Austin Public Health to use new Covid-19 risk charts to align with CDC

Austin Public Health is updating its Covid-19 risk guidelines to coincide with new metrics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previously, APH had been using a five-level scale to showcase Covid-19 risk, with Stage 5 being the highest…

City joins effort to end hair-based discrimination

The city of Austin and its Office of Civil Rights are initiating a discussion about how to prevent race-based hair discrimination, which is most commonly experienced by women of color. The CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and…

Council halts move of downtown court, seeking study of future needs

City Council has changed course on its plans to relocate the Downtown Austin Community Court to a historic municipal building on West Eighth Street, directing city staff to conduct an analysis of the court’s future needs with the possibility of…

Abandoned rental cars and TSA lines out the door. What's going on at Austin's airport?

When Carmen Ortiz arrived at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) on Monday morning, two hours before departure as recommended, the line to get through security stretched down the Barbara Jordan terminal, outside the building and back down the entire length of…

Zoning battle ends in victory for Grady and Brownie project

More condos and retail space are coming to North Austin following City Council’s approval of a contentious zoning case last Thursday. Despite neighborhood opposition backed by a valid petition, Council unanimously approved zoning changes for the Grady & Brownie mixed-use…

Council approves St. Elmo zoning with promise of affordable housing

City Council gave its final blessing Thursday for a new multifamily complex in the St. Elmo area as developers promised that 10 percent of the 370 rental units would be affordable for families earning 60 percent of the median family…

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Business leaders see continued growth with airport's expansion plans

Even with expansion plans somewhat scaled back because of the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, local business leaders see the continued growth of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as vital to the region’s long-term economic prospects. At a recent panel held…

Travis County study finds it's cheaper to prevent than clean up illegal dumping

Travis County’s illegal dumping problem could be solved with a quick fix, a recent study suggests. By spending more on preemptive measures, the county could save money and prevent illegal dumping, thus solving two problems with a single stroke. At…

An inflexible code puts small landlord’s business at risk

Prospective salon tenants have been knocking on the door of Stephen Straus’ charming house-turned-office at 3402 Kerbey Lane for months, only to be turned away because of the city’s rigid land development rules.  Though a salon would be an ideal…

As Austin-area evictions rise, lawyers are on hand (virtually) to help tenants

Travis County eviction court has looked different during the pandemic. Hearings, for the most part, have been held virtually; people can log in from anywhere and learn if they have to be out of their house. Standing in a parking…

Council pushes for plans to hire more lifeguards

The city of Austin, which operates 45 aquatic facilities, is desperately seeking lifeguards. Parks and Recreation Department spokeswoman Kanya Lyons told the Austin Monitor Thursday that her department still needs to hire 614 more lifeguards. Ideally, the city would like to have…

Proposed VMU changes stir compatibility controversy

The Planning Commission has recommended changes to the Vertical Mixed-Use density bonus program to let developers build taller in exchange for more affordable housing – but only after animated discussion about compatibility standards. The proposed change, if passed into ordinance…