The Souly Austin program fosters merchant association formation, district strategy development, and project implementation through tools developed taking into consideration three core components. Souly Austin’s three core components are key players in the development and success of the program and its established neighborhood business districts.
Through Community Organizing, Souly Austin supports business district by:
- Educating businesses about merchants associations
- Outreach to all businesses in commercial districts using various methods including door-to-door outreach, emails, and phone banking
- Providing translation and interpretation in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, and other languages as needed
- Assisting businesses in the formation of a District Merchants Association
- Building leadership capacity through extensive trainings
- Providing formation resources
- Fostering leadership
- Identifying a district vision and priorities
Through Enhancing Place the program focuses on:
- Building consensus around place enhancements
- Developing a district economic strategy to improve and promote the district
- Implementing placemaking projects that reflect and anchor the culture of the Business District
- Coordinating enhancements that support safe, walkable/bicycle friendly districts
- Promoting and retaining the unique cultural and historical assets Austin has to offer
- Creating complete communities
In order to stimulate Economic Growth, the program focuses on:
- Promoting a socially and economically healthy Austin through programs, projects, and policy that supports business development
- Collaborating with other City departments
- Fostering partnerships
Partnerships
Souly Austin is a collaborative effort between the Economic Development Department staff and a number of community partners. To learn more about them, please visit the following websites:
The Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce (GABCC)
The Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce (GAACC)
The Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GAHCC)
The Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (AGLCC)
Austin Independent Business Alliance (AIBA)
Public Works Dept., Neighborhood Partnering Program
Austin Transportation Dept., Active Transportation
Austin Transportation Dept., Signs and Markings
Austin Watershed Protection Dept.
The University of Texas at Austin
Austin Revitalization Authority
Michael Corcoran
Stephanie Lang
Funmi Ogunru
Rachel Winston
Matthew Rodriguez
Chris Rodgers
Anne Marie Gordon
Robert Lin
Shelley Neuman
Morgan Dhee
Johnny Stevens
Philip Rogers