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Travis Heights "gingerbread house" on track for historic landmark status

Travis Heights preservationists had cause for celebration last week, as a proposal to landmark an iconic neighborhood home broke up the typical routine of demolition and disappointment. The case to rezone the property at 2101 Travis Heights Blvd., known among…

Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Sep 11, 2023

Are rents falling? Apartment association sees construction, weak demand causing 'negative rent growth'

A combination of softer demand by renters and new multifamily apartment units completing construction has caused some lowering of rents in the Austin market, according to members of the Austin Apartment Association. At a series of panel discussions last week,…

Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 11, 2023

Austin firefighters have new contract in place

After years of heated negotiations, and about a year without a contract in place, Austin firefighters finally have an agreement with the city in place. The contract, which is effective immediately, comes from an three-member arbitration panel. Unlike a normal…

Fire • By Elizabeth Pagano • Sep 11, 2023

Qadri sets sights on closing ‘windowless-apartment loophole’

District 9 City Council Member Zo Qadri will sponsor a resolution “kick(ing) off the process to close the windowless-apartment loophole,” which in recent years has surfaced as a problem for students at the University of Texas at Austin and residents…

Housing • By Emma Freer • Sep 8, 2023

Central Health approves budget with a Hail Mary provision to halt layoffs at Integral Care

Travis County’s public hospital district, Central Health, voted Wednesday to approve its Fiscal Year 2024 budget, which includes a last-minute line item giving $7 million in emergency funding to Integral Care. Central Health’s budget still needs final approval from Travis…

Budget • By Olivia Aldridge, KUT • Sep 8, 2023

Life sciences, housing policy seen as keys for Austin's five-year growth strategy

Business leaders see the life sciences sector as the next major piece of the Austin economy and expect it to grow quickly along with semiconductor and automotive manufacturing, financial services and national defense in the years to come. Focusing on…

Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 8, 2023

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Budget shortfall forces Austin Music Foundation to suspend operations

The Austin Music Foundation nonprofit group has suspended activity and laid off its employees in response to a budget shortfall of nearly $200,000 from its planned budget of just over $300,000. At least $85,000 of that shortfall is the result…

Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 7, 2023

Council approves development changes as required by state law

With several new state laws going into effect on Friday, Sept. 1, Austin City Council approved some significant changes to the rules governing the city’s Development Services Department this past Thursday. Most of those changes are aimed at making it…

Development • By Jo Clifton • Sep 7, 2023

Austin elected officials, community groups coalesce in opposition to I-35 expansion

At a town hall event last week, U.S. Rep. Greg Casar became the latest community leader to speak out against the Interstate 35 Capital Express project that is due to break ground next year. “Wider highways aren’t actually a traffic…

Transportation • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 7, 2023

Council delays decision on new hotel tax that could fund homelessness services

City Council has put on hold a long-discussed partnership with local hotels that could generate millions of dollars in General Fund revenue to cover expenses related to services for the homeless. At last week’s meeting, Council voted to delay action…

City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 6, 2023

Austin grapples with arrival of autonomous vehicles

Autonomous vehicles are in Austin. According to a Sept. 1 memo from the Transportation and Public Works Department, the presence of autonomous vehicles has become an increasingly common sight over the past few months. “Currently, there are approximately 125 fully…

Transportation • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 6, 2023

East 12th Street rezoning wins first-round approval

At last week’s meeting, City Council voted unanimously to approve greater height and a zoning change for a property at 3117 and 3121 E. 12th Street for construction of 80 dwelling units, 10 percent of which would be affordable. The…

Development • By Jo Clifton • Sep 6, 2023

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