Austin remains one of the strongest markets for the construction of new office space despite having one of the highest vacancy rates and price per square foot in the nation, according to data gathered by the real estate services group Commercial Edge. The group’s July report found Austin has 6.2 million square feet of office space under construction – behind only Seattle, Manhattan and Boston – while its current vacancy rate sits at 20.5 percent, higher than all other markets listed except Houston’s 23.3 percent rate. Austin’s per-square-foot cost of $82.34 was also higher than all other markets except Boston. Among use classes, professional and business services showed the most growth among local office space occupants, with information/technology and financial activities showing growth of less than 1 percent each.

Downtown Austin Alliance has scheduled an “Issues & Eggs” breakfast panel for Sept. 26, looking at the current state of homelessness in Austin and how to address it. The event will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at St. David’s Episcopal Church on Eighth Street. Discussion will focus on the $65 million recently awarded by the city to nonprofits working to address homelessness and how those organizations are working to help the local unhoused population. Mayor Kirk Watson will make opening comments before the discussion with panelists Chris Baker, executive director of The Other Ones Foundation; Jo Kathryn Quinn, president and CEO of Caritas Austin; and Kirkpatrick Tyler, chief of government and community affairs for Urban Alchemy. Registration is free; more info is available online.

The city’s Bicycle Advisory Council and Pedestrian Advisory Council are both looking for new members, so if you are a bicyclist or pedestrian who would like to opine in a slightly more official capacity, get your application in before Sept. 10. Each council meets monthly and advises City Council on pedestrian and bicycle facilities and issues, with meetings usually focused on “briefings, recommendations to local agencies and community announcements,” according to an announcement by the Transportation and Public Works Department. Interested persons can find an application to the Bicycle Advisory Commission here and an application to the Pedestrian Advisory Commission here.

The Austin Housing Finance Corporation has selected 20 participants for its Small Developer Training program. The training program is intended to provide small developers – especially those from historically overlooked communities – with mentorship, networking and potential pathways to financing for eligible real estate projects in Austin. The program aims to help create more affordable housing and job opportunities.

During the four-month program, participants will learn how to identify development opportunities and learn from zoning experts how to navigate the planning and approval process. The 20 participants are:

• Affordable Central Texas
• ALEON Properties
• Aligned Wealth Partners
• Blackland CDC
• Blackshear Neighborhood Development
• Boomers Collaborative Foundation Inc.
• Castillo Acquisitions LLC
• Chestnut Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation
• Drenner Group
• Equidad ATX
• GreenSphere, Inc. & The Property Center
• Haslem Development Corporation
• Hayat Brown
• Industry ATX
• LT Development Partners
• Manifold Real Estate
• Nill Consulting
• Spark Root Development and Construction
• Titan Valuation LLC & Deets Development
• Thoughtful Development Partners LLC

The training, which is being led by Capital Impact Partners and HousingWorks Austin, will also help smaller developers add capacity in preparing financial applications and networking with community leaders to help contribute to the city’s 10-year goal, established in 2017, of building more than 130,000 housing units at differing levels of affordability. More info at the city’s website.

Local cases of canine distemper are on an uptick, according to the Austin Animal Center. Distemper is a deadly disease caused by canine distemper virus, and so far in August, the center has seen 39 positive results from 94 dogs tested.

“As expected, the dogs testing positive are generally under a year old and have only been in the shelter for a few weeks, meaning they didn’t have time to build up appropriate vaccination immunity before being exposed,” said Dr. Debbie Elliott, Austin Animal Center head veterinarian, in a statement. “We are seeing a range of symptoms, from dogs that aren’t showing any signs to dogs developing seizures.”

The virus is spread through close contact with infected animals, usually through respiratory droplets and sometimes through urine or feces, according to the shelter. “Prevention through vaccination is hands down the most effective tool our community has,” Elliott said in a statement. “It is vital that dog owners make sure their dogs are completely vaccinated.”

Austin Animal Center is looking for people to foster or adopt healthy, vaccinated dogs. Adoption fees will be waived, and walk-in foster applicants are welcome at the shelter from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Additionally, dozens of volunteers will be available Saturday for the Clear the Shelters event from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Get more info at austintexas.gov/department/rabies-and-disease-prevention.

An old friend is under the weather. According to a city news release, a large pecan tree at Barton Springs Pool, nicknamed Flo, has been diagnosed with Kretzschmaria deusta – a wood decay fungus also known as brittle cinder fungus. The Parks and Recreation Department first noticed the fungus during a routine inspection on July 6, and it was diagnosed by a Texas A&M University lab on Aug. 15.

