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City putting high expectations on pending 'homelessness czar' position

By the end of this month, the city is expected to name a new “homelessness czar” – or homeless strategy officer in city hiring speak. The new hire will become the point person to coordinate programs from the city and…

City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 4, 2019

In light of urgent United Nations report, Austin updates climate plan

When Austin developed its Community Climate Plan in 2015, declaring its ambition to become a carbon neutral community by 2050, the plan was heralded as a landmark decision by Council. However, that was before leading United Nations scientists alerted the…

Environment • By Jessi Devenyns • Feb 4, 2019

Access to schools highlights Cap Remap limitations

Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority knew that its June 2018 network change, Cap Remap, would remove transit service from vulnerable communities long before the changes took place. The eliminations were part of an intentional attempt to funnel resources into frequent service…

Transit • By Ryan Thornton • Feb 4, 2019

City of Austin orders outside review of police handling of sexual assault cases

The city has ordered an independent review of the Austin Police Department’s handling of sexual assault cases, asking investigators to track incidents from when they’re first reported to police to when they’re closed or handed off to the district attorney’s…

City Council • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Feb 1, 2019

City reluctantly fulfills legal obligation for Oak Hill Parkway

When the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization approved the Oak Hill Parkway Project on Jan. 14, Austin Mayor Steve Adler’s only regret was the loss of a good opportunity to use tolls to cover maintenance costs. Austin City Council members…

Roads • By Ryan Thornton • Feb 1, 2019

Firefighter off for one day for 'disrespect'

After finding that a male firefighter under his command spoke in a disrespectful manner to a female firefighter, Austin Fire Chief Joel Baker suspended the firefighter for just one day, to the dismay of the female firefighter. Baker did not…

City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Feb 1, 2019

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Council kicks off new year with measures aimed at affordability

In its first official meeting since the election, City Council unanimously approved several measures aimed at Austin’s growing affordability crisis. In an attempt to increase funding for affordable housing in a rapidly gentrifying part of East Austin, Council approved a…

Austin • By Jack Craver • Feb 1, 2019

Western Travis County overlay ESD may provide critical revenue to struggling area

Emergency Services District 8 in western Travis County will soon be giving voters a chance to pay more taxes in exchange for much-needed service improvements. Following a public hearing Tuesday morning, the Commissioners Court unanimously approved ESD 8’s petition to…

Public Safety • By Ryan Thornton • Jan 31, 2019

State, medical school lay out plans for new Austin State Hospital

Officials from the state and from Dell Medical School at the University of Texas have put together their plans for a new Austin State Hospital that will be constructed on the existing 95-acre campus in the Hyde Park neighborhood. State…

Uncategorized • By Chad Swiatecki • Jan 31, 2019

New city agreement with ARCH would shift focus to housing

The Austin City Council will vote Thursday on renewing the contract for Front Steps, the operator of the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless. The new agreement could bring systemic changes to the city’s homeless shelter. One of those changes…

City Council • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Jan 31, 2019

Who's serving on City Council committees?

It’s finally time for the first City Council meeting of the year – and consequently, time to reconstitute Council committees. But anyone expecting big changes in the membership of those committees would probably be mistaken, though there will be some…

City Council • By Jo Clifton • Jan 31, 2019

Council considering emergency shelter resolution

The number of homeless people in Austin continues to grow, yet shelter for these people has not kept pace, according to data gathered by the city and the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, or ECHO. On any given day, there were…

City Council • By Jo Clifton • Jan 30, 2019

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