A recent audit of the Austin Police Department’s License Plate Reader (LPR) program found that while the department largely complied with policies during the yearlong pilot, internal audit procedures and vendor contracts left room for improvement and potential privacy risks. The findings were presented to the City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee this week, as […]
Chad Swiatecki
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.
Posted inAustin
City opens $5 million grant round for anti-displacement work
At its meeting last week, the Community Development Commission learned about a newly-launched $5 million grant opportunity aimed at combating displacement and promoting economic mobility near Austin’s Project Connect transit corridors. Housing Department staff explained that the current $5 million solicitation is the final portion of a $15.9 million allocation for fiscal years three through […]
Posted inPlanning
East Austin leaders look to reset talks over future of Palm Park and school site
A recent City Council vote that initiates the process for Sir Swante Palm Neighborhood Park to be zoned as public parkland may open the door to renewed negotiations between city officials, the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, and longtime Latino advocates who have raised concerns for years about being excluded from decisions around the historic site’s redevelopment. […]
Posted inPlanning
City eyes expanded district plan for downtown and beyond
As city leaders prepare for a major overhaul of the Downtown Austin Plan, staff recommendations for the initiative could significantly expand the geographic area and project scope of the city’s long-range strategy for its urban core. A May 9 memo from the Planning Department outlines a shift toward an expansive Center City/ Central District Plan […]
Posted inPublic Health
City, county moving ahead with long-range local food plan
The city will implement the joint Austin/Travis County Food Plan under a new interlocal agreement approved by City Council last week, formally launching a 42-month process to build a more sustainable and equitable local food system. Under the agreement, Travis County will pay the city up to $281,648 through September 30, 2028, to oversee the […]
Posted inLand Development Code
City plans navigator expansion, financing tools for HOME initiative
City housing leaders have found that efforts to expand and improve access to Austin’s HOME initiative are progressing on multiple fronts, with program refinements, interdepartmental coordination and new support strategies underway. A recent memo from the Housing Department outlines these developments, which focus on helping low- and moderate-income residents stay in their homes, build additional […]
Posted inParks
Parks funding recommendations expected to go before Council this month
The Parks and Recreation Department is moving forward with an effort to identify new funding options for the city’s park system, with a pair of outside consultants on board that have helped other large cities find and address funding gaps in the past. A memo sent to City Council this week outlines progress on a […]
Posted inMusic & Entertainment
ACL Fest generates $534M in economic impact, and $8.4M for citywide parks improvements
The Austin City Limits Music Festival generated a record $534.8 million in economic activity for the Austin area in 2024, according to a new report released this week. The event, produced by C3 Presents, continues to serve as a major driver for the city’s economy while also contributing substantial funding toward local parks through its […]
Posted inWhispers
DAA to unveil new State of Downtown report at Future of Downtown event
The Downtown Austin Alliance will host its annual Future of Downtown celebration on Tuesday, May 27, at ACL Live at the Moody Theater. The event will feature key findings from the annual State of Downtown report and an introduction to Davon Barbour, the organization’s new president and CEO. Attendees will be the first to hear […]
Posted inAustin
ACME previews grant updates, community plans at Music Commission meeting
The city’s newly formed Office of Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) is moving forward with a restructuring of cultural funding programs, with plans to complete new grant guidelines by mid-summer, launch applications in August, and distribute funding by early next year. At Monday’s meeting of the Music Commission, assistant director Morgan Messick detailed the […]
Posted inWhispers
City hosts free wildfire preparedness training
The Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is offering a free emergency preparedness training session, “Ready Together: Basic Emergency Preparedness for You, Your Family & Your Neighborhood,” on Thursday, May 8, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Carver Branch of the Austin Public Library. Developed in collaboration with the Austin Fire Department, its […]
Posted inAustin
Austin arts groups facing budget cuts after cancellation of NEA grants
An assortment of arts organizations in Austin were among the hundreds across the nation that learned late Friday that their most recent round of funding from the National Endowment for the Arts was being withdrawn. The Austin Monitor has confirmed at least four Austin organizations — Cine Las Americas, Women & Their Work, Tapestry Dance […]