A lawsuit in a Travis County court aims to force Austin’s hand in rolling out a voter-backed plan to increase police oversight. Austin voters approved Proposition A in May by a four-to-one margin. The measure, known as the Austin Police Oversight Act, roundly defeated an opposing plan backed by the city’s police union. The APOA was set up […]
2023
Posted inWhispers
Sound off on Parmer Lane Corridor improvements
In an effort to study and recommend improvements to Parmer Lane between MoPac Expressway and Cedar Park’s Whitestone Boulevard, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) will be holding an open house this week. The open house, according to a press release from the transportation planning authority, will introduce the study of improvements and collect […]
Posted inHousing
Labor, affordability remain concerns in strong Austin real estate sector
Austin’s diverse and growing economy has kept the Central Texas region one of the most attractive real estate markets in the country in recent years, but local developers see some recurring issues – affordability, land use policy and the local labor supply – impacting the construction of housing and other building types. A recent Urban […]
Posted inTravis County
Program supporting underutilized businesses shows progress
Travis County’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program made remarkable progress in the last few years despite a few setbacks and political challenges, county officials say. The annual report for the program, which promotes equal procurement opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses, showed increases in the percentage of county contracts awarded since 2018. Of the categories […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Austin to allow more homes on one plot of land in the pursuit of cheaper housing
In an attempt to encourage the construction of middle-class housing, Austin voted Thursday to amend land use rules to let property owners build more homes in neighborhoods restricted to one family living in one house on one plot of land. City Council members voted 9-2 in favor of the changes, which will allow developers to construct up to […]
Posted inWhispers
Hazard mitigation plan could lead to more federal funds
An updated hazard mitigation plan approved Tuesday by the Travis County Commissioners Court could help the county win federal funds for disaster preparation. As Blake Clampffer, chief deputy emergency management coordinator, told county commissioners, adoption of the Texas Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan is a step toward eligibility for federal Unified Hazard Mitigation Grant funding. These funds […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit shows changes needed at Development Services Department
Nearly a decade after a damning evaluation of the city’s planning and development processes resulted in more than 460 recommended changes, a recent audit of two smaller components of the Development Services Department found some steps left incomplete from a pair of more recent reviews. On Wednesday, the Audit and Finance Committee of City Council […]
Posted inWhispers
Free and low-cost STI testing and treatment resources
Free and low-cost testing and treatment resources are available locally to prevent the spread of infection, as numbers of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise. Those resources include: 3rd Annual LGBTQIA+ Health and Resource Fair – noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, Permitting and Development Center, 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive, Austin, TX 78752, free parking available […]
Posted inPublic Safety
County emphasizes winter safety awareness
As Travis County officials detailed plans and preparations for the next big winter storm, some said that the public might not be taking the threat seriously enough. On Tuesday, leaders from the Office of Emergency Management, Transportation and Natural Resources, Health and Human Services, EMS and other departments briefed the Travis County Commissioners Court. Commissioners […]
Posted inWhispers
Staff provides alternatives for HOME amendments
Today is a big day for Austin residents who either support or oppose the changes to zoning put forth in the HOME initiative. Council will begin to hear from the public and deliberate on the proposal at 10 a.m. There are numerous wrinkles to be worked out in implementing the initiative, in particular several suggested […]
Posted inElections
Republican push for hand counting leads to uncertainty about Travis County’s 2024 primaries
A divide between Travis County’s local political parties on hand counting and paper ballots is leading to uncertainty about how the county will administer the 2024 primaries. In a Tuesday letter to Travis County Clerk Dyana Limon-Mercado, Travis County Democratic Party Chair Katie Naranjo expressed the party’s concern about the Travis County Republican Party’s “questions and […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Amendments, memos point to finer steps for implementing HOME initiative
With City Council slated to decide the fate of the HOME initiative today, a last bit of analysis from city staff appears to back the intent and approach of the push to add more housing stock throughout the city. In a memo released Tuesday, Housing Department Director Rosie Truelove responded to some of the 127 […]