Stories by Jack Craver
City tries to get developers to embrace 'great urban design'
While the most often discussed aim of density bonuses has been to create affordable housing, the city also hopes to use them as a way to encourage other community benefits, including superior design. “We’re trying to shift the narrative and…
Development • By Jack Craver • Nov 8, 2018
District 1 runoff: Mariana Salazar and Natasha Harper-Madison
With less than a percentage point separating them, Natasha Harper-Madison and Mariana Salazar will advance to a December runoff election for East Austin’s District 1 seat. In the end, Salazar had 5,673 votes (or 26.01 percent), with Harper-Madison behind at…
Elections • By Jack Craver • Nov 7, 2018
Another brother-sister runoff in East Austin's District 3
Council Member Pio Renteria finished way ahead of multiple opponents in his bid for re-election in East Austin’s District 3. Renteria won 47.71 percent of the vote, while his sister, Susana Almanza, came in a distant second place, with 21.32…
Elections • By Jack Craver • Nov 7, 2018
Property owners who forfeit landmark status will have to pay more
Owning a property that has been designated a historic landmark has its benefits and its drawbacks. The city of Austin, Travis County and the Austin Independent School District all offer hefty property tax exemptions for landmark properties – with the…
Preservation • By Jack Craver • Nov 6, 2018
At long last, Council approves biosolids contract
On Thursday, City Council put an end to two and a half years of squabbling over a lucrative contract to manage biosolid waste generated by the city water utility. Council voted 10-1 to award the contract to Synagro of Texas-CDR…
City Hall • By Jack Craver • Nov 2, 2018
Council: What to do about boards and commissions?
City Council members seem to all agree that something should be done to make the city’s dozens of citizen boards and commissions more efficient and effective. At a Council work session Tuesday, Council members discussed whether the city should embark…
City Hall • By Jack Craver • Nov 1, 2018
Subscribe to our newsletter
Cruz gets another year at helm of AISD
The Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees only took a few minutes Monday night to approve a one-year extension of Superintendent Paul Cruz’s contract. The extension means that Cruz will continue getting paid $310,000 a year through 2021. After…
AISD • By Jack Craver • Nov 1, 2018
One month from election, candidates report fundraising figures
Reports from each candidate for mayor and City Council were due at the Office of the City Clerk on Tuesday. Mayor Steve Adler reported raising nearly $140,000 for the latest time period. His total raised for the current race is…
Elections • By Jack Craver • Oct 11, 2018
Project Connect: Cap Metro insists everything is on the table
Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority CEO Randy Clarke insists that nothing is set in stone. He has cautioned the community to view the vision document for Project Connect, the long-term plan for high-capacity transit that Capital Metro released last week, as…
Transit • By Jack Craver • Oct 11, 2018
Council debates how to convert downtown property into affordable housing
Almost every member of City Council agrees that the city should use two pieces of prime downtown real estate for affordable housing. However, questions and potential disagreements remain about how the land should be used to provide housing. Some Council…
Housing • By Jack Craver • Oct 8, 2018
Developer envisions 700-unit student apartment that wraps around historic Kenney House
A developer seeking to build a 700-unit, 17-story apartment building targeting students on West 22nd Street can’t proceed with the project unless City Council agrees to remove historic zoning from part of an adjacent property, known as the Kenney House.…
Preservation • By Jack Craver • Oct 4, 2018
Austin Energy proposes local solar farm
In spite of the tremendous appetite for renewable energy in Austin, the city doesn’t offer many opportunities to build the kind of large-scale wind and solar farms necessary to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. “It’s an issue of land,” explained…
