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
- Cap Metro to shelve 46 new electric buses for a year after manufacturer bankruptcy
- Mobility Committee hears public concern regarding expansion of MoPac
- Red River music proponents see city funding as sign of support, progress
- Ethics complaint against Watson campaign still unsettled after hearing
- Austin Energy proposes gas peaker units, not larger combined cycle plant
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Stories by Chad Swiatecki
New forecast modeling puts Austin homeless population near 4,600
New methods for counting and forecasting by one of Austin’s leading homelessness services organizations suggests nearly 4,600 people are experiencing homelessness in the city, far higher than previous estimates and counts using federal guidelines. The new figure was revealed at…
Public Health • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 20, 2023
Rally draws attention to criticism of SXSW artist pay
Union organizers for musicians took their criticism of South by Southwest’s artist payment practices to the street on Thursday, gathering outside the Austin Convention Center to rally and draw attention to their demand for increased compensation for the hundreds of…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 17, 2023
3D home printer opens $1M competition as 'affordability moonshot'
Austin-based 3D-printed home manufacturer Icon is looking for designers and college students from all over the world to propose advancements in architecture that could bring the cost of homes under $99,000. The company announced its Initiative 99 contest on Wednesday…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 16, 2023
Changes expected for city's minority business hiring ordinances
Proposed changes to the city’s procedures for hiring minority- and women-owned businesses will likely come before City Council this spring or early summer, with consultants and a working group recommending 21 adjustments or substantial revisions to the hiring practices. A…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 14, 2023
Planning underway to bring hubs for music and arts to three cultural centers
The city’s three ethnic cultural centers are being considered to house hubs for music and other artistic endeavors that would provide members of the local Black, Latino and Asian American communities with more opportunities to explore and advance their creative…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 13, 2023
Transit leaders preparing new Project Connect scenarios for March open house
With a budget that no longer meets the vision approved by voters in 2020 for an ambitious mass transit system, leaders with the agency charged with carrying out the Project Connect plan say that work continues to decide what the…
Transit • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 10, 2023
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Music Commission to continue push to improve venue accessibility
The Music Commission plans to continue its work in making music venues of all sizes more accessible to the disabled, following the positive results from a task force on that issue convened last year by the Circuit of the Americas.…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 9, 2023
HACA shifts voucher allocation to let housing groups assist homeless
The Housing Authority of the City of Austin has shifted 300 of its housing vouchers to be more available to those experiencing homelessness, in a move aimed at helping the city reduce the number of people in chronic need of…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 7, 2023
Changes to city lobbying rules OK'd by Ethics Review Commission
The Ethics Review Commission has given its OK to a series of amendments to the city’s lobbying regulations. The changes are set to be voted on by City Council on March 23. The city clerk’s office suggested them to clarify…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 6, 2023
Eligibility language confusion adds to frustrations over new Cultural Arts awards
Arts leaders dissatisfied with the city’s new Thrive program for funding established arts organizations are pointing to unclear wording in the program’s eligibility language for causing some groups to forgo applying. Some are also arguing that the requirements should have…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 2, 2023
City outlines public safety plans for bustling spring festival season
With downtown Austin set to host five major events in a six-week period beginning with South by Southwest, city leaders have presented their plans for road closures and increased public safety measures that are likely to disrupt normal activities in…
Public Safety • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 1, 2023
Council signals plans to review, revise new Cultural Arts grant program
City Council’s approval last week of nearly $4 million to fund a new Cultural Arts grant program came with an indication that the evaluation and allocation criteria may get a hard review and revisions to address loud concerns from arts…
