Homes in Austin’s white neighborhoods are valued much higher than ones in communities of color

People of color in Austin can expect their homes to be worth nearly three times less than homes owned by white residents, according to a new report. Researchers with Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Illinois-Chicago found that,…

Transportation officials ponder whether prohibiting right turns on red will save lives

Crashes in Austin this year are seeing grim trends like motorcyclist fatalities that have exceeded last year’s and overall fatalities nearing 2021’s totals. However, the Vision Zero program, a framework that aims to end traffic-related deaths and serious injuries, pointed to…

Commissioners review public improvement district policy options

The Travis County Commissioners Court approved revisions to County Code Chapter 481, the county’s public improvement district policy, on Tuesday. Notable updates to the policy included required on-site community benefits in every public improvement district, in addition to required affordability…

Community advocates seek to expand police oversight – but not at the bargaining table

After months of negotiation over a new police labor contract, the city and the police union have reached an impasse over the most contentious issues: civilian oversight and pay.  As the bargaining teams attempt to forge a path forward, balancing…

Five seats on the Austin ISD school board are up for election. These are the candidates.

This fall’s election is poised to have a significant impact on Austin ISD’s future. There is a $2.44 billion bond package on the ballot, which is the largest in district history. If voters approve the bond, the district will be able to…

Reports show Watson spending far ahead of the pack

Mayoral candidate Kirk Watson, who wishes to claim the center seat again, has raised and spent far more money than any other candidate in his race – or any of the others up for election next week. Watson, a former…

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ASPIRE project to bring affordable housing, business training to North Austin

BiGAUSTIN, the Black-led nonprofit group that has provided microlending, business training and workforce assistance for nearly 30 years, has announced plans to construct a massive new community resource center and affordable housing community in a partnership with Banc of America…

TipSheet: Austin City Council, 11.3.22

City Council convenes for yet another regular meeting today and we’ve put together yet another TipSheet to guide our readers through the anticipated highlights of that meeting. As usual, the thorough and the curious can check out the full agenda…

Broken buses slow Capital Metro schedules

Capital Metro bus commuters, already coping with reduced schedules put in place last year, are this week facing further frustrations as they try to catch a bus. The regional transit agency says a shortage of bus parts is keeping a…

front of City Hall

Changes likely for City Council speaker rules

City Council has been operating under rules designed for a city living with a pandemic. Now that Covid rates have declined significantly, some Council members are thinking about how the rules for speakers addressing Council might be changed to allow…

Effort to designate West Austin house historic fails at Council

At its regular meeting last week, City Council did not pass an item that would have designated West Austin’s Delisle House a historic landmark. Before the vote, Mayor Steve Adler explained that the measure would need a nine-vote supermajority to…

Police union rejects city’s proposals to expand civilian oversight, raise pay

With the city of Austin eager to reach an expedited agreement for a new police labor contract that expands civilian oversight, the police union is demanding higher wages for officers – or no deal.  Lowell Denton, an outside attorney and…