As Austin/Travis County heads into another scorching hot wildfire season, city and county leaders are sharing updates on community-wide preparedness efforts and emphasizing how individual Austinites can do their part. Local officials held a press conference on Tuesday to kick off Wildfire Awareness Month. Austin currently ranks fifth on a list of major U.S. cities […]
Mina Shekarchi
Posted inEnvironment
City releases ‘State of the Environment’ report
The City of Austin released its annual State of the Environment Report on Earth Day, providing an update on Austin’s air and water quality, urban forest, parkland, and climate resilience in 2024. The city’s environmental officer is tasked with compiling this report every year, and it is published through the Watershed Protection Department. “For the […]
Posted inPolice
Council Audit and Finance Committee hears updates on APD recruiting and hiring practices
On Wednesday, City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee heard a briefing on the Austin Police Department’s recruiting and hiring efforts. City leaders have been raising concerns about APD response times and staffing of sworn and non-sworn public safety employees for several years. The presentation this week focused on the findings of an audit on recruitment […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Public Safety Commission hears updates on APD staffing, wildfire readiness and EMS simulation lab
On Monday, the Public Safety Commission heard a quarterly report from the Austin Police Department, an update on wildfire readiness from the Austin Fire Department, a briefing on the Austin-Travis County EMS Simulation Lab, plus an update on the 2026 bond package. APD Chief of Staff Robin Henderson kicked off the presentations. After serving as […]
Posted inPublic Safety
Austin’s redemption arc: The embarrassing recent failures and hard-fought reforms in our city’s response to sexual assault
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The city of Austin has garnered national attention for its prior failures to investigate cases and support survivors in their healing and, more recently, for its survivor-led reforms. The Austin Monitor took a look back at the recent challenges and victories in Austin’s sexual assault response system. […]
Posted inCity Council
City Council expected to implement requirements for residential air conditioning
The city is revising its technical building codes. As part of this process, City Council is slated to adopt changes to Austin’s version of the International Property Maintenance Code on April 10. Most notably, these changes will include a requirement that all Austinites can access air conditioning in their homes. Surprisingly, current statewide housing standards […]
Posted inWhispers
Survivors’ documentary to screen in April
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, and in recognition of survivors, the Alamo Drafthouse will host two screenings of “An Army of Women.” This disturbing yet surprisingly uplifting documentary follows several Austin-area women who lodged a class-action lawsuit after their cases were mishandled by the Austin Police Department. The commitments made in the lawsuit […]
Posted inPolice
APD publishes first annual sexual assault case review
The Austin Police Department has released its first annual review of cases investigated by the Sex Crimes Unit. The annual case review is one of several commitments APD has made as part of an ongoing, survivor-led effort to reform Austin’s sexual assault response system. This initial case review focuses on cases the Sex Crimes Unit […]
Posted inLand Development Code
City Council approves phase two of ‘site plan lite’
City Council has passed phase two of “site plan lite” – an ordinance amending development regulations for residential re-subdivisions and multifamily residential site developments of five to 16 units. The final version of the ordinance was passed with five amendments and was approved by 10 members of the dais, with Council Member Marc Duchen voting […]
Posted inPolice
Public Safety Commission ‘concerned and excited’ about progress from Office of Police Oversight
On Monday, the Public Safety Commission heard an update on the Office of Police Oversight’s implementation of the Police Oversight Act, as well as its vacancies and hiring processes. The OPO operates separately from the Austin Police Department, and its mission is to enhance public transparency and accountability through impartial oversight of APD. As part […]
Posted inEnvironment
Updates to erosion protections coming to Council
During the inaugural meeting of City Council’s newly formed Climate, Water, Environment, and Parks Committee on Feb. 26, members heard a briefing on a proposed ordinance from the Watershed Protection Department (WPD) to increase erosion protections along the Colorado River. The Austin-area segment of the river crosses several jurisdictional boundaries, including the Travis County line, […]
Posted inAustin
December Parks and Recreation Department report identifies needs for senior and recreation facilities
Last week, Jesús Aguirre, the new director of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD), sent a memo summarizing the findings of the department’s Recreation and Senior Center Facility Assessment and Gap Analysis Report. The report, released in December, identified priority areas in need of new senior and rec centers and highlighted some renovation and repair […]