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
- Lost Creek neighborhood sues city over tax efforts
- Density proponents encouraged by HOME six-month progress report
- Most Austin-area drivers will still need a vehicle inspection. Here’s where the rules have changed.
- City and county to invest in historically underserved Northeast Austin area
- Travis County Judge Andy Brown pledges continued focus on health care, passenger rail in 2025
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Stories by Chad Swiatecki
Real estate leaders put affordable housing bond under the lights
In summarizing the city’s many efforts and successes to preserve and create more affordable housing, Rosie Truelove offered a simple summary of what’s going on in one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. Speaking at last week’s…
Bonds & Propositions • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 26, 2022
PARD pushes to use Nash Hernandez building for offices instead of senior services
The Parks and Recreation Department is pushing back against a City Council recommendation and wants to convert an idle East Austin property into office space instead of a facility for seniors and children. In a memo released last week, PARD…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 25, 2022
Watson, Israel weigh in on mayoral plans to help arts community
As local artists and musicians continue to be priced out of Austin, the next mayor and City Council will need to take decisive, ongoing actions and think in new ways to prevent the city’s highly touted creative culture from being…
Elections • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 24, 2022
Study finds middle-income housing fund outperforms high-dollar real estate
An Austin investment fund created to support and stabilize middle-income rental housing has been verified as an attractive and viable investment by researchers from two Texas universities. Affordable Central Texas, which began acquiring middle-income rental communities in late 2018, has…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 21, 2022
Austin's growing pains impacting housing, jobs east of 130
The push of economic development flowing from Austin has officially hit the SH-130 corridor, and is bringing the same pressure on infrastructure, housing and workforce development that have become regular talking points in Austin political circles for years. At a…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 20, 2022
Commission delays vote on support for senior services facility
The Community Development Commission will take another month before deciding to support a proposal to convert the long-vacant Nash Hernandez Building into an intergenerational facility providing care and services to seniors living in East Austin. The commission voted unanimously to…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 18, 2022
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City seeks applicants to help craft five-year food system plan
The city has opened its application process for members of the advisory committee that will help the Office of Sustainability draft a comprehensive food plan for the city, with the goal of addressing food insecurity for vulnerable Austin residents. The Community…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 14, 2022
Long Center makes sole bid to manage city's Live Music Fund
The Long Center for the Performing Arts appears almost certain to be named as the organization that will handle the application process and payments for recipients of grants from the city’s long-awaited Live Music Fund. The fine arts center was…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 11, 2022
City, Central Health eye partnership for homeless respite care facility
The city may soon begin talks with Central Health and homelessness service providers focused on creating a permanent health care facility to aid those experiencing homelessness in recovering from significant illnesses and injuries. The state of respite care for the…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 10, 2022
Corridor office secures additional $70M for road construction projects
The city has secured an additional $70 million to put toward a series of transportation construction projects voters approved in 2016 as part of a $720 million bond package. A recent memo from the Corridor Program Office gave a comprehensive…
Transportation • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 7, 2022
City seeks federal transit funds to improve east-west connections along I-35
The city has hopes of securing federal transportation funds intended to reconnect communities severed from economic and other opportunities by transit infrastructure, specifically Interstate 35. Last week City Council approved a resolution to submit the Our Future 35: Connecting Equitably…
Roads • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 6, 2022
Initial music census findings show changing landscape for Austin creatives
Early findings from a recent census of the Austin music community show some improvements in the state of local creatives, though there are still areas of concern for music stakeholders. At Monday’s meeting of the Music Commission, a presentation from…
