The city may need until late November to install a gate to an alley on Red River Street between Seventh and Eighth streets. That opens up the chance of going past a promised Nov. 1 deadline to close off an area that has long been a focal point of criminal activity in the Red River […]
City Council
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Divided Council puts off Rainey funding decision
Council Member Kathie Tovo tried mightily on Thursday to convince her colleagues to appropriate funding for projects within the Rainey Street Historic District, as Council promised when it passed a resolution to that effect in 2013. The 2013 resolution directed staff to take money from fees generated within the district and put it into a […]
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At homelessness forum, Council members challenge fears and ‘urban myths’ about shelters, revised law
Austin’s mayor and members of City Council tried to allay fears about the city’s revised rules on homelessness and its push to expand shelter space, at a forum hosted by the Downtown Austin Alliance. The brunt of Wednesday’s discussion focused on the rhetoric surrounding Austinites living on the street and city efforts to address the […]
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Austin looks to limit camping and resting in public as it pursues housing-first solutions
The Austin City Council provided some clarity Tuesday over where it will limit camping and resting in public, as well as its overall strategy to boost citywide, housing-focused initiatives and investments. Council members heard a briefing from city staff on a memo released last week on solutions to homelessness in Austin – one that suggested […]
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Debates continue over impacts, enforcement of new homelessness ordinances
Recent changes to ordinances covering camping and soliciting by homeless people continue to be a hot topic of debate at city meetings, with residents and special interest groups pushing for a reversal to the June vote, or significant changes in how Austin police enforce the rules. Last week’s City Council meeting featured an item not […]
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Council action would pave the way for $30M in private dollars to house the homeless
A resolution slated for consideration at next week’s City Council meeting could pave the way for foundations and other private sector entities to contribute to the estimated $30 million annual cost to provide housing for the city’s homeless population. The resolution would create a local government corporation that would be charged with raising funds from […]
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Solution to boost revenue for transit leads to broad debate over city signage policy
The Austin City Council will be considering limited exceptions to a city ban on off-premise advertising at its Aug. 22 meeting in order to allow Austin public schools and the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority to display simple, non-electronic advertisements at their facilities, such as bus shelter ads and banners on chain-link fences. The change would […]
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City code to allow camping, solicitation, sitting in public areas, with conditions
City Council approved an ordinance early Friday morning amending city code to decriminalize certain behaviors that are often necessary consequences of living in homelessness. The changes mean that city policies prohibiting sitting, lying down and camping in public areas will only be enforced if an individual is creating a safety issue or intentionally impeding use […]
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Council vote OKs move to open homeless housing center in South Austin
The city’s second homeless shelter will be located in South Austin, as a result of a unanimous vote by City Council on Thursday to approve the purchase of an office building that will be converted into a 100-bed facility, possibly by the end of the year. The approval of three resolutions gives city staff direction […]
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Council votes to tax Lake Austin homes
After hearing from a handful of residents who have never paid city property taxes on their Lake Austin homes, Council voted unanimously on Thursday to repeal an ordinance that exempted about 400 such properties from city taxes. Council also approved a resolution directing the city manager to look at ways the city might spend an […]
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City to consider Rainey Street closure pilot
City Council directed the city manager Wednesday to immediately initiate a shared streets pilot to improve mobility and safety in the Rainey Street District. The pilot is to consider restricting vehicle access in some areas to reduce conflicts between cars, pedestrians, bikes and scooters. Noting that a motorist hit a scooter user earlier this month […]
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Council wants to look at 380 agreements again
A $165,000 economic development agreement between the city of Austin and Austin Community College to help the college provide and maintain what is described as “leading edge” technology equipment for ACC’s fashion incubator could be an early casualty of Council’s drive to save money in the face of the legislatively mandated 3.5 percent revenue caps. […]