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Plans to demolish Highland Park home with links to Commodore Perry faces backlash from neighbors

The owners of a West Austin property formerly home to the grandson of Edgar Howard “Commodore” Perry may find their plans to make way for new construction prove more challenging than expected. Last week, the Historic Landmark Commission voted unanimously…

Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Mar 12, 2025

Urban Transportation Commission criticizes I-35 frontage road plan

The Urban Transportation Commission on March 4 unanimously passed a resolution strenuously recommending against the Texas Department of Transportation’s plan to widen Interstate 35 frontage roads downtown. The resolution specifically addressed the Central Austin project, which covers an 8-mile section of…

Transportation • By Miles Wall • Mar 12, 2025

Texas won’t offer a program to help feed kids over the summer. Advocates push for change next year.

About three dozen states plan to participate in a federal program that helps families pay for groceries over the summer. For the second year in a row, Texas – which has the second-highest rate of food insecurity in the U.S.…

Texas State Legislature • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Mar 12, 2025

SXSW panel looks at national housing shortage – and how Austin is responding

Cities across the nation are facing the same housing crunch that Austin has spent recent years trying to correct, with a new report from Realtor.com showing a gap of 3.8 million houses and apartment units across the country. Those findings…

City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 11, 2025

Technology Commission approves FY 26 budget recommendations to address digital equity

Austin’s Technology Commission unanimously approved five recommendations for the Fiscal Year 2026 budget, based on a digital needs assessment, to address digital equity in Austin including funding for affordable devices, expanded public internet access and increased digital skills training for…

Budget • By Madeline de Figueiredo • Mar 11, 2025

Austin Energy Green Building program logs 21,573 projects since its creation

In 1991, Austin Energy Green Building developed the first rating system in the country to evaluate the sustainability of buildings, creating a model for other cities and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification system.…

Development • By Hunter Simmons • Mar 11, 2025

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Watson warns of Austin's 'budget asteroids' in speech to real estate council

At last week’s annual address to the Real Estate Council of Austin, Mayor Kirk Watson stressed a number of “budget asteroids” the city could face as a result of upcoming state and federal policy decisions. Along with the potential impact…

Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 10, 2025

Council decides against historic zoning for Running Rope Ranch

Despite strong statements of support for historic zoning from two of the newest members of City Council at last week’s meeting, fewer than half of the Council members voted in favor of designating a portion of the property known as…

Preservation • By Jo Clifton • Mar 10, 2025

Prompted by convention center controversy, Council seeks changes to public art program

In response to increasing scrutiny over Austin’s handling of public art, City Council voted Thursday to modernize the Art in Public Places program by updating policies to prevent mishandlings like the controversial deaccessioning of artwork at the Austin Convention Center.…

City Council • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 7, 2025

As hordes of visitors descend on Austin for SXSW, Barton Springs Pool is closed for cleaning

Barton Springs Pool is closed while it undergoes a deep cleaning to remove unhealthy growth and things like dirt, leaves, sticks and other debris from the pool floor. While the annual cleaning goes back more than a decade, the closure…

Parks • By Luz Moreno-Lozano, KUT • Mar 7, 2025

Council adds funding to bolster Integral Care’s mental health efforts

Responding to the need for more mental health workers to staff Integral Care’s Expanded Mobile Crisis Outreach Team, City Council on Thursday voted to allocate additional funding to the program. The action will inject more than $1.4 million into the…

Public Health • By Amy Smith • Mar 7, 2025

Urban Transportation Commission recommends new strategic plan for downtown streets

The Urban Transportation Commission voted unanimously to recommend that City Council approve a new strategic plan from the Department of Transportation and Public Works for the streets of Austin’s small-yet-mighty downtown, along with a list of their own recommendations regarding…

Planning • By Miles Wall • Mar 7, 2025

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