Austin continues to make progress on bold 2016 sidewalk initiative 

Halfway through a 10-year plan to upgrade the city’s network of sidewalks, officials say the initiative has gone better than expected but still needs considerable work to extend walkability to the majority of residents. “It feels like a tale of…

New collaborative hopes to address equity gaps in Austin's response to homelessness

Austin has consistently struggled to get people living outdoors into homes. Part of that failure lies in the city’s unprecedented real estate boom and affordability crisis over the last 10 years. Another reason is that people of color, who are overrepresented among…

Long Center seeks to act as administrative hub for new creative consortium

Executives with the Long Center for the Performing Arts want the facility to serve as an administrative hub for local arts groups, providing shared services that could lower costs and eventually bring in major corporate donations to benefit member organizations.…

Council moves forward with arts funding plan, promising relief for nonprofit grant applicants

Following the recommendations of the Arts Commission, City Council has approved funding for cultural arts programs with plans to significantly expand its nonprofit relief grant program. That’s good news for the program’s applicants, who can all expect to see checks…

Cap Metro to create 1,000 jobs over coming decade

On Monday, the Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board of Directors discussed its workforce retention plan, building on the discussion of labor shortages across the country, as well as the announcement last week that Capital Metro bus driver starting wages will…

Enhancing your news experience: A first step

We know there are a lot of information and media sources that compete for your time. It seems like this number grows exponentially every year, and with the move to everything digital, we know it is important to factor in…

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Council looks to increase height allowed under VMU zoning

City Council last Thursday took a step toward addressing housing affordability, passing a resolution to allow greater building height in areas zoned Vertical Mixed-Use (VMU). The code change would create VMU2, a new zoning category that allows 90 feet of…

City Council to meet for special session on housing supply

City Council is convening Nov. 30 to discuss what Mayor Steve Adler has called one of Austin’s “greatest present challenges” – housing supply. In a City Council Message Board post co-authored with Council Member Alison Alter last Wednesday, Adler outlined…

ZAP says MF-2 too dense for Menchaca, a Project Connect corridor

On Tuesday, the Zoning and Platting Commission rejected Multifamily Low-Density (MF-2) zoning for three properties along Menchaca Road over objections from some commissioners who argued for more density on a corridor slated for Project Connect investment. “When I look at…

Austin Energy's REACH program falls behind its carbon emissions goals

Austin Energy announced last week that it is significantly behind its goals for reducing carbon emissions this year, citing operational and market factors. While the utility hopes to make up some of the gap between now and the end of the…

South Central Waterfront financing plan expected next month

After many years of vision planning and discussions, two major redevelopment projects – the South Central Waterfront and the Colony Park Vision Plan in Northeast Austin – are showing some degree of progress in relation to how the projects would…

Major development on Regiene Road wins first-round OK

City Council voted unanimously Thursday to approve on first reading Major Planned Development zoning for a 16-acre East Austin site previously zoned for industrial uses. The only industrial use allowed on the site at 6501 and 6705 Regiene Road will…