World Premiere

Documentary In Her Shoes tells the inspiring story of one Austinite getting backon her feet and giving back

There are over 400 homeless women in Austin, but less than 50 shelter beds dedicated to serving them. Many of these women are looking to get back on their feet — and back into a career — they just lack the resources, and support, to do so on their own.

This is where local organizations like Dress for Success come in. Dress for Success Austin aims to help women transition back into the working world, by providing them with proper interview attire, as well as enrolling them into pre-employment preparation programs, professional development programs, job retention programs and more (financial support for rent, utilities, etc.). Since its founding in 2003, Dress for Success has 6,900 women.

On Monday night, one of those empowered clients, Betty Staehr, will get her time in the spotlight with the world premiere of In Her Shoes, a documentary that chronicles Staehr’s uplifting story.

Created by local filmmaker Brandy Rainey-Amstel, In Her Shoes follows Betty’s journey from leaving an abusive relationship and becoming homeless to rising up (thanks to organizations like Dress for Success and Goodwill Industries) and empowering not only herself, but other of Austin’s underserved women.

Amstel first became inspired to share the Dress for Success story after meeting some of its successful clients at an entrepreneurial event. And when Amstel learned of Staehr’s inspirational “turn around” story, she says she found the person to profile.

Betty's story was very moving for me. She was an example of how someone could use the services provided, rebuild her life and then give back to the community that supported her. After all that she had been through, she wanted to give back. It was a story that I knew many people could identify with and had the possibility of creating change in their lives. She had the same hopes, dreams and aspirations as most people.

She lived not too far from where I lived in a nice neighborhood and because of some unfortunate experiences with an abusive relationship, found herself homeless and from this she created a life she loves and is living powerfully. It takes a courageous woman to share this experience with an audience.

The 23-minute documentary took two years to complete. It bravely shares the struggles Betty Staehr faced, how she was able to overcome the unfortunate hand she was dealt, get back on her feet and start giving back to the community with an annual shoe drive that benefits other women in similar situations.

In Her Shoes premieres on Monday, November 12 at the Stateside Theatre. The event, emceed by Carla McDonald, will feature a red carpet, cocktails, silent auction and live music by Sarah Hickman; all funds raised will support the continued efforts of Dress for Success Austin. After its premiere, Amstel says, In Her Shoes will continue its crusade on the festival circuit, but also as a fundraising and awareness tool licensed to other nonprofits.

“I hope that people take away from the film an awareness about what circumstances there might have been to have someone be homeless,” Amstel says. “Most of them out there have just fallen on hard times and are looking for a little help to get back up on their feet. I hope that we can feel some compassion and understanding for all of them."

"Every shoe has a story and it may be very different from what is originally perceived.”

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The world premiere of In Her Shoes is Monday, November 12 at the Stateside Theatre. Tickets to the event are still available and start at $75.

New Plan

Policy 'blueprint' tackles housing costs, other issues for Texas metros

Austin aerial

Photo by Ryan Duffy on Unsplash

A coalition of schools, policy makers, businesses, nonprofits, and more have come up with a "blueprint" for handling Texas' growth.

Affordable housing ranks among the pressing issues outlined in a new blueprint for managing the growth of Texas’ metro areas.

The Texas Metropolitan Blueprint, crafted by a coalition of policy institutes in the Lone Star State and unveiled February 5, lays out a five-year plan for tackling concerns related to housing, land use, economic development, energy, natural resources, infrastructure, and artificial intelligence in the state’s 26 metro areas.

The blueprint project was led by three colleges or university entities: the LBJ School of Public Affairs Urban Lab at the University of Texas at Austin, the George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, and the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston. A bipartisan group of more than 175 leaders in Texas’ government, business, and nonprofit sectors — representing all 26 metro areas — further developed the blueprint’s approaches for coping with growth in urban areas.

“This collaboration reflects the best of Texas: bold ideas, rigorous research, and a shared commitment to keeping our metros as engines of innovation and opportunity,” said Steven Pedigo, faculty director of the LBJ Urban Lab at UT Austin, in a news release. “After 30 years of steady urban population growth, Texas has reached a crossroads, and the decisions we make now will shape the state’s future for generations to come.”

Growing pains
Since 2010, Texas has gained 4 million new residents, and projections indicate another 17 million people will arrive by 2050, according to the release.

“While this growth fuels opportunity, it also brings pressing challenges,” the news release says. “Outdated land-use policies, rising housing costs, and infrastructure strains — often exacerbated by extreme weather — could threaten the state’s future. Additionally, emerging technologies such as AI and electric vehicles could double energy demand, while workforce and income disparities persist.”

Housing costs
The rise in housing costs is top of mind for many current and prospective Texans. According to an October report from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, median home prices across the state rose about 40 percent between 2019 and 2023.

“Price increases were widespread across Texas metro areas, particularly in smaller metro areas. Brownsville-Harlingen experienced the largest increase during this period, jumping 73 percent,” the report says.

Creators of the blueprint note that 90 percent of Texans consider housing affordability a significant issue.

Pablo Pinto, director of the University of Houston’s Center for Public Policy, says that for housing and other matters, the blueprint “not only outlines strategies and policies for state, local and business leaders to consider, but also delivers an action-oriented playbook with clear steps and priorities.”

Steps forward
The blueprint makes 27 recommendations for coping with growth in Texas’ metro areas. To address the soaring cost of housing, the blueprint suggests:

Regulatory reform: Promoting so-called “market rate” housing by easing regulatory barriers. This type of housing, either owned or rented residences, is not subsidized by government funding.
Living on the edge: Advocating for “smart” expansion of growing metro areas. “Localities on the outer edges of expanding metro areas should encourage smart growth by allowing a diverse range of housing types,” the blueprint says.
Improving programs: Reforming Texas’ Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and Public Facility Corporation programs to make them more attractive to residential real estate developers.
Low income help: Boosting the affordability of rental housing for families with extremely low incomes.
Stronger workforce: Expanding workforce development to encourage more skilled workers in the homebuilding industry.
Aiding homeowners: Improving policies that support homeownership.
Addressing homelessness: Continuing to reduce the state’s homeless population.

“Texas' future hinges on the success of its metros,” said J.H. Cullum Clark, director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative. “This [blueprint] unites diverse voices and actionable solutions to strengthen our workforce, enhance infrastructure, and prepare for tomorrow’s challenges.”

civic issues housing housing costs homelessness suburbs texas

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