According to the city’s economic consultant, Jon Hockenyos, a quarter of a million workers in the Austin area will lose their jobs as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We’re just at the beginning of seeing the economic implications of the pandemic,” he told City Council at Tuesday’s work session. Hotel occupancy is down to […]
COVID-19
Posted inTravis County
County Commissioners Court looks toward economic recovery solutions
The financial figures representing the economic repercussions of self-isolation and shuttered businesses are beginning to surface in Travis County. Diana Ramirez, the director of Travis County’s Economic Development & Strategic Investments, told the Commissioners Court on April 7 that although local numbers are still not available, state and federal numbers offer a good indication of […]
Posted inCity Council
Judicial Committee members call for efficient quick release process at county jail
On any given day, the majority of individuals held in the Travis County Jail have not yet had a trial or been convicted of the crime that landed them there, yet they cannot afford to pay the bondsman’s fee or cash bail amount needed to secure their release. Acknowledging the city’s limited authority in county […]
Posted inParks
More parks close, more parks to close
The Austin Parks and Recreation Department continued its recent pattern of issuing increasingly strict rules for city-controlled parks on Tuesday, with an announcement that all city parks and trails will close over Easter weekend in an effort to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The new closures go into effect at sunset on Thursday, April 9, […]
Posted inAustin
Covid-19: Senior citizens at risk of food shortages and isolation
With Covid-19 upending daily life, many senior citizens in Central Texas are finding their access to food limited and their social isolation increased. “Food became the overall concern for everybody,” Patty Bordie, director of the CAPCOG Area Agency on Aging, told the Austin Monitor. “There’s a huge need right now because people don’t know how […]
Posted inPublic Health
Austin health official expects city’s face-covering guidance will become a requirement
The interim medical director and health authority for Austin-Travis County says he expects a recommendation for Austinites to wear fabric face coverings when they’re outside the home to become a requirement. Dr. Mark Escott said Monday that having people cover their faces when they must leave their homes will help stem the spread of the […]
Posted inHousing
Workforce housing group raising funds to assist residents in need
The nonprofit group Affordable Central Texas is looking to raise $125,000 to assist residents in the three apartment complexes owned by the Austin Housing Conservancy Fund, which was created to preserve workforce housing in the Austin area. The ACT Together Fund will be available to approximately 750 of the 1,200 residents in those three complexes […]
Posted inEMS
Texas first responders need equipment to tackle Covid-19
Two-thirds of emergency service district first responders reported they have been unable to procure a sufficient amount of the necessary personal protective equipment since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a study by the Texas State Association of Fire and Emergency Districts (SAFE-D). “It is clear after the early weeks of combating Covid-19 […]
Posted inElections
Texas officials try to clarify who can vote by mail, but they might not be able to just say everyone
The Texas Secretary of State’s Office sent local election officials an advisory Thursday that was meant to give them guidance on how to handle elections during the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, they tried to tackle an issue voting rights groups have flagged since the start of the outbreak: Who qualifies to vote by mail during […]
Posted inEditor's Note
All together now, Austin
The past several weeks have brought unprecedented change to Austin as businesses have shuttered and everyone who can has remained home in a citywide effort to flatten the curve and slow the spread of Covid-19. For many of us, myself included, it has been frustrating to stay home during a crisis. It’s been hard to […]
Posted inTransit
Federal relief package includes $104 million for public transit in Austin
The Federal Transit Administration has announced $25 billion in recovery funds for public transportation systems across the nation, including $104 million to help keep the city of Austin’s transit system afloat. “We know that many of our nation’s public transportation systems are facing extraordinary challenges and these funds will go a long way to assisting […]
Posted inCity Council
Garza, Casar lead plan to use $15M in city reserves for Covid-19 relief programs
The city is expected to expand its contracts with social service organizations in order to begin deploying a portion of Austin’s budget reserves to residents facing financial peril due to the spread of Covid-19. Mayor Pro Tem Delia Garza and Council Member Greg Casar have teamed up to create a budget amendment and accompanying resolution […]