Majority of Austin’s short-term rentals operating illegally

As the city struggles to enforce short-term rental regulations, a large majority of Austin’s STRs continue to operate illegally, according to a Sept. 6. presentation from the Code Department to the City Council Housing and Planning Committee. There are anywhere between…

Housing • By Jonathan Lee • Sep 14, 2022

APD responds to concerns about LRAD crowd control measure

At the Public Safety Commission’s special called meeting Tuesday, the Austin Police Department answered follow-up questions about its ongoing use of long-range acoustic device, or LRAD, technology as a crowd control method amid concerns it could damage the hearing of…

Police • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 14, 2022

Tovo pushes renovation of historic convention center house

For 22 years the city has owned the historic Castleman-Bull House, which sits vacant and unused at 201 Red River St. across from the Austin Convention Center’s service yard entrance. Now City Council Member Kathie Tovo hopes to push through…

Preservation • By Jo Clifton • Sep 14, 2022

Music Commission seeks say in land use around affordability, creative spaces

Members of the Music Commission have set their sights on influencing how the city handles land use specific to affordability, in the hopes that more homes and commercial spaces can be created for local musicians and artists. The commission voted…

Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 14, 2022

Mobility Committee hears the case for preventing cars from blocking bike lanes

Members of the Mobility Committee heard an argument Thursday for implementing a program that would increase enforcement of vehicles blocking bike lanes in hopes of making the streets safer for cyclists. Though the committee made no action regarding the future…

Bicycles • By Samuel Stark • Sep 13, 2022

Preservation office gets new design standards and equity plan

Big changes for Austin’s Historic Preservation Office are on the horizon, with new historic design standards and an equity-based preservation plan on course to bring major updates to the city’s preservation program. Cara Bertron, senior housing and planning officer, stopped…

Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Sep 13, 2022

Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe

Preservation leaders show concern over delay in Sixth Street historic district

The push to designate the East Sixth Street entertainment district as a city historic district has been postponed, with Council Member Kathie Tovo opting to wait for proposed new designed guidelines for properties that could be reconstructed as part of…

Preservation • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 13, 2022

Austin Animal Center is restricting intake because its kennels are full

Austin Animal Center is temporarily restricting intake starting Tuesday because the shelter is over capacity. The city-owned animal shelter is urging people to help by fostering or adopting pets from the shelter. The shelter currently has more than 700 animals,…

Austin • By Marisa Charpentier, KUT • Sep 13, 2022

City finally funds tenant relocation assistance, though program’s future remains uncertain

After leaving the Tenant Relocation Assistance Program without funds for six years, the city has found money in next year’s budget to help tenants displaced because of redevelopment. But without a dedicated funding source, the program’s longevity remains uncertain.  On…

Housing • By Jonathan Lee • Sep 12, 2022

City to raise pay for 911 operators, police dispatchers amid vacancies

The city of Austin will increase pay rates for 911 call takers and police dispatchers for the second time in five months in an effort to stanch rising vacancy rates.  Human Resources and Civil Services Director Joya Hayes announced the…

Public Safety • By Emma Freer • Sep 12, 2022

Nearly half of homeless residents exit HEAL program without housing

Despite the city’s work to move those living in homeless encampments into permanent housing, nearly half of all temporary shelter inhabitants exit the system and return to homelessness. One hundred and two people – 48 percent of those moved into shelter…

Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 12, 2022

Pedestrian crossing at Fourth and Sabine to remain closed another year

In summer 2020, Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority celebrated the reopening of its Downtown Station at Fourth and Trinity, billing the new infrastructure as a mobility hub that would enhance the area’s public space and “make easy connections” between MetroRail and…

Transportation • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 9, 2022

« Previous Page — Next Page »