The city of Austin has identified the financing it will use to keep the Marshalling Yard emergency shelter open indefinitely. In September, City Council agreed to keep the shelter in Southeast Austin open until a more permanent location could be identified. Mayor Kirk Watson proposed the extension, saying that without alternative places for people to go […]
Austin City Council
The Austin City Council is the body with legislative purview over the City of Austin. It offers policy direction, while the office of the City Manager implements administrative actions based on those policies. Until 2015, the body contained seven members, including the city’s Mayor, all elected at-large. In 2012, City of Austin residents voted to change that system and as of 2015, 10 members of the Council are elected based on geographic districts. The Mayor continues to be elected at-large.
Posted inCity Council
Reflections and celebrations with outgoing City Council members
The city honored outgoing City Council members Mackenzie Kelly, Leslie Pool and Alison Alter with a special event in advance of their final Council meeting this Thursday. City staff, former Council members, local elected officials, plus family and friends gathered in Council chambers on Tuesday after the work session to celebrate and share remarks. Kelly, […]
Posted inTipSheets
TipSheet: Austin City Council, 12.12.24
Today’s City Council meeting is the last of the year, which always makes for a packed agenda. This Thursday is no different, so there’s a lot we have our eye on. It’s also the last meeting for Council members Alison Alter, Leslie Pool and Mackenzie Kelly, who said goodbye in a ceremony on Tuesday. The […]
Posted inEnergy
Kirk Watson, Ryan Alter propose competing amendments to Austin Energy plan
Gearing up for a vote Thursday on Austin Energy’s Resource Generation Plan, Mayor Kirk Watson and Council Member Ryan Alter have each proposed amendments to a plan that has gone through a variety of iterations and gained the endorsement of the Electric Utility Commission and the Resource Management Commission. Both groups suggested changes that do […]
Posted inCity Hall
Ryan Alter and colleagues propose revision of boards and commissions
Austin may be known as the Live Music Capital of the World, but it could also be known as the boards and commissions capital. In fact, our city has more than 90 commissions, boards, task forces and other advisory bodies, some of which are very active and others of which are dormant. City Council Member […]
Posted inCity Council
Council to see requests for Marshalling Yard extension, ECHO’s $350M homelessness plan
The Public Health Committee has recommended adopting the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) long-term forecast for addressing homelessness, signaling a commitment to spend an estimated $350 million over the next decade to fill gaps in the city’s homelessness response system. The recommendation asks City Council to direct the city manager to seek out additional funding […]
Posted inElections
Siegel and Bledsoe face off for District 7 seat
Early voting is underway to determine the next City Council member who will serve North Central Austin’s District 7. In November, none of the six candidates earned more than half of the vote, so the top two candidates are now on the ballot again. Mike Siegel, who won just under 40 percent (13,681 votes) in […]
Posted inResources
City to seek new bids for compost processing
The question of which contractor or contractors will process compostable items is up in the air for now. Currently, those organic items are collected from customers’ green bins under a contract with Austin Resource Recovery. At last week’s Council meeting, Mayor Kirk Watson announced that Council would not be considering an item awarding a contract […]
Posted inHousing
City Council passes resolution prioritizing co-op housing for older people and people with disabilities
City Council passed a resolution Thursday directing the city manager to prioritize city-owned land for the development of income-restricted, shared-equity housing for older residents and people with disabilities, including options like cooperative housing and community land trusts. The resolution also called for prioritizing sites located near public transit corridors, particularly within equitable transit-oriented developments (ETODs). […]
Posted inPreservation
Council adopts Equity-Based Preservation Plan
After a public hearing on Thursday, City Council approved the Equity-Based Preservation Plan – a new strategy for preserving historic buildings that prioritizes diversity and cultural heritage. The plan was adopted as an ordinance amending the larger Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, a 30-year document for the city’s growth. The Historic Landmark Commission first launched the […]
Posted inCity Hall
Council OKs $5.5M contract for website redesign, expected in late 2026
City Council has approved a six-year contract, valued at up to $5.55 million, for the redesign of the city’s website, AustinTexas.gov. The contract, awarded to TW Lrw Holdings LLC, doing business as Material Holdings LLC, has an initial three-year term for $3.52 million, with three optional one-year extensions each valued at $676,698. City staff told […]
Posted inAustin
Arts Commission joins call for bond money to replace Dougherty Arts Center
The Arts Commission wants City Council to commit to including funding for a new Dougherty Arts Center in the city’s next bond package, likely to go before voters in 2026. At its most recent meeting, the commission unanimously approved the recommendation proposed by the Friends of the Dougherty Arts Center advocacy group that has been […]