing. and compassion for unhoused people.

He says compassion is one of the most important qualities an elected official can have. “We need to be better advocates for the health and safety of people experiencing homelessness,” he says.

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