Texas has the second-highest rate of food insecurity in the country, and Austin’s numbers aren’t much better: 158,270 Travis County residents, or 16 percent, are food insecure. Not being able to pay for food is a symptom of larger failures of the social safety net – the Central Texas Food Bank reports that “two-thirds of […]
Austin Office of Sustainability
A branch of city government that works toward increasing the city’s sustainability and reducing the city’s carbon footprint.
Posted inPublic Health
Environmental Commission recommends Council’s adoption of food plan
The Austin Environmental Commission on Wednesday approved a recommendation to City Council to adopt the proposed Austin/Travis County Food Plan and ensure its complete funding over the next four years. The recommended resolution, sponsored by Mariana Krueger and approved unanimously, also called for the allocation of a “significant amount of resources” in the new fiscal […]
Posted inEnvironment
City seeking answers from suppliers in move toward low-carbon concrete, landscaping
A handful of city departments are in the research and market studying phase for two environmental initiatives passed by City Council earlier this year, which could lead to substantial changes in how construction projects are planned and budgeted. A memo released last week from chief sustainability officer Zach Baumer provides an update to Council’s direction […]
Posted inCity Council
With an ambitious food plan ready for adoption, all that’s missing is the financing
City Council members heard a briefing Tuesday on a far-reaching food plan designed to eliminate historical barriers to food access in Austin and Travis County. If all goes as planned, the draft proposal will return to City Council on Aug. 29 for possible adoption. The Travis County Commissioners Court is expected to be briefed on […]
Posted inEnvironment
Watson focuses on how to finance city’s environmental goals
City Council on Tuesday received its first briefing on what is expected to be a painstaking journey toward developing and implementing an investment strategy for funding Austin’s Climate Equity Plan. A public hearing is set for today on the creation of an investment plan – one of the steps outlined in a resolution that Council […]
Posted inEnvironment
Memo outlines the high cost of planning for Austin’s environmental future
With the city already facing a budget deficit exceeding $13 million in the 2025 budget year, a recent staff memo with cost estimates for funding an array of environmental initiatives may be causing sticker shock in some circles. Yet proponents of financing the city’s climate goals view the projected costs as an investment that could […]
Posted inPlanning
City seeks input on area food plan that highlights fragility for farms, restaurants
The Office of Sustainability has published the draft of its long-in-development food plan for Austin and Travis County, which seeks to balance pressures of development and land use against the need to feed a fast-growing metro area. Released last month after more than a year of community input on priorities related to food availability and […]
Posted inEnvironment
Austin’s Office of Sustainability lands EPA grant to tackle greenhouse gas emissions
The city of Austin will soon join cities across the nation in a federal initiative to curb greenhouse gas emissions, with a $1 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency slated to kick off the planning process this October. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program, issued via the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, will fund […]
Posted inBudget
Garza pauses changes for Civil Rights, Equity offices until after budget passage
The controversial plan to reorganize the offices of Civil Rights and Equity and two others is being put on hold and will be evaluated after City Council concludes its work to finalize and approve next year’s budget. At Tuesday’s budget work session, interim City Manager Jesús Garza said criticism from community groups and objections to […]
Posted inBudget
Garza says reorganization ‘will in no way diminish’ offices of Civil Rights, Equity
Interim City Manager Jesús Garza has clarified his plans for reorganizing a handful of city offices, including the Equity and Civil Rights offices, which will be located in different buildings despite being part of the newly created Community and Business Equity Department. In a memo released Monday, Garza said those two offices, as well as […]
Posted inCity Hall
Proposal to reorganize Equity, Civil Rights offices draws criticism ahead of budget release
The proposed reorganization of a handful of city offices under the early draft of the city budget is drawing criticism from community groups, who argue the changes will undermine years of work to improve equity, civil rights and services to underserved communities. As part of the budget plan delivered to City Council members and Mayor […]
Posted inAustin
Food plan committee balancing inflation worries against long-term needs
With food prices remaining persistently high as overall inflation levels continue to ease, the cost of food is likely to be one of many issues discussed in the coming weeks by the new group that will steer the creation of Austin’s first-ever area food plan. The Office of Sustainability has selected the 25 members of […]