The Housing Investment Review Committee – formerly known as the Housing Bond Review Committee – is looking for qualified members to review affordable housing projects, among other things. Interested candidates are invited to complete an application by Feb. 1, with preference given to those who have been part of a development team or have experience with development finance, academic-based housing research, legal counsel, or who have had personal experience with housing instability, according to a city press release. City staff members will review applications and make appointment recommendations to HIRC by March, with terms expected to begin March 30.

Austin Transportation has put out a warning about fraudulent QR codes found on parking pay stations. According to a press release from the department, the sham QR codes link to a site that has no connection to the city and “may have been created with malicious intent.” Detectives from APD’s financial crimes unit are investigating the stickers and ask anyone who has paid for city parking through a QR code to file a police report and notify their card issuer. Anyone who witnesses an unbadged person messing with a pay station is encouraged to call 911. In the meantime, APD wants motorists to remember that Austin Transportation collects payment for parking through cash or card at pay stations or via the Park ATX app, not through a website.

Given the ongoing spread of Covid, the city’s Development Services Department is going back online, returning to remote operations until Feb. 1. An email from the department explains that existing in-person appointments will be converted to virtual “where possible” and all new appointments will be conducted virtually through the end of this month. Meetings with Austin Public Health will still be available in person as will inspections, though customers can opt to conduct those virtually as well. Payments will be collected via phone by contacting 512-974-7045.

Progressive Jose “Chito” Vela is probably the best known of the seven candidates running in the Jan. 25 special election to fill the District 4 Council seat that Greg Casar is vacating. So it came as no surprise to learn that his campaign had raised the most among those vying for the spot. Candidates were required to turn in their 30-day campaign finance reports on Dec. 27, giving the public a chance to see how they’re doing in fundraising. Vela reported raising more than $41,000, including a $400 contribution from Mayor Steve Adler. The Austin Firefighters PAC also filed its monthly report, indicating that the group is endorsing Vela. Conservative Amanda Rios, who has support from the leaders of Save Austin Now, reported raising a little more than $11,000, including a $150 in-kind contribution from Matt Mackowiak – chair of the Travis County Republican Party – for work on her website. Monica Guzmán raised just over $5,000 and received contributions from Ann Denkler, Jim Duncan and David King. Denkler and King are members of the Zoning and Platting Commission while Duncan is a land use expert and former chair of ZAP. Candidate Jade Lovera reported raising $1,765. One of her contributors was Betsy Greenberg, another member of ZAP. Melinda Schiera reported raising $358.73 and spending $451.90. Isa Boonto-Zarifis reported zero dollars in contributions and $600 in expenditures. She spent $500 on the filing fee, and according to her report, gave $100 to her former campaign manager, Katherine Wilcox, “as a gift.” Ramesses II Setepenre did not file the required report.

For 2022’s first edition of the Wild Neighbors Speaker Series, Jim O’Donnell, a forest ecosystem biologist who works for the city’s Wildland Conservation Division, will be sharing his extensive knowledge of restoration ecology as it’s applied locally. Jim leads a team of volunteers and staff members who work on restoring degraded tracts of land at Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Among other efforts, they plant and care for trees, collect and sow native seed, and use erosion control methods such as bioswales – earthworks that promote water infiltration, healthier soil, reforestation and carbon sequestration. Friday, Jan. 21, noon-1 p.m. Sign up for the webinar here.

With the holidays drawing to a close, you may be wondering what to do with your Christmas tree, which has given your family so much enjoyment and perfumed your home with its fragrant piney boughs. You can return the favor by giving your tree a second life: Drop it off to be recycled into mulch instead of entombed in the landfill. Travis County residents may bring their trees (live trees only) to one of the county’s free Christmas tree recycling drop-off locations, open from Dec. 26-Jan. 10. Find a map of drop-off sites here.

If you’re a city curbside customer, you may leave your tree at the curb on your regular composting collection day or visit the city’s Tree Recycling web page to find out how to drop it off for recycling at Zilker Park. To ensure that your tree can be safely mulched, remove all ornaments, decorations, lights and tree stands as well as nails, staples and metal. Trees sprayed with flocking or artificial snow will not accepted. Don’t bag the tree, and if it’s taller than 6 feet, it will need to be cut in half. Want to get your hands on some of that Christmasy mulch? Free mulch will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting Jan. 12 at 9 a.m. (weather permitting). Bring your own tools and storage containers for loading and transporting the mulch, and please wear your face mask.

P.S.: If you have holiday lights that no longer work, you can bring them to the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center at 2514 Business Center Drive. They will also be happy to accept your post-holiday piles of Styrofoam and cardboard packaging.

Unsurprisingly, most city administrate offices and municipal facilities will be closed for the holidays. Here’s a few to take note of.

Austin Public Health’s Covid-19 testing and vaccine sites will be closed for Christmas from Thursday, Dec. 23, through Sunday, Dec. 26, and the city’s Covid surveillance dashboard will not be updated over that same period. APH testing and vaccine sites will also be closed for New Year’s from Friday, Dec. 31, through Sunday, Jan. 2. You may schedule a Covid test or vaccination for any other time.

The Austin Animal Center will be closed from 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 23, through Dec. 25, resuming normal hours on Sunday, Dec. 26. The center closes again at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, and remains closed through Jan. 1.

