Council to honor former member by naming a bend in Shoal Creek trail

At 1 p.m. today, City Council will consider and most likely approve an ordinance honoring former Council Member Chris Riley, who has spent years advocating for Austin’s trails and greenbelts, as well as for the safety of those who use…

TipSheet: Austin City Council, 5.30.24

City Council will meet today for the last time before its summer break. Because the next meeting isn’t until July 18, one might expect the agenda to be overstuffed, but it’s really not that bad. As usual, we’ve done our…

As federal funds decrease, Council to consider future funding for homelessness

With the city nearly exhausted of the federal money dedicated to providing housing for people who are homeless, City Council will likely direct staff to adjust and improve processes, in coordination with Travis County, for short-term assistance and long-term housing…

Charter changes might include city attorney appointment

This November, Austin voters will have plenty to ponder as they look at the city’s portion of the ballot. Every Austin voter will have a chance to vote on mayoral candidates, and voters in Districts 2, 4, 6, 7 and…

Across Austin, Street Impact Fees are being collected but not yet spent

Though none of the money has been spent, two years of collecting Street Impact Fees has netted a potential $17 million in roadway capacity projects for Austin roads.  Curious members of the Downtown Commission got an update on the city’s…

Leaking city pipes appear to be drought-proofing some Austin trees

Austin loses an estimated 21 gallons of water per person every day, mostly through leaks in the city’s water distribution system. Last year that totaled 8.6 billion gallons lost. Those leaks waste more than water; they drain energy and cost…

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Transportation official's movie rental with city credit card was fraud, audit finds

Acting on a request they received last August, members of the Office of the City Auditor’s investigative team uncovered a trail of fraudulent behavior by Transportation and Public Works Department superintendent Michael Collier. In an audit report released last week,…

East Austin organizers push for equity/anti-displacement overlay to address affordability

A coalition of community groups representing East Austin is pushing City Council to require new infill residences built on smaller lots in the Eastern Crescent be made affordable for longtime residents at risk of being displaced due to the rising…

Memo outlines the high cost of planning for Austin’s environmental future

With the city already facing a budget deficit exceeding $13 million in the 2025 budget year, a recent staff memo with cost estimates for funding an array of environmental initiatives may be causing sticker shock in some circles. Yet proponents…

SOS sues city to stop Statesman PUD

The Save Our Springs Alliance has sued the city in an attempt to stop construction of the Statesman Planned Unit Development that Council approved in December 2022. Specifically, the environmental organization seeks to stop any “permit approvals, city fee waivers,…

Travis County has seen a surge of fentanyl overdoses. A new report shows it's not slowing down.

Fentanyl-related overdoses continue to be the leading cause of accidental overdose deaths in Travis County, according to a new report from the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office. In 2023, 279 people died from a fentanyl-related overdose – up from 245…

Watson eyes city grants for child care providers in tandem with proposed county tax vote

Mayor Kirk Watson voiced support Thursday for a proposed grant program for home-based child care providers throughout the city, as one piece of a countywide effort to address one of the most persistent affordability issues in Austin. Speaking at a…