City Council doled out nearly $6.9 million to 12 social services organizations in a unanimous vote Thursday, spending the remainder of the $15 million Relief in a State of Emergency, or RISE, fund approved by Council on April 9. Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza sponsored the fund with a resolution last month. It is intended […]
City Council
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City outlines $270M coronavirus response
The city’s budget office has landed on a provisional Covid-19 spending plan to manage the ongoing public health crisis and provide vulnerable residents, professionals and businesses with the financial support to survive. The $270.1 million framework features $37.9 million for medical and public health needs to slow and eventually halt the spread of disease, $98 […]
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UT, city start negotiating a development deal
In response to a City Council request in February, the University of Texas has presented the broad outline of an agreement for developing its Austin properties, including the Brackenridge tract, the Pickle Research Center West, Sematech in East Austin, and the Gateway property, which is just east of MoPac Expressway on Sixth Street. Attorney Richard […]
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Ahead of Abbott’s reopening, Council members urge state to address Covid-19 in East Austin
Ahead of Gov. Greg Abbott’s moves on Monday to allow more Texas businesses to reopen and cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, four members of City Council representing East Austin urged the state to do more to protect vulnerable communities from the virus’ impact. A letter co-signed by Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza and Council members […]
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Texas Supreme Court order doesn’t nullify Austin’s eviction protections
Last week, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that eviction proceedings and debt collections, which have been paused during the Covid-19 pandemic, can once again move forward. But that doesn’t mean eviction proceedings will go forward in Austin any time soon. On May 8, Mayor Steve Adler announced he would extend the city’s eviction moratorium until […]
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City to pursue strategy protecting at-risk workers from Covid-19 threat
The city is expected to begin assembling a strategy to limit the spread of Covid-19 among at-risk workers with high rates of contact with the public, including those in jobs that have restarted following state government moves to reopen the Texas economy. A resolution led by Council Member Greg Casar asks the city manager to create […]
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Affordable housing bond to help create cooperative housing mobile home park
After five years of protesting increased housing costs and poor property management, City Council has approved a $2.5 million loan agreement so that residents of North Lamar Mobile Home Park in District 4 may purchase the land under their homes and run the site as a housing cooperative. “I couldn’t be more inspired by the […]
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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 disburse on Friday, but Austin Interfaith points to larger sums spent by other major Texas […]
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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 businesses in the face of prolonged closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On Tuesday the […]
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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 unanimously last week to direct the city manager to create a program structure focused on […]
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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 a resolution directing city staff to prepare an initial framework by May 21 for how […]
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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 Manager Spencer Cronk to find a pathway to make the city more resilient for […]