On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court granted a $200,000 funding request for one year from Asian Family Support Services of Austin. While the resolution was passed unanimously, several commissioners and lamented the lack of procedure of the motion, given that several other groups in need had lost or been denied funding earlier this year […]
Seth Smalley
Posted inHousing
In wake of Rosemont snafu, county updates housing bylaws
On Oct. 5, the Travis County Commissioners Court approved changes to the bylaws of the Strategic Housing Finance Corporation. The amendments came in the wake of a massive blunder at the Rosemont apartment complex in South Austin – which is managed by the SHFC – where scores of tenants were given eviction notices and forced […]
Posted inTransit
Council seeks clarity ahead of end-of-month transportation vote
During a joint meeting of Austin City Council and the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors, members questioned Capital Metro staff on several issues, ranging from additional public input opportunities to language in a proposed ordinance that could potentially waive regulations for transit developments. Council Member Ann Kitchen called for additional meetings for community […]
Posted inPlanning
Updated: Vocal Thomas Springs residents oppose expanding street
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Travis County Commissioners Court, local community members expressed their outrage over the Thomas Springs Road development –specifically, the plan to significantly widen the road for the stated purpose of making room for bike lanes. The majority of local commenters, quoting everything from Thomas Paine to the neighborhood association to justify […]
Posted inTransit
Capital Metro’s driver shortage continues
At Monday’s meeting of the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors, members discussed the transit agency’s critical scarcity of bus drivers. “As this board has been previously briefed, we are experiencing a significant shortage of bus operators,” said Dottie Watkins, who is in charge of customer experience at Capital Metro. “Our staffing shortage is […]
Posted inTravis County
County back on track for emergency rental assistance disbursal
Last week, Travis County staff distributed a little over $509,000 in Emergency Rental Assistance Program money to qualifying families and individuals in need, according to County Executive Sherri Fleming. This brings the total amount of federal money allocated by the county to up 47.6 percent of its target, though as Fleming notes, $2.8 million in […]
Posted inRoads
TxDOT brings contentious interstate expansion plan to county
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court heard from Texas Department of Transportation engineer Tucker Ferguson, who discussed progress on the state transportation department’s plan to add two managed HOV lanes in each direction on Interstate 35 through downtown Austin. While TxDOT generally contends the expansion is necessary to address Austin’s rising traffic levels and […]
Posted inTravis County
Three-quarters of county employees to work from home for good
The Travis County Commissioners Court is moving ahead with an unprecedented initiative to dramatically increase the number of county teleworkers, with the lofty goal of having 75 percent of county employees permanently working from home. In June, the county hired Deloitte Consulting to help smooth the process. Travis County Human Resources Director Shannon Weidauer delivered […]
Posted inTravis County
County pledges more than $100 million to eradicate homelessness in three years
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court committed $110 million in federal funding toward housing the homeless. The money, sourced from a $247 million chunk of the American Rescue Plan Act funds designated for county assistance, will likely be administered via dozens of nonprofits, including Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Caritas of Austin, Integral Care, LifeWorks […]
Posted inTransportation
CAMPO approves TxDOT’s transportation plan amendment requests
On Monday, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Transportation Policy Board voted to approve two of the Texas Department of Transportation’s requests to amend the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan and the Transportation Improvement Program. The RTP addresses general congestion and transportation needs over the next 25 years, while the TIP addresses shorter-range plans – within […]
Posted inTexas State Legislature
Commissioners approve state-mandated changes to leave policy
Three bills were signed into law during the past legislative session that will change or add to existing leave policies for county employees. House Bill 1589 provides seven days of paid leave for public officers and employees engaged in certain types of military service; House Bill 2073 provides quarantine leave for firefighters, peace officers, detention officers […]
Posted inHousing
County may donate rental assistance funds to city for speedier distribution
At Tuesday’s meeting, the Travis County Commissioners Court continued to brainstorm ways to spend 65 percent of a federal rental assistance allocation before a U.S. Treasury deadline at the end of September threatens to rescind unused funds. If the 65 percent threshold is not met, all of the remaining unallocated Emergency Rental Assistance Program funds […]