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APD officers continue to direct homeless to campsite closed for new residents

The Austin Police Department has for months continued to direct homeless individuals to a camping site that has been closed to new residents, leaving people with no legal place to find shelter while staying with their belongings. At Wednesday’s meeting…

Public Safety • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 23, 2022

To improve connectivity, ZAP recommends prohibiting culs-de-sac in most cases

The Zoning and Platting Commission recommended changes to city code on Tuesday to improve street connectivity in new subdivisions. “I look at culs-de-sac as kind of destroying the grid,” said Commissioner Lonny Stern, who initially proposed the changes. He explained…

Land Development Code • By Jonathan Lee • Sep 23, 2022

APD releases after-action report detailing response to 2020 protests

In the two years and four months since thousands of Austinites protested the police killing of George Floyd, 19 Austin police officers have been indicted for using so-called less-lethal ammunition, or beanbag rounds, on protesters, and the city of Austin…

Police • By Emma Freer • Sep 23, 2022

City falls further behind on affordable housing goals

The city continues to fall behind on its affordable housing goals, according to a report from nonprofit HousingWorks Austin.  In 2021, nine out of 10 Council districts failed to achieve district-based affordable housing production goals, and seven out of 10…

Housing • By Jonathan Lee • Sep 22, 2022

City seeks to extend $20 minimum wage to some contractors

Although increasing the minimum wage for city employees to $20 an hour was good news for city workers, the increase did not automatically apply to contract workers. The previous minimum for city employees was $15 per hour, which the city…

City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Sep 22, 2022

Are you an Austin Energy customer? Expect a $20 hike in your monthly bill starting Nov. 1.

Austin Energy says customers should expect to pay an extra $20 a month for their electricity starting in November. In a memo to City Council, the publicly owned utility said the increase is due to the rising cost of natural gas,…

Energy • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Sep 22, 2022

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Candidates for District 1 City Council seat chat with the 'Monitor'

Four years ago, Natasha Harper-Madison won a runoff election to become the second-ever representative of City Council District 1. That year, the entrepreneur and mother of four bucked conventional wisdom by winning at the expense of better financed candidates. This…

Elections • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 21, 2022

Creative spaces, affordable homes possible for two city-owned East Austin sites

The city’s Housing and Planning Department has identified parts of city-owned parcels that could incorporate creative spaces and affordable housing for artists, with development plans likely to be handled by the Austin Economic Development Corporation. Mandy De Mayo, deputy director…

Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 21, 2022

Austin ISD is considering turning two properties into teacher and staff housing

Austin ISD is considering turning two of its properties into housing that teachers and other staff could afford as rising housing costs make it harder to retain and recruit employees. District officials have been holding public meetings on proposals for…

Housing • By Becky Fogel, KUT • Sep 21, 2022

Castleman-Bull house resolution OK’d with changes

City Council approved a resolution from Council Member Kathie Tovo last week directing City Manager Spencer Cronk to study questions about restoring the interior of the historic Castleman-Bull House, which has sat vacant since the Austin Convention Center acquired and…

Preservation • By Jo Clifton • Sep 21, 2022

Because of compatibility, mini storage units block 10 homes in South Austin 

The Board of Adjustment failed last Monday to approve a compatibility waiver that would have allowed 10 townhomes at 1609 Matthews Lane in South Austin.  In order to build the units, the owner of the half-acre property requested a variance to…

Land Development Code • By Jonathan Lee • Sep 20, 2022

Council sends police oversight act to voters, despite concerns about delay

Voters will decide in May whether to expand civilian oversight of the Austin Police Department after City Council declined to pass an initiative petition during a Sept. 15 meeting, with some members expressing concerns about potential legal challenges.  The political…

Elections • By Emma Freer • Sep 20, 2022

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