USCM to Host Civic I/O Mayors’ Summit, Sessions on Housing Crisis in American Cities and Leading During Divisive Times

Washington, DC – Mayors will be in Austin, Texas this week for the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, where the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM) will co-host the Civic I/O Mayors’ Summit and mayors will participate in panel discussions about the shared challenges and opportunities in cities today. The Summit is an annual event that USCM, SXSW, and the City of Austin have organized and held since 2016. Taking place this year from March 7-9, the program will bring together city leaders, creatives, and entrepreneurs to discuss innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing cities.

The Summit will conclude on Sunday, March 9, with the return of the Mayor’s Matchup Civic Tech Pitch Competition. In the style of “Shark Tank,” entrepreneurs will pitch a product, company, or program to a panel of mayors and industry experts, presenting their original ideas to improve American cities. The panel of mayors and experts will vote to determine the winner, who will receive a monetary prize to support their startup. Last year’s winner was MD Ally— a technology company working with public safety and their payor partners to implement a new telehealth care pathway for non-emergency patients, eliminating the logistical barriers that often prevent innovative and sustainable progress in the pre-hospital setting.

In addition to the Civic I/O Mayors’ Summit, mayors will participate in SXSW interactive panels. Details are below:

Friday, March 7

Cracks in the Foundation: Americaʼs Housing Crisis
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Waller Ballroom D, Austin Marriott Downtown 304 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Everyone should have access to affordable and quality housing. Housing is a universal issue that impacts every corner of our country, every political persuasion, every rung of the social economic ladder. Over 650,000 of our neighbors are homeless, first-time home ownership is at a record low, and US home prices have skyrocketed over 40% since 2020. Lack of access to housing disproportionately impacts communities of color and it has never been more difficult for first-time, first-generation homebuyers to purchase a home. Learn how mayors are tackling the nationʼs housing crisis and why the time is now to pass the largest and most comprehensive investment in housing in American history.

Moderator

MIKE ALLEN Co-Founder Axios

Panelists

ANDREW J. GINTHER
Mayor of Columbus, OH
President, The United States Conference of Mayors

PATRICIA LOCK DAWSON
Mayor of Riverside

TRAVIS STOVALL
Mayor of Gresham

Saturday, March 8

Courage Over Chaos: Local Resilience to Combat Instability
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Waller Ballroom D, Austin Marriott Downtown 304 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Unprecedented events have become more commonplace as we encounter more crises, disasters, and instability with greater frequency and scale. Political shifts, economic insecurity, surging natural disasters, and the prevalence of misinformation and disinformation have created a destabilizing effect that has left people feeling more vulnerable now than ever. In these trying times, how are leaders inspiring hope while also building resilience to counter the chaos? Hear from a diverse panel of mayors to learn about the need to fortify your community with strength, preparedness, and trust.

Moderator

MARK UPDEGROVE
President and CEO LBJ Foundation

Panelists

AFTAB PUREVAL
Mayor of Cincinnati

JIM ROSS
Mayor of Arlington

SHARETTA SMITH
Mayor of Lima

Sunday, March 9

Mayors Matchup Civic Tech Pitch Competition
The Reverbery, Hilton Austin Lobby Level
9:30 – 11am CT

Finalists

Panels and the Tech Pitch competition will be on the record and open to media with an official SXSW badge. All other Civic I/O programming, including evening events, are closed to press.

Mayors are available for interviews while in Austin. To arrange an interview, please contact Sara Durr at [email protected].