About the Author
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Daily News, Texas Monthly, Austin American-Statesman and many other regional and national outlets.
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Most Popular Stories
- From Round Rock’s school board to City Hall, District 6 newcomer Krista Laine gives conservatives a run for their money
- Lost Creek neighborhood sues city over tax efforts
- Density proponents encouraged by HOME six-month progress report
- In 2025, Travis County Commissioner Ann Howard eyes building more supportive housing and strengthening climate resilience
- Travis County Judge Andy Brown pledges continued focus on health care, passenger rail in 2025
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Stories by Chad Swiatecki
As Austin grows, real estate leaders look at state of city's character, reputation
There were no explicit Old Austin versus New Austin clashes during a recent discussion among local development leaders about the state of the city’s character, but issues such as diversity and equity, opportunities for area youth and struggles to manage…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 17, 2023
SXSW's $380M economic impact shows return to prepandemic heights
This year’s South by Southwest appears to have had a local economic impact on par with the years prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, which nearly wiped out the popular music, tech and film confab in 2020. An analysis from Greyhill…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 16, 2023
ABOR report highlights striking disparities in housing affordability
A new report from one of the city’s leading real estate groups is bringing fresh, detailed data that shows how unaffordable housing has become for most local residents. Austin Board of Realtors’ “The Truth About Austin’s Missing Housing” uses industry…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 15, 2023
Idle lands: Austin joins cities looking to put real estate assets to best use
By next spring, the city is expected to have a detailed plan for how to turn its underutilized real estate assets into money-producers, in an attempt to add General Fund revenue and counteract state limits on property tax increases. Austin…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 14, 2023
Council approves $15M purchase of the Salvation Army shelter property
The former Salvation Army Downtown Shelter will continue to serve people without homes for years to come, following City Council’s decision to purchase the property for $15 million. The purchase includes the 130-bed shelter on Eighth Street and a retail…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 13, 2023
City prepares to spend first $15M to design caps for I-35 expansion
City Council has given early direction to staff to begin working on the financial planning and models for constructing a series of caps over portions of a reconstructed and lowered Interstate 35. At Tuesday’s work session, Council members heard a…
Roads • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 9, 2023
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Music commissioners consider how to steer more grants toward working musicians
The city’s Music Commission may consider a proposal from a local advocacy group to designate a specific portion of grants from a new city grant program to be awarded to working musicians, who are increasingly finding it harder to afford…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 8, 2023
Three consultants enlisted to fix city's arts, music grant programs
Amid criticism over problems with the rollout of new grant programs for artists and musicians, the Economic Development Department has hired three outside consultants to study and recommend how to improve their performance. A memo released last week by Sylnovia…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 7, 2023
Panelists debate potential housing supply impacts from HOME initiative
Advocates for more housing options in Austin see hope in recently passed changes in city land use policy intended to increase density, but still hope for more progress in increasing the overall supply of housing available for middle- and lower-income…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 6, 2023
Council votes to eliminate off-street parking requirements
City Council voted Thursday to eliminate requirements for minimum amounts of off-street parking on new construction projects, marking a shift in the city’s push to increase the amount of housing stock while decreasing development costs. The amendments to the city’s…
Land Development Code • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 3, 2023
City considering capital projects, private development as sites for underground power lines
Austin Energy and various city departments are studying how to bury selected sections of overhead power lines underground to reduce the impact of extreme weather disasters. The burying of lines, which in many cases also serve equipment for private communications…
Energy • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 2, 2023
Council has its eyes set on preparing for 2024 total solar eclipse
With Austin in the direct path of a rare solar eclipse that will take place April 8, 2024, city departments will soon begin preparing for many thousands of astronomy tourists who are expected to travel to Central Texas to get…
