Latest Headlines for Saturday, July 5

Office slowdown sparks new downtown housing ambitions

Downtown Austin leaders are increasingly focused on residential development as a way to stabilize the city’s core, as office vacancy rates remain stubbornly high and some buildings struggle to find tenants at all. With more than one-fifth of downtown office…

Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 2, 2025

Ahead of holiday weekend, San Marcos starts charging nonresidents to park at popular tubing spot

Out-of-towners looking to cool off by the San Marcos River or go tubing this Fourth of July weekend may have to pay to park this year. Parking fees for nonresidents went into effect Tuesday at City Park, the most popular…

Parks • By Maya Fawaz, KUT • Jul 3, 2025

After years of dysfunction, Austin Police and the Travis County DA say they're trying to mend fences

The relationship between the Travis County District Attorney’s office and the Austin Police Department is fraught. It has been since José Garza was elected DA in 2020. Indictments, bungled prosecutions and miscommunication have all played a hand in the less-than-functional relationship between the two…

Public Safety • By Austin Monitor • Jul 1, 2025

Downtown Historic Resource Survey eyes seven new districts eligible for designation

The city’s Historic Preservation Office is putting the finishing touches on its long-awaited Downtown Austin Historic Resource Survey, with plans to present the final draft to Historic Landmark Commissioners this week. En route, staff stopped by City Council’s Housing and…

Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Jul 1, 2025

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Complaint against former manager Garza fails at ethics commission

After a lengthy hearing which ended shortly after midnight last Thursday, the city’s Ethics Review Commission dismissed a complaint against former Interim City Manager Jesús Garza. A motion aimed at dismissing the complaint failed, as did a motion to move…

City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Jun 30, 2025

City staff identify $101M in funding needs to address homelessness in Austin

Ahead of this month’s budget workshops, city staff have released estimates that it will take more than $100 million in additional funding to sustain and expand the local homelessness response system as the expiration of federal pandemic relief aid approaches…

Budget • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 30, 2025

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Housing staff wants more funding, support for land trusts to build affordable homes

The Housing Department is pushing City Council to continue to provide funding for land acquisition and development subsidies to preserve long-term housing affordability. In a recent memo responding to a Council resolution from last year, housing officials describe land banking…

Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 29, 2025

City leaders evaluate surprising ideas for water conservation

Paul Robbins said he had two main goals when he presented his water conservation ideas to the Resource Management Commission this month. “First is to convey a sense of urgency,” he said. “Austin is as little as 15 years and…

Water • By Mina Shekarchi • Jun 29, 2025

Still-nascent police oversight commission pushes for transparent review of all complaints

Since the passage of the voter-approved Austin Police Oversight Act two years ago, the mission of the Community Police Review Commission has been continually thwarted and delayed. It wasn’t until in August 2024 a judge ruled that APD must make…

Police • By Lina Fisher • Jun 26, 2025

Audit: Economic official granted arts, music funding against city code

The former director of the Economic Development Department authorized a handful of grant awards that violated city code restrictions, according to a new investigative report from the Office of the City Auditor. The report concludes that Sylnovia Holt-Rabb, who retired…

City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 26, 2025

Parks Board recommends vendor for Zilker Café, while voicing concerns about lack of local presence

The Parks and Recreation Board on Monday recommended city approval of a vendor to operate Zilker Café, the long-vacant concession stand located steps from Barton Springs Pool. The vote comes four years after a previous parks board rejected a local…

Parks • By Amy Smith • Jun 25, 2025

Travis County’s Mental Health Diversion Center takes another step

Last week, Travis County kicked off the design portion of its long-awaited mental health diversion center and central intake project. The lead architectural firms, Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects, Kirksey Architecture, and Pulitzer Bogard, will work with county staff and UT’s…

Public Health • By Lina Fisher • Jun 24, 2025

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NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

Nonprofit spotlight: Four questions for American Gateways

American Gateways ensures access to the justice system for low-income immigrants. We serve 23 counties in Central Texas and provide high-quality legal representation and accurate information about what is happening in our immigration system. What is the mission of American…