Preservationists lament the eroding of Travis Heights at Historic Landmark Commission

The city’s Historic Landmark Commission mourned the steady chipping away of homes recognized in the Travis Heights-Fairview Park National Register district last week, with yet another falling to the housing market’s demand for more contemporary, spacious designs. The application to…

Salvation Army changes course on timing of downtown shelter closure after Council pressure

After a week of pressure from Mayor Kirk Watson, members of City Council and community activists, the Salvation Army announced Friday it would extend operations at its downtown shelter through April 30. The extension is being funded by the city…

Changes expected for city's minority business hiring ordinances

Proposed changes to the city’s procedures for hiring minority- and women-owned businesses will likely come before City Council this spring or early summer, with consultants and a working group recommending 21 adjustments or substantial revisions to the hiring practices. A…

Berkman zoning change wins City Council approval

City Council approved a major increase in zoning for a less than 1-acre site at 6305 Berkman Drive last week. The move will allow the developer to build about 34 one- and two-bedroom units, compared to the 10 units that…

ATX Walk Bike Roll plan presented to boards and commissions

ATX Walk Bike Roll, an update to Austin’s active transportation plans, is heading for City Council approval in the coming months.  Over the past few weeks, city staffers have made the rounds at boards and commissions, presenting the draft plan…

Planning underway to bring hubs for music and arts to three cultural centers

The city’s three ethnic cultural centers are being considered to house hubs for music and other artistic endeavors that would provide members of the local Black, Latino and Asian American communities with more opportunities to explore and advance their creative…

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More than 70 percent of Austin ISD employees are burdened by housing costs, survey finds

Lee esta historia en español More than 70 percent Austin Independent School District employees are burdened by the cost of housing in the city, according to an online survey the district conducted this year. Many of the respondents said the…

Transit leaders preparing new Project Connect scenarios for March open house

With a budget that no longer meets the vision approved by voters in 2020 for an ambitious mass transit system, leaders with the agency charged with carrying out the Project Connect plan say that work continues to decide what the…

Council OKs creation of charter review commission

City Council on Thursday approved a resolution authorizing creation of a 2024 Charter Review Commission with an emphasis on studying whether the city should change the number of signatures required for submitting a proposed ordinance to voters for adoption. Council…

Environmental commissioners want to preserve Congress Avenue trees

At its regular meeting this month, members of the city’s Environmental Commission urged planners to prioritize saving as many trees as possible in the reimagining of Congress Avenue. The questions came after a staff briefing on the Congress Avenue Urban…

Google Fiber to expand presence in Travis County

Travis County is proceeding with an ongoing plan to use the public right of way to install Google Fiber in the western and southern portions of the county, as representatives from Google Fiber and county staff explained in updates Tuesday…

Salvation Army’s handling of downtown shelter closure draws Council criticism

The Salvation Army’s handling of the closure of its downtown shelter was the target of criticism at City Council’s Public Health Committee meeting on Wednesday. Critiques came from Mayor Kirk Watson, members of City Council, and clients of the shelter…