Former Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said he is no longer joining city leadership. City leaders on Friday announced Acevedo would take on a new role overseeing policing. The decision sparked controversy and came as a surprise to some local officials and social justice advocates. In a new statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Acevedo said he […]
Syeda Hasan
Posted inPlanning
A new neighborhood group hopes to speak for student renters in West Campus
While many University of Texas students were busy studying for final exams, senior Allie Runas was thinking about cracks in the sidewalk. After years of stepping over cracks in West Campus, she decided to do something and founded the West Campus Neighborhood Association. “One of the things that I’m hoping (to do) with this is […]
Posted inHousing
‘Prop A’ could bring unprecedented investment in affordable housing in Austin
Austin voters will decide this November on the fate of seven bond propositions totaling $925 million. Proposition A asks voters to decide on a $250 million bond for affordable housing. If approved, the proposition would provide money for the city to build, repair and maintain existing affordable housing throughout Austin. Here’s the breakdown of how that money potentially would […]
Posted inAustin
Austin renters and people of color are most likely to be displaced because of gentrification
A new study from the University of Texas points to widespread gentrification in Austin, stretching from northern neighborhoods to the eastern edge of South Austin. Researchers say the groups most impacted by displacement are low-income African-American and Hispanic renters. Jake Wegmann, a professor in UT’s School of Architecture who co-authored the study, said in a […]
Posted inHousing
Fewer Austin residents are burdened by housing costs, but many still struggle
Austin is slowly making progress toward becoming a more affordable city, according to a new analysis, but many residents are still finding it difficult to pay for housing. The report released Wednesday by the nonprofit HousingWorks Austin finds that compared to last year, slightly fewer Austin families are housing cost-burdened. The federal government recommends that […]
Posted inDevelopment
Citing flooding concerns, Bastrop temporarily stops new development
Development in Bastrop has been temporarily put on hold. The Bastrop City Council voted unanimously last week to put a 90-day moratorium on development permits. The city wants to use this time to update its land development rules to try to prevent flooding, an effort it’s calling Building Bastrop. The council also approved an emergency […]
Posted inTransit
How free ride-sharing could make it easier to catch the bus in Austin
The number of partnerships between public transit agencies and private ride-sharing companies like Uber has been booming. Since 2016, at least 27 such programs have sprung up across the country, including one in Central Austin. Joseph Schwieterman, director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University, said more transit agencies are trying to […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Council votes unanimously to scrap CodeNEXT
City Council voted unanimously today to scrap CodeNEXT, the controversial overhaul of the city’s Land Development Code. In a resolution, Council said “due to a combination of significant disruptions to the process, CodeNEXT is no longer a suitable mechanism to achieve its stated goals or address the critical challenges currently facing our City.” It directed […]
Posted inHousing
East Austin affordable housing resident advocates for better living conditions
Candace Hunter applied to live at the Reserve at Springdale as soon as she could. When the nearly 300-unit property was completed last year, it brought much-needed affordable housing to East Austin. Within the year, the complex – which houses Austinites earning 60 percent or less of median family income ($51,600 annually for a family […]
Posted inCity Hall
Here’s why Ken Paxton wants to kick members off Austin’s Planning Commission
A city statute that governs the makeup of Austin’s Planning Commission is at the center of a legal challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office. Paxton is taking legal action to remove eight members of the 13-member commission, citing a rule that limits how many commissioners can have some sort of affiliation with real […]
Posted inPreservation
Austin could seize old Montopolis school through eminent domain
After months of negotiation, City Council has opened the door to seizing the site of the old Montopolis Negro School in East Austin. Council approved a measure last week to pursue eminent domain proceedings after it was unable to agree on a purchase price with the property’s owner. Under eminent domain, the government can take […]
Posted inPolice
Police and community groups join to explore how to improve oversight of APD
Austin’s system of police oversight may be more effective than others at promoting long-term change, but there’s still skepticism about the agency, according to a new report. The report from the Office of the Police Monitor notes that agencies like Austin’s have the power to track whether a police department makes changes based on public […]