A cross-section of representatives briefed the Downtown Commission on Wednesday about an ambitious suite of strategies underway to house unsheltered individuals in Austin. Their message was clear: The city and its partners are doing an enormous amount of work toward providing housing and other services to people experiencing homelessness. The response from some commissioners was equally […]
City Hall
Posted inCity Council
Vote would fund new family violence shelter
At today’s meeting, Austin City Council members plan to award a contract for up to $8.1 million over four years to the SAFE Alliance to manage and provide services at a city-owned shelter for those experiencing domestic violence or sexual abuse. This year’s funding of $2.1 million will be used to convert an existing hotel […]
Posted inCity Hall
Ethics commissioners dismiss complaint against Harper-Madison
An ethics complaint against Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison was automatically dismissed Wednesday, May 12, after the Ethics Review Commission failed to reach a majority six votes on a motion to postpone or a separate motion to dismiss. The latter motion included an opportunity for the complainant, Olivia Overturf, to resubmit an amended complaint by […]
Posted inPremium Types
TipSheet: City Council, 5.20.21
After a doozy of a work session on Tuesday, Austin City Council’s regular meeting might seem a little tame in comparison. Right now, just over 50 speakers are signed up to speak on the agenda, which can be found in its entirety here. This TipSheet takes a look at a few of the items from […]
Posted inCity Council
Early list of potential campsites for the homeless causes stir
City Council weighed in Tuesday on an initial list of 45 city-owned properties that could potentially serve as campsites for people experiencing homelessness, embarking on the logistically and politically fraught process of deciding whether to establish a campsite in each of the 10 Council districts, as proposed earlier this month. Though Council has previously rejected […]
Posted inAustin
What’s the plan for American Rescue Plan money?
After seeing a rough outline of how city staffers plan to spend $143.6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to house the homeless, address food insecurity, and provide affordable child care and job training, City Council still had a lot of questions about specifics at Tuesday’s work session. Council members Alison Alter and Kathie […]
Posted inAustin
Piecemeal shelters during winter storm highlight need for better coordination
At a meeting Monday to discuss the city’s response to Winter Storm Uri, City Council highlighted one of its biggest priorities to prepare for future disasters: strengthening Austin’s network of disaster shelters. Though Council members praised the community and city staffers for their “all hands on deck” effort to help fellow Austinites find a warm […]
Posted inAustin
Zero Waste Advisory Commission talks through logistics of Prop B
With the passage of Proposition B earlier this month, Austin residents voted to reinstate local laws establishing prohibitions against sitting, resting and camping in public in certain parts of the city. Opponents of the proposition argued that in addition to having a disparate impact on the city’s homeless population, the laws would further stigmatize and worsen […]
Posted inAustin
A beloved post office in Hyde Park is closing. The Austin neighborhood wants to know why.
Barbara first heard the rumor from the mailman. Deaton learned the news from her neighborhood listserv. Michele saw the gossip on Facebook. And it was true: The post office that’s sat at the corner of 43rd and Speedway in Hyde Park for decades was closing. “I was immediately horrified,” said Deaton Bednar, who’s lived in […]
Posted inBudget
Budget report reveals Capital Metro has money to spare
On May 12, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority CFO Reinet Marneweck presented the financial report for the 2021 fiscal year to the Capital Metro Board of Directors. The report covered revenue, operating expenses and Capital Metro sales tax as they relate to budgeting in the company at large. “Seeing as we’re about 50 percent into the […]
Posted inAustin
Public, Council members push for new emergency plan after winter storm
The head of the city’s new task force examining the impact of Winter Storm Uri says the city must create an updated and far more robust emergency response plan. Sareta Davis, chair of the Winter Storm Review Task Force, also wants the city to study the work done by community organizations such as Austin Mutual […]
Posted inAustin
Tourism Commission recommendations include gondolas funded by hotel tax
A transit system geared toward tourists, paying Austin musicians to promote local tourism, and a variety of programming and promotional efforts for historic sites are among a new batch of recommended uses for the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars. This week the Tourism Commission unanimously approved a report from its Parks and Environment Working Group […]