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Most Popular Stories
- Despite safety concerns, Council OKs new buildings above Shoal Creek
- Texas lawmakers finalize bill limiting property owners’ right to protest new homes nearby
- As Acacia Cliffs rezoning is approved, Critics say Council has sold out on its affordability commitments
- A multi-family rezoning at the rugged edge of Northwest Austin
- City eyes fund to preserve affordable housing, capitalize on overbuilt apartment market
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Austin landlords repeatedly cited for health and safety violations could get right to rent revoked
José Pérez and his family were afraid of their stove. It caught on fire when they tried to cook, so the family bought prepared food. They had other problems in their apartment, too: The air conditioning went out for a…
Housing • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Feb 13, 2020
Lawsuit claims TCAD hiding sales price information
Protax, which represents property owners who are protesting the property values assigned to their homes, and 10 of its employees have sued the Travis Central Appraisal District alleging the agency has violated the Texas Public Information Act. According to the…
Courts • By Jo Clifton • Feb 13, 2020
City moving ahead with quality-of-life study of people with disabilities
The city is moving ahead with a quality-of-life study of people living with disabilities in Austin, making progress on one of the top priorities for the Mayor’s Committee for People With Disabilities. During a budget forum last week, committee members…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 13, 2020
ZAP finds a compromise to bring density and more affordable housing with a unit cap
In an effort to bring more density to the environmentally sensitive area of far Southwest Austin, developers came to the Zoning and Platting Commission on Feb. 4 with a plan to construct 15 condominiums within a small footprint on their…
Zoning • By Jessi Devenyns • Feb 13, 2020
County leaders champion no-cash bail
Amidst an aggressive push from activists to reduce arrests and incarceration, Travis County leaders highlighted two important initiatives Tuesday as evidence that the county is a leader in progressive criminal justice policy. First, the Travis County Commissioners Court quickly approved…
Travis County • By Jack Craver • Feb 12, 2020
Public speaks on land use code second draft
City Council opened the floor to public comment Tuesday, leading up to its second reading on the revised draft of the Land Development Code. In total, there were 65 speakers, most of whom voiced objections of some sort to the…
Land Development Code • By Ryan Thornton • Feb 12, 2020
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UT professor maps climate vulnerability in Austin
Communities within Austin are disproportionately affected by climate change based on their social vulnerability. Social vulnerability refers to a community’s sensitivity to natural hazards and community members’ capacity to rebound from natural disasters. In a study by Patrick Bixler with…
Austin • By Jessi Devenyns • Feb 12, 2020
Overlay district would spell out heights, uses for Central Health's Brackenridge redevelopment
Later this month City Council will consider a request to create an overlay district that will allow for the ambitious redevelopment of the former University Medical Center Brackenridge property owned by Central Health. The public hearing expected to take place…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 12, 2020
Austin firefighters look to California to combat wildfire risk
Outside of California, the Austin metro area is one of the regions in the country most vulnerable to wildfire. According to CoreLogic’s 2019 Wildfire Risk Report, the metropolitan area has the fifth-highest risk in the nation for a major wildfire…
Fire • By Jessi Devenyns • Feb 11, 2020
HLC debates 'original character' in Smoot-Terrace Park
In the city of Austin, a home is considered historic if it meets several criteria, among them being at least 50 years old. Thanks to the timeline associated with its remodeling choices, the home at 607 Oakland Ave. qualified twice…
Preservation • By Jessi Devenyns • Feb 11, 2020
Audit finds temp employee misused city truck
The Office of the City Auditor has found that a temporary employee of the Planning and Zoning Department regularly misused his assigned city vehicle to drive himself home and run personal errands. His work with the city ended shortly after…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Feb 11, 2020
Music Commission seeks answers on lingering sound enforcement, 'agent of change' issues
The Music Commission has asked representatives from the Austin Police Department to attend its next meeting to discuss the delay in moving sound enforcement responsibilities from the police department to the city’s music office. At last week’s meeting, Rebecca Reynolds,…
