Thousands of Austin's bats will be displaced by I-35 expansion
The expansion of Interstate 35 through Austin is set to displace more than 100 homes and businesses. But an even larger community is being forced to relocate: thousands of bats that roost in the highway’s bridges. While the Texas Department of…
Transportation • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Nov 1, 2024
Incumbents have fundraising edge in districts 2 and 4
Looking at fundraising in the final two City Council races not considered in previous reporting in the Austin Monitor, we see two reasonably popular incumbents with every reason to be optimistic about Tuesday’s election. Regardless of policies, an incumbent almost…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Nov 1, 2024
Doggett urges Texans to get health coverage before Jan. 15 and to watch out for flex cards
Two things remain true every November: the unfortunate fact that Texas is the most uninsured state in the nation – almost 20 percent – and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett’s long-running campaign to change that. On Wednesday, at Foundation Communities’ Prosper…
Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Nov 1, 2024
Council to consider $5.5M contract for redo of city's website
The city’s primary website is slated for a comprehensive revamp from a California-based vendor, due in part to staff’s assessment that the work needed to properly improve the site exceeds their resources and abilities. An item on next week’s City…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 31, 2024
New reports show PACs at work in Austin Council races
As everyone is keenly aware, there’s an important election coming up next week. Not just the federal contest, but also City Council races. The candidates have now turned in their final campaign finance reports before the Nov. 5 election. These…
Elections • By Jo Clifton • Oct 31, 2024
Austin and Travis County fund diversion program for indigent youth facing low-level DWIs
Travis County continued its commitment to diverting people charged with low-level offenses from the criminal justice system at its meeting Tuesday, extending its DWI court diversion programs to September 2025. Those programs, which include treatment and pre-trial diversion for minor…
Public Safety • By Lina Fisher • Oct 31, 2024
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Parks and Recreation Board recommends audit of contracts governing city sports fields
The Austin Parks and Recreation Board unanimously voted to recommend that City Council conduct a comprehensive audit of all contracts related to dozens of city-owned baseball and soccer fields. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department frequently contracts with outside organizations…
Parks • By Madeline de Figueiredo • Oct 31, 2024
Report finds slashed site plan review times, with further improvements on tap
An analysis of the city’s ongoing work to improve its widely criticized permitting process for building within the city shows substantial improvements in turnaround times for the main types of reviews, with further gains expected as the city moves forward…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 30, 2024
Report shows more ways for city to help residents become homeowners
Although the city of Austin offers help for low-income residents who wish to become homeowners, that assistance is limited to buyers who earn at or below 80 percent of the local Median Family Income, or MFI, which is currently $97,800…
Housing • By Jo Clifton • Oct 30, 2024
Auditor examines city's shifting funding, expectations for Cultural Arts grants
A recent report from the City Auditor highlights a recurring state of flux for Cultural Arts funding in recent years, which has fed into the ongoing debate over how the city manages those grant programs. The audit, which was requested…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 30, 2024
Cap Metro to build second set of train tracks in East Austin
Capital Metro is planning to build a second set of train tracks along the Red Line in East Austin along with new sidewalks, pedestrian crossings and another platform at Plaza Saltillo Station. A second set of tracks – known as…
Transit • By Nathan Bernier, KUT • Oct 30, 2024
New zoning would allow huge building on South Congress
At the last meeting before the Nov. 5 election, City Council spent more than 11 hours in chambers, with most of their time being devoted to the contract with the Austin Police Association, which they approved. But with a barely…
