Building Equitable Community Exchange (BECE)

The Committee for Inclusive Excellence has started hosting a series, Building Equitable Communities Exchange (BECE), focused on making stronger connections within the built environment industry, connecting practitioners with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. Each Exchange features programs, organizations, and projects that advance equity and inclusivity within the built environment.

Building Equitable Community Exchange | September 2025

Building Inclusive Prosperity with Limited Resources

Panelists
Davon Barbour, President and CEO, Downtown Austin Alliance
Aaron Demerson, President and CEO, Texas Economic Development Corporation
Dr. Eric Johnson, Assistant City Manager, City of Austin
Christy Moffett, Economic Equity, Inclusion & Resiliency, Travis County

Moderator
Brittney Rodriguez, Chief Operating Officer, Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

The panel brought together key economic development leaders to discuss how their agencies are adapting to federal policy shifts, budget constraints, and growing affordability challenges. Central to the conversation was the tension between offering corporate incentives and ensuring tangible community benefits. Panelists emphasized the importance of:

  • Strong communication and community engagement
  • Empathy and trust-building
  • Rigorous community benefit analysis
  • Financial feasibility (“penciling the project”)

Each agency shared its current approach:

  • State of Texas continues to promote strong business fundamentals, positioning the region to turn challenges into opportunities, making the case that the area is prime to “make lemonade out of what we view as lemons.”
  • Travis County is focused on monitoring existing incentive agreements to ensure promised benefits are delivered with community confidence.
  • City of Austin is undergoing a “strategic reset” with new economic development leadership by exploring innovative strategies inspired by other cities, supported by in-house economic analysis. “We’re not afraid to borrow brilliance. If other partners and members of the community have ideas, we’ll consider them.”
  • Downtown Austin, the region’s economic engine, is undergoing major infrastructure upgrades amid rising vacancies and operating costs. The Downtown Austin Alliance is working to retain businesses and lower entry barriers, reinforcing that “downtown is open for business.”

 

 

 

Building Equitable Community Exchange | January 2025

Featured Projects/Programs
Palm School
Equidad ATX
Colony Park
Mexican-American Heritage District, Corridor
UMLAUF HPEU

 

 

 

Building Equitable Community Exchange | June 2024

Featured Projects/Programs
Block 16 & 18 by Austin Economic Development Corporation
E4 Foundation & Huston-Tillotson Scholarship/Educational Partnership
Housing & Community Development by Austin Area Urban League
What Once Was by E4 Youth