Austin Public Library will be closed Thursday, Dec. 23, through Saturday, Dec. 25, and again on Friday, Dec. 31, and Saturday, Jan. 1.

Most Parks and Recreation facilities will be closed for the Christmas holiday from Dec. 23 through Dec. 25, and again for New Year’s on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

There are some exceptions:

Bartholomew, Barton Springs, Big Stacy, Springwoods and Deep Eddy pools will be open on Friday, Dec. 24. Barton Springs Pool will be open on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

Cemetery gates will remain open every day for regular hours, though cemetery administrative offices will be closed on Dec. 23, 24 and 31.

Golf courses will be closed Dec. 25, but open on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

The pickup schedules for trash, recycling and composting remain the same with no changes. If you don’t believe us, look up your collection schedule.

Mayor Steve Adler declared Monday Steve Sadowsky Day, giving Sadowsky the city’s distinguished service award for more than 20 years as the city’s Historic Preservation Officer. As City Council Member Kathie Tovo noted, Sadowsky has been a “tireless advocate for historic preservation.” Zoning chief Jerry Rusthoven noted during Monday’s Council meeting that Sadowsky has worked to preserve the history of all cultures, not just the dominant culture. His service has overlapped with a period of unprecedented growth, as noted by Preservation Austin, which last month gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award, saying: “During his time as Historic Preservation Officer, the Historic Preservation Office has been inundated with demolition permit requests and applications for historic landmark designation. Steve has faced these challenges by taking his well-researched stand with conviction, and has weathered many a storm to defend Austin’s historic fabric. He has personally prepared or reviewed hundreds of historic landmark applications, and through that process, shared and uncovered the history of Austin with us all. Preservation Austin is honored to recognize Steve for his years of service on the frontlines of preservation, and for the vital role he has played in protecting and celebrating Austin’s precious heritage.”

During 2020 and the winter and spring of this year, the Hilton Austin Airport suffered considerable financial difficulties, as did the vast majority of American hotels. Due to lost revenues as a result of Covid-19, the airport hotel, which was built using bond money, fell far behind in paying some of its bills. Last summer Council approved a loan of $1.35 million to help the Hilton get back on track. Rajeev Thomas, deputy chief financial officer for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, told members of the City Council Audit & Finance Committee Wednesday that once the travel industry started to recover late last spring, revenues improved significantly at the hotel. As a result, he said the hotel did not need all of the money it had borrowed. He said the Hilton also got 100 percent forgiveness on the federal Paycheck Protection Program loan of more than $907,000. So far, the Hilton has spent $824,599, and Thomas said he anticipates returning the remainder of the loaned money to the Department of Aviation at the end of this year.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is known for its imaginative art installations, but its newest interactive exhibit may be the most whimsical one yet. Created by Brooklyn-based artist Janet Zweig, “Interimaginary Departures,” which is located between gates 12 and 14 at Gate ∞ (yes, that’s an infinity symbol) offers travelers two departures screens featuring 120 fanciful and fictional destinations, from the Wizard of Oz’s Emerald City to Gallifrey, the home world of Doctor Who’s Time Lords. Travelers may print out boarding passes featuring quotes from the imaginary destinations as a loudspeaker announces boarding information. Economic Development Department Acting Director Sylnovia Holt-Rabb calls it “one of the most complex public art projects we’ve ever commissioned.” In her description of the piece, Zweig writes, “The opportunity to transform a hold room in an airport into a magical space has never been offered to an artist. It will be a one-of-a-kind artwork and will distinguish the airport as a unique location for experiential art and a place with a playful sense of humor.”

At their final meeting of the year beginning at 9 a.m. today, City Council will hold a public hearing and vote on creation of a tax increment reinvestment zone for the South Central Waterfront, including the former Austin American-Statesman site. The reason for the late-in-the-year meeting is that some members of Council and staff disagreed about inclusion of the block at the corner of Barton Springs Road and South First Street, known as the Snoopy PUD, also the former site of Hooters. Community activists Bill Bunch, Bill Aleshire and Fred Lewis have written to Council requesting that they simply vote “no” on the TIRZ. They said in a letter to the mayor and Council, “This proposed $278 million giveaway violates – and as a gross abuse of the Texas Tax Code – provisions for subsidizing development of blighted areas that would not otherwise develop on their own. The subject property is the most prime development land in the entire city of Austin. The bulk of it is owned by the self-professed ‘largest full-service commercial real estate company in central and South Texas,’ Endeavor Real Estate Group.” They also criticize Council and staff for holding the vote during the holidays, saying it “would not withstand public scrutiny. This is the antithesis of government accountability and transparency.” Council Member Kathie Tovo, whose district includes the proposed TIRZ area, has been anxious to get the ordinance passed to take advantage of the increased tax money that will flow into the TIRZ if passed before Dec. 31.

The Austin Civilian Conservation Corps (ACCC) is up and running, and they are looking for crew members to work on wildfire mitigation projects. The job creation program was formed with federal Covid-19 relief funds in 2020. Now, the city of Austin and American YouthWorks are encouraging anyone from ages 17-35, regardless of experience, to join the crew, where they will be trained and work on wildfire mitigation projects throughout the city of Austin. More information is available at AustinTexas.gov/ACCC.