Conservation Corps sees success, and possible expansion, in city memo

An evaluation of the city’s Civilian Conservation Corps program shows that nearly 200 people have been placed in city jobs in areas that had been historically difficult to fill. A memo released last week by Kimberly McNeeley, director of the…

Audit claims fraud by contractor for city health department

In a report released Thursday, the Office of the City Auditor detailed its investigation into allegations that a nonprofit contractor for Austin Public Health “committed fraud by misrepresenting over $1.1 million in financial transactions across three contracts” with the health…

Austin launches displacement prevention pilot program

Austin will soon have a network of displacement prevention organizers connecting vulnerable communities with the city programs and resources they need to stay in their homes and communities. The city announced the program’s launch on March 30, during a press…

Redevelopment of East Austin dairy plant gets Planning Commission approval

A dairy plant in East Austin could soon be redeveloped into a massive mixed-use project, pending the outcome of a zoning change request. Developer Endeavor Real Estate plans to build 1,400 multifamily units, a 220-room hotel, 411,500 square feet of…

A new plan for libraries calls for expansion

City Council approved a plan for Austin Public Library last Thursday that features a new set of strategic goals and calls for the expansion of libraries across the fast-growing city.  In early 2022, a Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) started assessing…

Austin Water says it's doing better in the face of crises

At Wednesday’s joint meeting of City Council’s Audit and Finance Committee and the Austin Water Oversight Committee, Austin Water Director Shay Ralls Roalson answered questions about a variety of topics, but one of the most difficult involved vacancies within the…

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Council approves review of historic preservation incentives, with eye on equity

City Council wants incentives connected to historic preservation to be used more equitably, and has directed the city manager to review and suggest changes to city policies that could result in more historic designations in East Austin. Last week Council…

Travis County celebrated teaching Black history, despite attempts to ban it

The Travis County Commissioners Court officially proclaimed February 2023 as Black History Month in a unanimous vote last month. The proclamation was made in conjunction with the Austin Independent School District’s celebration of African American heritage. Commissioners drew attention to…

Parks board delays SXSW fair pay action until June

The Parks and Recreation Board has signaled it will ask City Council to require fair pay standards to be included in all future contracts with South by Southwest, including its use of Auditorium Shores for free concerts for the public.…

Austin Water to discuss progress on improvement plan today

In the wake of five troubling incidents between 2018 and 2022, which led the former director of Austin Water to resign, the utility’s current leaders have been working to complete changes intended to prevent future service disruptions, such as boil-water…

A closer look at the park spaces included in Waterloo Greenway phase two

The city’s Parks and Recreation Board learned more this week about the park spaces included in the next construction phase of the Waterloo Greenway. Phase two, which kicks off this spring, will focus on the 14 acres along Waller Creek…

City Council delays vote on police dash-cam contract

City Council voted unanimously to postpone voting on a three-year, $3.8 million contract to update the Austin Police Department’s fleet of dashboard cameras, citing concerns about the vendor’s built-in automated license plate reader, or ALPR, technology.  “There’s lots of things…