The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Latest Headlines for Thursday, May 15

City eyes expanded district plan for downtown and beyond

As city leaders prepare for a major overhaul of the Downtown Austin Plan, staff recommendations for the initiative could significantly expand the geographic area and project scope of the city’s long-range strategy for its urban core. A May 9 memo…

Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • May 15, 2025

New Data Center Planned for Lockhart in 2028

Only a few weeks after Austin City Council passed a resolution requiring various regulations on artificial intelligence operations, a new 2GW data center is coming to Lockhart. Tract, a Colorado-based developer, has secured 1,500 acres for a “megasite” in Caldwell…

Energy • By Lina Fisher • May 15, 2025

Survey says Austin could benefit from promoting historic structures

The city, interested members of the public and HHM & Associates, Inc. have been working on a survey of historic downtown and near downtown buildings, trails and bridges to identify what landmarks might attract history-minded tourists to Austin. The survey…

Preservation • By Jo Clifton • May 15, 2025

scooters

Changes on the way for Austin's scooters

New rules — and a new focus on equity —  have arrived for Austin’s scooter rentals. Transportation and Public Works posted a new set of draft director’s rules governing the city’s shared micromobility program on May 12, which like a…

Transportation • By Miles Wall • May 14, 2025

The Austin Monitor thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Environmental Commission approves heritage tree removal for East Austin housing project

The Environmental Commission voted to approve the removal of a 32-inch heritage pecan tree in East Austin to allow construction of a 120-unit supportive housing project for youth exiting foster care and the juvenile justice system. “This is the exact…

Development • By Madeline de Figueiredo • May 14, 2025

City, county moving ahead with long-range local food plan

The city will implement the joint Austin/Travis County Food Plan under a new interlocal agreement approved by City Council last week, formally launching a 42-month process to build a more sustainable and equitable local food system. Under the agreement, Travis…

Public Health • By Chad Swiatecki • May 13, 2025

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe

Facing overwhelmingly negative feedback, city drafts refinements to residential permit parking program

Transportation and Public Works officials presented draft changes to the director’s rules governing the department’s Residential Permit Parking program to the Urban Transportation Commission on May 6, teasing a set of tweaks and formalizations rather than an overhaul of the…

Transportation • By Miles Wall • May 13, 2025

After court ruling, APD says it won't cite people for small amounts of marijuana — for now

When an appeals court struck down Austin’s marijuana decriminalization ordinance late last month, confusion and disappointment flooded social media. “So am I a criminal now?” Reddit user Environmental_Ad3964 commented. “So.. I’m kinda confused about what this accomplishes,” another user wrote. Good question,…

Police • By Katy McAfee, KUT News • May 13, 2025

City plans navigator expansion, financing tools for HOME initiative

City housing leaders have found that efforts to expand and improve access to Austin’s HOME initiative are progressing on multiple fronts, with program refinements, interdepartmental coordination and new support strategies underway. A recent memo from the Housing Department outlines these…

Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • May 12, 2025

From 11th street and beyond, Rally Austin is blazing trails to keep the city's arts scene alive

Plans to revitalize two acres of city-owned land on East 11th Street are finally materializing, as Austin’s Economic Development Corporation makes moves to get brand new mixed-use developments up and running by 2028. Bound by Franklin’s Barbecue to the west…

Planning • By Kali Bramble • May 12, 2025

Parks funding recommendations expected to go before Council this month

The Parks and Recreation Department is moving forward with an effort to identify new funding options for the city’s park system, with a pair of outside consultants on board that have helped other large cities find and address funding gaps…

Parks • By Chad Swiatecki • May 9, 2025

Austin Public Health urges Council to prioritize frontline jobs amid federal funding cuts

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) continued slashing of federal funding for critical services is coinciding with and compounding an already dire budget crunch for Austin, which will force Council to make tough decisions on where to tighten the…

Public Health • By Lina Fisher • May 9, 2025

Next Page »

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…