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City Council
Busy Council day includes a call for cease-fire in Gaza
City Council will hear once again from a coalition asking Council as a whole to call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Council members Vanessa Fuentes, Zo Qadri and José Velásquez last month issued a statement in support of…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Jan 18, 2024
Fuentes spent 2023 on program implementation
City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes continued her focus on working families and delivering community-focused policies in 2023, bringing forward 19 items and co-sponsoring another 80 resolutions. “We’ve been very active and collaborative with my colleagues on the dais,” Fuentes told…
City Council • By Nina Hernandez • Dec 28, 2023
D3’s Velásquez says: ‘We’re doing exactly what we set out to do’
For District 3 City Council Member José Velásquez, this past year’s theme was accessibility and constituent relations. “We’re doing exactly what we set out to do, which was make the office as accessible as possible and make the person sitting…
City Council • By Nina Hernandez • Dec 27, 2023
Three Council members call for Middle East cease-fire
Responding to calls from the community seeking a City Council resolution supporting a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, Council members Vanessa Fuentes, Zo Qadri and José Velásquez released a statement Thursday calling for peace. The statement reads: “Whether it be…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 15, 2023
Council to consider eliminating nonresident library card fees
City Council will consider an item this week directing the city manager to amend the fee and fine ordinance to do away with the nonresident library card fee for residents of the city’s limited-purpose and extraterritorial jurisdictions. Currently, Austin residents…
City Council • By Nina Hernandez • Dec 13, 2023
Delay gives city a hard Dec. 14 deadline to end Seaholm special taxing district
City Council will have until its Dec. 14 meeting to close down a taxing district created to revitalize the Seaholm Power Plant property. That deadline comes because of a decision at last week’s meeting not to close down the tax…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Dec 5, 2023
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Austin throws $2.6 million more into project converting hotel into housing for elderly people without homes
Lee esta historia en español More money is being poured into a former North Austin hotel that will be converted into housing for elderly people who are exiting homelessness. City Council on Thursday authorized an additional $2.6 million for continued…
City Council • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Dec 4, 2023
Council postpones decision on historic Barton Springs Bridge reconstruction
Although city staff urged City Council to authorize a complete destruction and rebuilding of the historic Barton Springs Bridge, Council postponed action on the item Thursday. Several members of the public urged them not to move forward with the plan…
City Council • By Jo Clifton • Dec 1, 2023
Council approves property tax relief for child care centers as federal funding dries up
Following the success of Proposition 2 at the state ballot box, City Council has sprung to action enacting property tax relief for child care facilities across the city. The proposition, which saw 76 percent approval among Travis County voters, amends…
City Council • By Kali Bramble • Nov 15, 2023
Council approves $15M purchase of the Salvation Army shelter property
The former Salvation Army Downtown Shelter will continue to serve people without homes for years to come, following City Council’s decision to purchase the property for $15 million. The purchase includes the 130-bed shelter on Eighth Street and a retail…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 13, 2023
Council has its eyes set on preparing for 2024 total solar eclipse
With Austin in the direct path of a rare solar eclipse that will take place April 8, 2024, city departments will soon begin preparing for many thousands of astronomy tourists who are expected to travel to Central Texas to get…
City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 1, 2023
Council approves convention center expansion contracts
On Thursday, City Council voted to award the contract for construction and pre-construction of a refurbished and enlarged Austin Convention Center to two firms, JE Dunn Construction and Turner Construction, for up to $1.2 billion. They also directed staff to…
