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Environmental Commission recommends watershed code changes despite equity concerns
At its regular meeting last week, the Environmental Commission voted to recommend a group of watershed-related Land Development Code changes to City Council, along with a set of recommendations on public engagement and equity. The amendments to Title 25 of…
Environment • By Nina Hernandez • Sep 26, 2022
Landmark commission OKs Stenger demolition
An A.D. Stenger-designed home in South Austin is headed for demolition with the unanimous consent of the city’s Historic Landmark Commission. Normally, this would be an unusual move by the city commission entrusted with evaluating the city’s historic buildings. However,…
Preservation • By Elizabeth Pagano • Sep 26, 2022
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
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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
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…
