The city has spent or encumbered a total of $188.5 million that it received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act. According to a memo to the mayor and City Council, the city met the Dec. 31, 2024, deadline to spend or encumber the money, which must be spent by Dec. 31, […]
City Hall
Posted inCity Council
City Council expected to implement requirements for residential air conditioning
The city is revising its technical building codes. As part of this process, City Council is slated to adopt changes to Austin’s version of the International Property Maintenance Code on April 10. Most notably, these changes will include a requirement that all Austinites can access air conditioning in their homes. Surprisingly, current statewide housing standards […]
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Workshops helping city gear up business expansion, place-based incentive programs
Ahead of a planned rollout in May, the city is hoping a series of workshops this month will generate interest in its updated business expansion and upcoming place-based enhancement incentive programs. The programs, which were recently approved by City Council, are designed to assist small businesses and creative-sector tenants facing rising real estate pressures. Three […]
Posted inCity Hall
Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland to retire following administrative leave
The city announced last week that Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland will retire, effective May 9, following his placement on administrative leave in early March. Bland, the director of the Austin Animal Center since 2019, was placed on administrative leave on March 7. The city did not provide specific reasons for the decision, but […]
Posted inCity Hall
City to help preserve artworks threatened by convention center teardown
The city appears to have solutions to save a group of artworks installed in the Austin Convention Center that were in danger of being destroyed as the demolition and reconstruction of the facility moves forward. Late last month, artist John Yancey, whose Riffs & Rhythms mural was at the centerpiece of the controversy, informed the […]
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Council members celebrate unanimous defeat of bill that proposed putting Austin under state control
Austin City Council members celebrated the resounding defeat of House Bill 274 on Wednesday, a bill that would have created the “District of Austin” as the state’s official seat of government. “Our message is loud and clear: local leaders are best equipped to address local needs. The overwhelming rebuke from members of the state Legislature […]
Posted inCity Hall
Tax rate election looks likely for Austin this year
Under state law, Austin is only allowed to raise its tax rate by 3.5 percent without asking voters for permission. That law has been on the books since 2019 without the city scheduling a regular tax rate election. But it looks like this is the year. As a reader pointed out, Austin did have a […]
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UT hopes to play leading role in Austin’s evolving development scene
At Wednesday’s Urban Land Institute Austin breakfast discussion, interim University of Texas President Jim Davis offered a candid assessment of the university’s evolving role in Austin’s booming development scene. Once regarded as one of the city’s largest builders and employers, Davis said UT now finds itself competing for attention alongside tech giants and multibillion-dollar infrastructure […]
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Audit shows former Austin Water employee directed search of boss’ inbox
The former chief information officer for Austin Water misused the city’s resources in an effort to find out the identity of the person who lodged a complaint against him, according to an audit report released this week by the Office of the City Auditor. The employee, David Johnson, resigned during the investigation in January 2025. […]
Posted inCity Council
City pauses $10M in airport art over concerns local creatives were excluded
The city has paused three significant public art contracts intended for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport expansion, in a move that may signal a reconsideration of how prominently the city should promote local artists in major public spaces. Three contract approvals totaling more than $10 million have been pulled from next week’s City Council agenda, following […]
Posted inCity Hall
City readies final changes to revised business expansion programs
The Economic Development Department has announced final modifications to its Business Expansion Program, a key component of the city’s Chapter 380 economic development incentives. The updates, approved by City Council in September 2024 under Ordinance 20240926-013, are designed to increase small business participation and better align with Austin’s living wage policies. According to a memo […]
Posted inCity Hall
City moves toward starting downtown strategy office
In response to a resolution from City Council, as well as the many projects and disruptions foreseen for downtown in the next few years, the city plans to create a new downtown strategy office by the end of September. The Council resolution, approved on Feb. 13, urged the city manager to develop a comprehensive strategy […]