Sections

About Us

 
Make a Donation
Local • Independent • Essential News
 

Local Politics

Council to hash out Austin Energy issues in committee meeting

With Council Member Kathie Tovo pushing hard to gain approval of an ordinance that would offer more leeway for Austin Energy ratepayers in deep arrears on their bills, utility officials remained leery of the plan. It will all be hashed…

County finds just $4.3 million to buy flood-ravaged homes

Travis County officials say they have searched their budgets, bond programs and possibly even the couch cushions to come up with $4.3 million to buy out damaged and destroyed homes from the Halloween floods.   But it will be another…

Council members question staff over code enforcement issues

Members of the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday questioned city staff over their ongoing efforts to revamp code compliance. Code enforcement has been in the spotlight since a balcony collapse at the Woodridge Apartments set off a wave…

Council, City Manager in tug-of-war over location of Auditor’s office

A debate over where the City Auditor sits after the transition to the 10-1 Council Districts government is pitting City Council members against City Manager Marc Ott. The rising tension over the issue finds some Council members preparing a resolution…

City management increases restrictions on employee gifts

Sparked by a case where city employees walked away with $11,000 in prizes from a work-related convention, Human Resources Director Mark Washington has outlined a new policy that places stricter limits on the gifts city employees can receive while on…

Council denies zoning change for Bluff Springs convenience store

With negotiations in shambles, there will be no zoning change for construction of the Bluff Springs Food Mart in the near future.   The owner of the proposed convenience store was seeking the zoning change in order to remove a…

Subscribe to our newsletter

Major changes possible with shift to system of 10-1 Council districts

This article was co-produced with KUT News’ Joy Diaz as part of an ongoing City of Austin reporting partnership between In Fact Daily and KUT. Listen to KUT News Monday morning for an in-depth examination of how the interaction described…

City Council rejects attempt to establish ‘Healthy Food Zones’

The City of Austin will not be establishing Healthy Food Zones any time soon. And, for now, the city won’t be looking into whether Austin even needs them.   A resolution sponsored mainly by Council Member Laura Morrison would have…

Council starts process aimed at putting limits on ‘stealth dorms’

Austin City Council members Thursday unanimously approved a measure that kicks off changes to the occupancy limits for Austin residences. When completed, the move could drop the allowed number of unrelated adults living in one place from the current limitation…

After long debate, Council OKs changes to Urban Farm Ordinance

After hours of discussion, the City Council approved changes to the Urban Farm Ordinance Thursday night, giving East Austin neighborhoods a victory in the battle to stop or prevent slaughtering of fowl and rabbits in single-family neighborhoods—the most important of…

Urban Farm stakeholders try to cut deal on chicken slaughtering

With Council members set to vote on an ordinance that would memorialize city policy in regard to urban farms, at least two stakeholders were pitching a compromise over the hotly contested issue Wednesday afternoon. It remained unclear, however, whether their…

Tovo now pushing for three rental registration programs for city

Council Member Kathie Tovo continued Tuesday to try to persuade her colleagues to approve what are now three separate additional rental registration programs for areas that have been deemed to host problematic rental properties.   Those regions include the North…

Back to Top