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City Council
Austin Interfaith calls for $40 million in rental assistance
At a Wednesday morning press conference, Austin Interfaith called on City Council to increase its rental assistance program by $40 million. The city recently approved a $1.2 million Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants, or RENT program, that’s due to…
City Council • By Nina Hernandez • May 14, 2020
Red River district pushes city to commit $35M to purchase venue properties
Leaders from the cluster of live music venues along Red River Street have asked the city to dedicate $35 million to purchase venue properties in the area, as part of a larger menu of programs and spending to preserve those…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • May 13, 2020
Council seeks plan to form conservation corps using federal Covid-19 aid
The city intends to use some of its federal Covid-19 relief money to create an update of the New Deal-era Civilian Conservation Corps that was dedicated to job creation that preserved and enhanced the country’s natural resources. City Council voted…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • May 12, 2020
Council wants plan for how to spend $170M in federal aid for Covid-19 relief
Later this month City Council will get the first estimate of how the city can best use just over $170 million in federal funds dedicated to relief from the Covid-19 pandemic. As part of the consent agenda Thursday, Council approved…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • May 8, 2020
Resolution seeks help to make Austin more resilient
Austin has long been recognized as a leader in green energy and environmental sustainability. Now, under a resolution sponsored by Council Member Leslie Pool, Mayor Steve Adler and Council members Kathie Tovo, Natasha Harper-Madison and Alison Alter, Council is asking…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • May 7, 2020
Idled restaurants may serve as low-income neighborhood groceries during pandemic
Austin Public Health is proposing a “micro food-distribution” program to bring fresh produce and select packaged foods into low-income neighborhoods that have limited access to groceries. The two-month program aims to prevent crowding in grocery stores while lowering the burden…
City Council • By Ryan Thornton • May 6, 2020
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City announces lottery rental assistance program
Last week, City Council and the Housing Authority of the City of Austin announced the Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants (RENT) program, a lottery program that will help Austinites at risk of losing their rental housing due to the…
City Council • By Nina Hernandez • May 4, 2020
Safe Routes to School infrastructure reports posted for each Council district
Austin Public Works has released its final Safe Routes to School reports and project recommendations totaling over $825 million in improvements to make it safe and easy for children and families to walk or bicycle to and from school. Austin’s…
City Council • By Ryan Thornton • May 4, 2020
Council looks to assemble blueprint for federal Covid-19 assistance dollars
City Council is expected to lay down the guidelines next week for how to use money handed over from the federal government to assist with prevention and recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Council Member Ann Kitchen is among the city…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • May 1, 2020
Council hears good news, bad news on coronavirus
Two researchers from the University of Texas Covid-19 Modeling Consortium told Council Tuesday that the orders from Mayor Steve Adler and County Judge Sarah Eckhardt to stay home and avoid spreading the virus have delayed and possibly even prevented a…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Apr 29, 2020
Library Commission punts fine-free initiative amid Covid-19 uncertainty
The Library Commission pledged to keep working on its Fine-Free Libraries program Monday, with the understanding that it may take a year or more to win City Council’s approval due to the budgetary uncertainty caused by Covid-19. “I think there…
City Council • By Nina Hernandez • Apr 28, 2020
Council approves $2.5 million in aid to musicians, artists impacted by Covid-19
A pair of actions taken Thursday by City Council will direct $2.5 million toward financial assistance for local musicians and other creatives facing substantial losses of income due to the Covid-19 pandemic. An ordinance change passed on the consent agenda…