Photo by city of Austin. An iconic pecan tree at Barton Springs Pool has been diagnosed with a wood decay fungus.

“This disease weakens roots and wood at the base of the tree and has been known to cause whole tree failures in trees that otherwise look healthy,” according to the city. Further independent reports from certified arborists are expected in the coming weeks.

“As a precautionary safety measure, access around the tree will be sectioned off from pool users,” according to the city. If the tree needs to be removed, the parks department promises residents will be able to “honor the tree.” The news release states that there would also be “options to memorialize this iconic tree through creative reuse of remaining intact wood.”

Photo by city of Austin. Parks and Recreation Department staff first noticed a fungal fruiting body at the base of the tree in July.

Get more info and follow updates at austintexas.gov/BSPtree.

Movin’ and shakin’ happening at Barton Springs Pool: The Beverly S. Sheffield Education Center will close on Sept. 5, according to the city, as part of the long-coming Barton Springs Bathhouse rehabilitation. Renovation construction will begin early next year, and during that time, the pool’s main entrance will move to the location of the education center. The center’s “Splash! Into the Edwards Aquifer” exhibit will close on Aug. 22 so it can be disassembled and moved in preparation. While pool patrons use the temporary entrance, the city hopes to create “an opportunity to educate pool visitors about the importance of protecting water and preserving salamander habitat.” Go to the city’s website for more info.

Endless heat and no rain are a recipe for flourishing toxic algae, which has been found in several locations by the city and the Lower Colorado River Authority. In May and June, toxic algae was found at Red Bud Isle, Vic Mathias Shores, Festival Boat Ramp, Jessica Hollis Park, Barton Springs Pool and several tributaries and springs on Barton, Onion and Williamson creeks. Though the presence of toxic algae at Barton Springs Pool may be alarming, a news release from the city notes that the levels found at the pool were “not concerning” and the pool will remain open. “While the presence of toxic algae does not necessarily mean toxins in the water, it is still important to take precautions. Never drink water directly from lakes, creeks or springs, avoid contact with algae and rinse off after contact with the water. Do not allow pets to drink from these waterways and do not allow dogs to lick their fur prior to rinsing if they’ve been in the water,” reads the release.

At the same time, LCRA tests found toxic algae at levels that “could pose a danger to dogs and people recreating at Lake LBJ and Inks Lake.” According to the water authority, results received this week detected high levels of toxicity in the lakes, and LCRA biologists believe cyanotoxins are likely present in other areas of the lakes, as well.

More information about city monitoring of toxic algae and resources can be found on the city’s website.

Workforce Solutions Capital Area has partnered with the city and Travis County, as well as Austin Transit Partnership and Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to form a leadership group focused on linking local residents to jobs from the many transportation and infrastructure projects taking place in the coming years. With Project Connect, light rail, the Interstate 35 reconstruction and the expansion of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on tap, the group’s goals include studying future skills needs for those projects, finding ways to scale workforce training programs, identifying obstacles for job seekers and creating a plan for building the workforce to fit infrastructure needs. The consulting firm CivicSol is currently working on a 20-year forecast and study of the mobility workforce to assess worker availability, job training capacity, academic readiness of job seekers and more.

Despite interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaging more than 7 percent nationwide, the local housing market showed year-over-year growth in July, according to the latest market report from the Austin Board of Realtors. In July, the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan statistical area showed a 0.6 percent increase in closed sales compared to 2022, with 2,815 total deals closed. The report also showed:

• The median sales price decreased 10 percent year over year to $462,000,
• The days-on-market average was 59 days, a year-over-year increase of 37 days,
• Total sales volume was $1.66 billion, a 7 percent year-over-year drop, and
• The market had 3.7 months of inventory, which represented a one-month increase from the previous year.

“July’s housing market activity underscores the resiliency within the MSA’s market,” Austin Board of Realtors President Ashley Jackson said in a statement. “We now have a direct year-over-year comparison of when our market began stabilizing, and the big fluctuations we’ve previously seen have started to even out.”

Employers encouraging mobility options for their workers can apply for $7,500 GoGrant awards available from the Movability nonprofit. The awards are available to fund planning assistance, infrastructure like bike racks and lockers, and programs like transit passes and vanpooling. Eligibility is limited to businesses located in Austin or the extraterritorial jurisdiction, with the application window open from Aug. 21 until Sept. 15. More information is available online.