At 1 p.m. today, City Council will consider and most likely approve an ordinance honoring former Council Member Chris Riley, who has spent years advocating for Austin’s trails and greenbelts, as well as for the safety of those who use them. The resolution directs the city manager to name and prepare signage for the segment […]
City Council
Posted inCity Council
As federal funds decrease, Council to consider future funding for homelessness
With the city nearly exhausted of the federal money dedicated to providing housing for people who are homeless, City Council will likely direct staff to adjust and improve processes, in coordination with Travis County, for short-term assistance and long-term housing and services. A recent joint meeting of the Public Health and Housing & Planning committees […]
Posted inCity Council
Pro and con: HOME 2 brings out the speakers
The May 16 City Council meeting promised to be a long one, with four controversial changes to the city’s development rules and one much less controversial but important proposal creating rules for placement of electric vehicle charging stations. Many of those who signed up in support or opposition of the various aspects of HOME 2 […]
Posted inCity Council
Texas attorney general threatens Austin over City Council’s effort to protect health care for transgender people
Shortly after City Council acted Thursday to protect transgender people from discriminatory health care laws, Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a threatening statement, vowing to “consider every possible response to ensure compliance” with state law prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors. Against this backdrop of escalating anti-trans rhetoric within the Republican Party, Council passed a resolution […]
Posted inCity Council
Council approves initiative to conduct inventory of public trees
On Thursday, City Council elevated the significance of Austin’s trees by initiating a comprehensive inventory of the city’s trees alongside a detailed tree planting and maintenance strategy. The measure follows Council’s approval last month of a direction for more street trees and green infrastructure on future city right-of-way projects. Both actions are part of a […]
Posted inCity Council
Extra security, extra stress, new rules at Council meeting
Each speaker at a City Council meeting now has three minutes – instead of two – to speak on each item they signed up to address because of a temporary restraining order granted Wednesday by Travis County District Judge Madeleine Connor. At Thursday’s meeting, that ruling had some impact on timing, but the meeting generally […]
Posted inCity Council
Marshalling Yard shelter could get $1M extension and stay open through March 2025
The city’s Marshalling Yard congregate shelter, which currently serves up to 300 people at a time, could receive an extension from City Council to stay open until next March. An item on today’s agenda would provide an additional $1 million to Family Endeavors Inc. to continue managing the shelter while the city works to add […]
Posted inCity Council
Tourism Commission pushes Council for more equitable funding for arts groups, districts
Using Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars or General Fund budget allocations, the Tourism Commission wants the city to fund cultural districts and local arts groups that have historically been left out of consideration for ongoing city support. At its most recent meeting, the commission approved a resolution to maintain a category for arts funding aimed at […]
Posted inCity Council
Council members seek changes to food truck permitting
City Council Member José Velásquez knows what it’s like to work with food for a living. According to his website, “José went to work at age 11 in a local panaderia to help his mother with bills. That same year he wrote his first petition to help a classmate out of an unsafe environment. José […]
Posted inCity Council
As Council prepped public support, local Google workers learned of layoffs
Some private-sector workplace drama took place in real time during Thursday’s City Council meeting, with a group of local Google workers learning they’d lost their jobs while commenting on a proposed city resolution intended to support their cause. On the agenda Thursday was an item from Council Member Zo Qadri that called on Google LLC, […]
Posted inCity Council
Austin makes library cards free to people outside the city
People who live in unincorporated areas outside the city no longer have to pay $120 for an Austin Public Library card. In December, City Council voted to remove the fees after the Library Commission recommended the change. In their recommendation, commissioners said Austin Public Library is committed to equity, which includes removing barriers that prevent […]
Posted inCity Council
Council passes a resolution calling for greener procurement practices
After its recent approval of a measure to create an investment strategy for financing the city’s climate plans, City Council on Thursday passed a complementary item to establish more sustainable procurement practices. Like the previous resolution, this one, too, was brought by Council Member Ryan Alter to reinforce Austin’s commitment to reducing its environmental footprint […]