By the end of September, nine of the 13 established economic relief programs for those impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic will have entered their funding distribution phase, providing money to Austinites in need. In a Sept. 23 progress report, Chief Economic Recovery Officer Veronica Briseño said the city has distributed over $37.5 million in financial […]
City Council
Posted inCity Council
Demolition permitting process redesign delayed again
City Council was scheduled to vote on two separate items Thursday as part of a multi-year effort to update the city’s demolition permitting process, but a number of potential flaws surfaced during Council’s discussions over the resolution and ordinance last week. Among the concerns, Council Member Jimmy Flannigan said the resolution, which directs the city […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves SAVES resolution to rescue vital businesses
City Council unanimously approved a resolution Thursday night directing the city manager to bring back viable funding options by Oct. 1 to help sustain the city’s service sector through the ongoing economic pressures of Covid-19. All the Council members, Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza and Mayor Steve Adler joined as co-sponsors of the Save Austin’s […]
Posted inCity Council
Convention center expansion moves forward
After a long day considering various different topics, City Council voted 10-0-1, with Council Member Leslie Pool abstaining, to authorize staff to move forward with negotiations to purchase two expensive blocks to the west of the Austin Convention Center for the purpose of starting expansion. Pool said she was abstaining because she was concerned about […]
Posted inCity Council
Negotiations in the works on convention center expansion
Although the Covid-19 pandemic will continue to have serious economic impacts on the Austin Convention Center for several years, people will still want to gather for face-to-face meetings, according to an expert hired to advise City Council on the planned expansion of the convention center. Tom Hazinski of HVS Convention, Sports & Entertainment told Council […]
Posted inCity Council
New RISE 2.0 relief program offers $10M to individuals in Austin, Travis County
The city of Austin has expanded its original Covid-19 relief program and will be distributing a total of $10 million to individuals experiencing hardships in Austin and Travis County. Applications open Sept. 14 online and over the phone for the new Relief in a State of Emergency (RISE) 2.0 program. Each household will be selected via […]
Posted inCity Council
City hopes fewer Covid cases and cooler temps will boost open-air business pilot
Austin’s Covid-era pilot for safe outdoor shopping and dining has been running since June 15, but not many local shops and restaurants have sought to take advantage of the program so far. During the first 10 weeks of Shop the Block!, the city has received a total of 12 applications from seven businesses for the […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves $23 million in partial purchases for Corridor Construction Program
City Council has authorized the Office of Real Estate Services to start negotiations with landowners for $23 million in real estate acquisitions from a number of properties along the nine segments of the Corridor Construction Program. Mike Trimble, director of the Corridor Program Office, told Council on Thursday that the partial acquisitions and corridor improvements […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves funding for isolation hotel
After a brief discussion about the need to continue the search for temporary and permanent housing for Austinites experiencing homelessness, City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the owner of the La Quinta Inn at 5812 N. Interstate 35 Thursday. The agreement gives the city the option to rent 120 guest rooms for emergency housing […]
Posted inCity Council
Council eyes September for EDC creation, with S. Congress and music venues as priorities
City Council is expected to vote next month to approve the legal documents that would create an economic development corporation, or EDC, that many members see as a remedy for threatened arts spaces, housing for the homeless and other real estate-related transactions. At Tuesday’s work session city staffers said they expect to present the incorporation […]
Posted inCity Council
Austin to become a better ‘laboratory’ for UT research under interlocal agreement
While City Council members and city departments have long sought help from the University of Texas to research challenges facing the city like gentrification or the “downtown puzzle,” there has never been a formal process to coordinate those efforts – until now. Council unanimously approved a five-year interlocal agreement Thursday to remove organizational barriers for […]
Posted inCity Council
City opens process for using $12M approved to preserve creative spaces
The city has launched the process of finding properties and organizations that could be matched in the next 12 months for public-private partnerships focused on preserving creative spaces around the city. The newly released request for information is the first step in finding potential spaces for the city to purchase using $12 million in bond funding […]