City Council
Council approves new hotel fee agreement, freeing funds for homelessness services
Next year, the city will begin receiving revenue from a new fee on hotel room stays that will provide an estimated $7 million per year to cover housing or other services needed by those experiencing homelessness. Last week, City Council…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 17, 2024
Council approves requiring safety bollards at new medical facilities
City Council agreed unanimously on Thursday to require installation of safety barriers, called bollards, at the pedestrian entrances of medical facilities when a new facility is being constructed. The new rules are intended to prevent the kinds of tragedies that…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 13, 2024
City Council approves nearly $7 million to keep Marshalling Yard shelter open
The city of Austin has identified the financing it will use to keep the Marshalling Yard emergency shelter open indefinitely. In September, City Council agreed to keep the shelter in Southeast Austin open until a more permanent location could be…
City Council • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Dec 13, 2024
Reflections and celebrations with outgoing City Council members
The city honored outgoing City Council members Mackenzie Kelly, Leslie Pool and Alison Alter with a special event in advance of their final Council meeting this Thursday. City staff, former Council members, local elected officials, plus family and friends gathered…
City Council • By Mina Shekarchi • Dec 12, 2024
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Council to see requests for Marshalling Yard extension, ECHO's $350M homelessness plan
The Public Health Committee has recommended adopting the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) long-term forecast for addressing homelessness, signaling a commitment to spend an estimated $350 million over the next decade to fill gaps in the city’s homelessness response system.…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 5, 2024
Council approves added protections for birds and trees in new construction
Birds and the trees that serve as their habitats gained renewed attention from City Council on Thursday with the approval of two measures calling for enhanced protections for both. For the birds, a resolution sponsored by Mayor Pro Tem Leslie…
City Council • By Amy Smith • Nov 22, 2024
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City celebrates federal aid to boost community court
District 1 Council Member Natasha Harper-Madison held a press conference Thursday to highlight City Council’s approval of funds from the U.S. Justice Department, which she called “a monumental step forward for the Downtown Austin Community Court.” Council approved acceptance of…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Nov 22, 2024
Legal questions cause delay in considering changes to petition rules
At Thursday’s City Council meeting, after hearing complaints from two attorneys that a proposed ordinance would violate state law and the city charter, Mayor Kirk Watson announced that the item would be withdrawn. The proposed ordinance would govern petitions for…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Nov 8, 2024
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Special fund could help Council members respond to neighborhood needs
Under a proposal approved Thursday, City Council members may have the ability next year to fund projects in their districts without following the usual planning and budgeting processes. The resolution, sponsored by Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, directs the city manager…
City Council • By Amy Smith • Nov 8, 2024
ECHO's $350M plan offers to 'effectively end' homelessness in Austin
The city is projected to need $35 million annually over a 10-year period to effectively end homelessness via a plan that emphasizes adding hundreds of permanent supportive housing units while also addressing emergency shelter and prevention steps to keep people…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 8, 2024
Downtown Commission questions scope, cost of core transportation plan
The city has identified improvements to several east-west streets through downtown as priority projects in a new plan to address mobility in the area. Last month, the Downtown Commission got the first look at portions of the Austin Core Transportation…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 7, 2024
City Council moves to complete purchase of combined public safety headquarters
The city is moving ahead with the planned purchase of a combined public safety campus located in four existing office buildings on South MoPac Expressway in District 8. Late during Thursday’s City Council meeting, after several hours of public comment…
