Council approves more COVID relief funds for musicians, extends eviction moratorium
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin is the live music capital of the world for a reason.
“Music is just a piece of our entire city but it also drives our economic engine. We can't forget that,” said Reenie Collins, CEO of Health Alliance for Austin Musicians.
Music is the city's identity and its heartbeat. When the pandemic hit, venues and bars were shuttered and some haven't even reopened yet. That is where the role of HAAM became even greater.
“HAAM’s access to care is our biggest program,” said Collins.
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The organization helps musicians get healthcare coverage. Thursday, the city council approved another $500,000 dollars in government funding to go to HAAM.
“It means they have access to primary care, mental healthcare, hospitalization, all those things that during a pandemic are huge. Especially during a pandemic where a musician's entire way of life has been upended,” said Collins. “Musicians were saying they can’t even afford two days' worth of food. Or they live gig to gig or they were counting on South by Southwest to get through the rest of the year."
In addition, the city extended the moratorium on evictions just as the federal hold was set to expire at the end of December. Many speakers felt this was the right thing to do.
RELATED: Evictions suspended in Austin-Travis County through December
Casar outlined his satisfaction with how the Austin community has come together to keep roofs over Austinites' heads. “We have tenants right activists, and landlords coming up with payment plans. Everyone working together has been so important to. We have critical work left to do,” he said.
Nine months later and the pandemic rages on...a vaccine could bring much promise, but it could take a while to clean up the economic effects of COVID-19.
RELATED: City of Austin to distribute COVID-19 relief to local music venues
Council also approved another $5 million in childcare provider grant funding that will help keep those businesses afloat.