Stories by Andrew Weber, KUT
Council members offer revised plan that phases in restrictions on camping or resting in public
City leaders have a new proposal to regulate behavior related to homelessness ahead of a possible City Council vote that could happen as soon as Wednesday. The proposal comes after roughly a week of infighting among Council members. Kathie Tovo…
City Council • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Sep 18, 2019
Austin City Council proposes bringing back ban on camping, sitting or lying down in certain areas
City Council members have presented plans to roll back city laws passed in June that effectively allowed camping, sitting or lying down in public. Council members will consider the changes, which limit that behavior at specific locations, at their Sept.…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Sep 11, 2019
Austin City Council could use e-scooter regulations to limit homeless encampments, memo says
City officials released additional guidelines Friday on how to limit homeless encampments in Austin, including spatial limitations on sidewalks and along waterways. The memo from the city manager and the Homeless Strategy Office is meant to guide the Austin City…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Sep 3, 2019
Travis County's public defender office is officially funded
Travis County is in the home stretch of its yearslong effort to establish a public defender office for low-income adult defendants. On Thursday the Texas Indigent Defense Commission OK’d a four-year grant to establish the office in the county –…
Travis County • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 30, 2019
Austin City Council finalizes ballot language for convention center vote
In November Austin voters will decide the fate of the convention center’s expansion, along with a possible reshuffling of how the city spends money from hotel stays. Ballot language for the public referendum was OK’d by the Austin City Council…
Elections • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 27, 2019
At homelessness forum, Council members challenge fears and 'urban myths' about shelters, revised law
Austin’s mayor and members of City Council tried to allay fears about the city’s revised rules on homelessness and its push to expand shelter space, at a forum hosted by the Downtown Austin Alliance. The brunt of Wednesday’s discussion focused…
City Council • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 22, 2019
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Austin looks to limit camping and resting in public as it pursues housing-first solutions
The Austin City Council provided some clarity Tuesday over where it will limit camping and resting in public, as well as its overall strategy to boost citywide, housing-focused initiatives and investments. Council members heard a briefing from city staff on…
City Council • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 21, 2019
City memo says Austin could put limits on where homeless people may camp or rest
Austin will reexamine its new rules governing homelessness, according to a memo released Friday. The memo sent to City Council on behalf of Austin’s Homelessness Strategy Office says the city could abandon its idea to make space for emergency encampments…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 19, 2019
Council members say audit on Austin's 'enormous' wildfire risk doesn't go far enough
Austin City Council members say they need a better look at where the city could be falling short in terms of its wildfire preparedness. A report out today from the Office of the City Auditor said the city is doing…
Public Safety • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 15, 2019
Zebra mussels have muscled their way into Lakes LBJ and Pflugerville
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced Monday that reproducing populations of zebra mussels have been found in lakes Lyndon B. Johnson and Pflugerville, bringing the number of statewide lakes infested with the invasive species to 17. In Central Texas,…
Environment • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 13, 2019
A majority of Austin EMS personnel say assaults on the job are common and 'unavoidable'
A majority of Austin EMS personnel say they’ve been assaulted on the job in the last two years, according to an internal survey. Most first responders also say they don’t feel properly trained to address aggressive behavior. Austin-Travis County Emergency…
EMS • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Aug 7, 2019
Packed homelessness forum calls for more shelters, support: 'We are dealing with human beings here'
As the city adjusts to new rules for panhandling, camping or sitting or lying in public, the Downtown Austin Alliance hosted a forum Tuesday to discuss the road ahead for dealing with homelessness and plans to expand emergency shelter access…
