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Austin’s music and arts community to receive windfall from American Rescue Plan
The American Rescue Plan spells huge relief for Austin’s music and arts scene. In a resolution passed last Thursday, City Council proposed spending $25 million over a two-year period to revive the city’s creative industry, mostly using money from Austin’s $188.4…
Austin • By Jonathan Lee • May 27, 2021
Austin's homeless population remained steady during pandemic, survey shows
Austin’s homeless population has remained steady since last year, according to the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition’s annual count. All told, this year’s count found 3,160 people were experiencing homelessness in Austin, ECHO says. The agency says 2,238 people were unsheltered,…
Austin • By Andrew Weber, KUT • May 24, 2021
Big-picture look at homelessness downtown shows challenges ahead
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…
Austin • By Amy Smith • May 21, 2021
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…
Austin • By Jo Clifton • May 19, 2021
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…
Austin • By Jonathan Lee • May 18, 2021
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…
Austin • By Sean Saldaña • May 18, 2021
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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…
Austin • By Marisa Charpentier, KUT • May 17, 2021
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…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • May 14, 2021
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…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • May 13, 2021
Downtown vacancies eyed for arts activations, tenants with new pilot program
Vacant storefronts in downtown Austin could become temporary homes for arts and creative organizations beginning this summer thanks to a pilot program under development by the Downtown Austin Alliance Foundation. The foundation is currently working on a lease agreement with…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • May 11, 2021
EDC eyes push to make more city properties available for music, arts uses
The city’s new economic development corporation will make a push this summer to identify city properties that could be repurposed into music venues or creative spaces, and has started to assemble the financial models for creating two arts spaces in…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 30, 2021
Council committee delves into ACE finances
Jolsna Thomas, who serves as secretary/treasurer of the board of Austin Convention Enterprises, which oversees financial matters related to the downtown Hilton Hotel, asked members of the City Council Audit & Finance Committee Wednesday to work on getting City Council…
