City outlines Heat Resilience Playbook and targeted outreach for people experiencing homelessness

City staff presented a coordinated Heat Resilience Playbook to the Austin Public Safety Commission on July 6, describing actions the city is taking to reduce harm during extreme heat and to support vulnerable residents.

Mark Coudair of the Climate Action and Resilience office described three strategic pillars: supporting healthy and prepared Austinites, prioritizing cool neighborhood investments (shade, cool corridors, access to cooling centers), and considering broader building‑code and policy measures. "We know that the city's already doing a lot, and we need to be communicating out to the community members," Coudair said, noting hotter summers and longer heat seasons.

Jim Redick, director of Austin Emergency Management, emphasized planning for vulnerable populations and using data (social vulnerability indices, heat island mapping, EM Power) to pre‑position resources. "We write plans based on data so we can anticipate where needs are greatest," Redick said. Anna Oduette of Austin Public Health said the city now conducts heat surveillance from May through October and noted that in 2023 the region recorded 1,595 heat‑related illnesses and 30 heat‑related deaths; last year’s counts were lower but staff warned climate variability could bring severe seasons again.

Chris Anderson, deputy director of Homeless Strategy and Operations, described outreach and operational changes for people experiencing homelessness, including a reopened daytime resource hub (formerly the Oasis) run by a nonprofit, expanded hours for partner service providers, and text‑alert lists for people who sign up. Anderson said the city is running targeted street outreach with frozen‑water distribution and medical reserve corps volunteers and that cooling centers and library hours have been adjusted where possible.

Commissioners asked about geolocation of heat‑related calls, tracking of excess mortality beyond coded heat deaths, partnerships with worker organizations to reach outdoor workers (construction, landscaping), and accessibility of cooling centers during holidays and Sundays. Staff recommended continuing the live dashboard and providing the commission with more granular surveillance and outreach metrics. The presentation concluded with staff offering to share prior yearly heat reports and to follow up on specific surveillance and outreach data requested by commissioners.

The briefing highlights the city's cross‑department coordination and operational shifts (longer surveillance season, targeted outreach) intended to reduce heat‑related illness and deaths among vulnerable and unsheltered residents; staff will return with requested data and dashboard links.