This page provides information related to the development of the 2026 General Obligation (GO) Bond Program. The process kicked off in December 2024, and the Task Force is anticipated to formally present their recommendation to the City Council on April, 2026.
Bond Election Advisory Task Force
The Austin City Council formed the Bond Election Advisory Task Force (BEATF) in July 2024. It is composed of 20 members appointed by the City Council and the Mayor. The BEATF is tasked with identifying and prioritizing bond funding for projects to be included in a 2026 Bond Referendum.
- Resolution 20240829-138
- Resolution 20240718-093
- Resolution 20240926-075
- Member Directory
- Meeting Portal
2026 Bond Program Updates
Since October 2024, City departments, led by Capital Delivery Services, have been preparing a comprehensive set of bond-eligible projects for possible inclusion in the 2026 Bond Program. Departments evaluated and scored projects using a priority matrix aligned with six guiding principles: community consideration, affordability, innovation, sustainability and resilience, proactive prevention, and community trust and relationships.
On July 31, 2025, the Bond Election Advisory Task Force (BEATF) was provided the Initial Project Request List. City staff will support the BEATF in the critical task of determining which projects and programs to recommend for voter consideration, further refining the Initial Project Request List through additional scoping, cost estimation, and community input.
Bond Election Advisory Task Force Working Groups
The BEATF created 6 working groups to deliberate on and make recommendations to the full Task Force regarding the 2026 Bond.
Per City Code 2-142, a Working Group is not subject to the requirements of the Texas Open Meeting Act, nor is it required to keep minutes of the meetings. You may access the Code here.
Affordable Housing
The Affordable Housing Working Group is tasked with reviewing the 2026 bond requests related to affordable housing infrastructure and making recommendations to the Bond Election Advisory Task Force.
Investments in Facilities and Assets
The Facilities and Assets Working Group reviews capital renewal recommendations provided by various departments and makes recommendations to the Bond Election Advisory Task Force.
Parkland and Open Space
The Parkland and Open Space Working Group is tasked with reviewing the 2026 bond requests related to parkland acquisition and open space, and making recommendations to the Bond Election Advisory Task Force.
Stormwater
The Stormwater Working Group is tasked with reviewing the 2026 bond requests related to drainage infrastructure and making recommendations to the Bond Election Advisory Task Force.
Transportation and Electrification
The Transportation and Electrification Infrastructure Working Group is tasked with reviewing the 2026 bond requests related to transportation infrastructure and making recommendations to the Bond Election Advisory Task Force.
Community Engagement
The Community Engagement Working Group is tasked with reviewing community engagement and strategic communication efforts associated with the 2026 bond and making recommendations to the Bond Election Advisory Task Force.