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
- How Trump’s federal funding freeze is beginning to affect Austin
- APD won’t enforce SB 14 as Paxton and Trump further attack gender-affirming health care
- Austin’s new CapMetro Rapid lines debut with buses every 20 minutes
- Austin ISD announces hiring freeze as budget deficit grows to $110 million
- Commercial EV station moves forward despite opposition
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Stories by Chad Swiatecki
Latest State of Downtown report shows the city core's businesses and housing are in transition
The latest report on downtown Austin’s economic and cultural health shows the city core is seeing ongoing vacancies and low utilization of office space in a trend that has caused a flattening of many indicators of business activity. That analysis…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 13, 2024
Working group to study feedback, surveys for city's $4.5M Live Music Fund
The Music Commission has formed a working group to evaluate the execution of the second year of the Live Music Fund, which recently awarded $4.5 million to just over 100 musicians, promoters and music venues throughout the area. The group…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 12, 2024
ECHO's $350M plan offers to 'effectively end' homelessness in Austin
The city is projected to need $35 million annually over a 10-year period to effectively end homelessness via a plan that emphasizes adding hundreds of permanent supportive housing units while also addressing emergency shelter and prevention steps to keep people…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 8, 2024
Downtown Commission questions scope, cost of core transportation plan
The city has identified improvements to several east-west streets through downtown as priority projects in a new plan to address mobility in the area. Last month, the Downtown Commission got the first look at portions of the Austin Core Transportation…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 7, 2024
Laine appears to edge out Kelly in race for D6 Council seat
Austin’s District 6 seat for City Council appeared to have been won by challenger Krista Laine, based on unofficial results from Travis and Williamson counties posted early Wednesday morning. Laine held a 704-vote lead over incumbent Mackenzie Kelly, according to…
Elections • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 5, 2024
Auditor identifies safety, contract management among areas of risk for airport
A special report from the Office of the City Auditor has identified three areas of risk at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as the facility moved forward with a $4 billion expansion. The three risk areas – contract and vendor management, asset…
Transportation • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 5, 2024
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SXSW economic impact sees small dip based on lower spending for ticketing
South by Southwest’s impact on the local economy decreased slightly this year from 2023, according to a new study from business analysts Greyhill Advisors. The study found that the festival generated $377.3 million for local businesses and residents, compared to…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 1, 2024
Council to consider $5.5M contract for redo of city's website
The city’s primary website is slated for a comprehensive revamp from a California-based vendor, due in part to staff’s assessment that the work needed to properly improve the site exceeds their resources and abilities. An item on next week’s City…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 31, 2024
Report finds slashed site plan review times, with further improvements on tap
An analysis of the city’s ongoing work to improve its widely criticized permitting process for building within the city shows substantial improvements in turnaround times for the main types of reviews, with further gains expected as the city moves forward…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 30, 2024
Auditor examines city's shifting funding, expectations for Cultural Arts grants
A recent report from the City Auditor highlights a recurring state of flux for Cultural Arts funding in recent years, which has fed into the ongoing debate over how the city manages those grant programs. The audit, which was requested…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 30, 2024
City Council moves to complete purchase of combined public safety headquarters
The city is moving ahead with the planned purchase of a combined public safety campus located in four existing office buildings on South MoPac Expressway in District 8. Late during Thursday’s City Council meeting, after several hours of public comment…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 28, 2024
New scenarios for HealthSouth site could revive redevelopment push from Council
A pair of new scenarios for redeveloping the former HealthSouth properties downtown could revive the city’s efforts to use the sites to provide hundreds of units of affordable housing. A memo released last week from Mandy DeMayo, interim director of…
