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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
- A multi-family rezoning at the rugged edge of Northwest Austin
- As Acacia Cliffs rezoning is approved, Critics say Council has sold out on its affordability commitments
- Austin ISD eliminating jobs at its central office to reduce budget deficit
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Courthouse committee seeks Commissioners Court's guidance
Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt said on Tuesday that the current gold standard of potential sites for a new civil courthouse is another county-owned property in downtown Austin. “I do understand that, at least in the tier one analysis, it’s…
Travis County • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 3, 2016
PAC it up, PAC it in: PACs in local elections
To understand political action committees, it’s useful to think of them in terms of families. For example, if a candidate for City Council or mayor were the older sibling, a PAC would be the baby – that is, it would…
Elections • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Aug 3, 2016
'Battle of the historic restoration titans' continues at Landmark Commission
There are plenty of heavy hitters on either side of the debate surrounding a proposed demolition of a contributing structure in the West Line National Register Historic District. What the debate lacks is a resolution, after the Historic Landmark Commission…
Preservation • By Elizabeth Pagano • Aug 3, 2016
Smoking ban gets fogged at Music Commission
A preliminary proposal to ban smoking on all patios in Austin was met with pushback and prompt backpedaling at a meeting of the Music Commission on Monday. Proposed by Central Health, a taxpayer-funded district in Travis County, a potential amendment…
Music & Entertainment • By Courtney Griffin • Aug 2, 2016
Coalition fights to add worker protections to expedited building permit process
The people who are building Austin can no longer afford to live in it, labor advocates say. Although they’re working on the big construction projects that are pushing Austin’s growth, construction workers in Austin have few protections, and many are…
Austin • By Cate Malek • Aug 2, 2016
PAC's poll shows big support for light rail
A grassroots effort to put a light rail referendum on the November ballot is adding one more curve to the course as City Council members sprint to decide whether to send Mayor Steve Adler’s $720 million mobility bond proposal to…
Transit • By Caleb Pritchard • Aug 2, 2016
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Austin police short-staffed and underprotected, advocates say
In the aftermath of two shootings in Austin last weekend, City Council should increase police numbers as well as invest in better body armor, advocates say. Those shootings, along with a fierce national debate over the role police should be playing…
Budget • By Cate Malek • Aug 2, 2016
Report shows flaws in city's HR complaint process
While she was the director of Austin’s Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department, Betsy Spencer sought to block the impact of a finding that her chief of construction and development had engaged in sexual harassment. In so doing, Spencer directly…
City Hall • By Jo Clifton • Aug 1, 2016
Parks and Rec Board questions repairs that could add to downtown gridlock
A routine park repair has triggered pent-up frustration over Austin’s infamously congested downtown traffic. At its meeting on July 26, members of the Parks and Recreation Board recommended a repair project that will force the closure of one lane of…
Transportation • By Cate Malek • Aug 1, 2016
Commission starts process on affordable housing incentive program
The city Planning Commission on Tuesday kicked off the creation of an amendment to Austin’s land development code to encourage developers to build more affordable housing. The objective of the proposal, which is only in the beginning stages of being…
Land Development Code • By Jack Craver • Aug 1, 2016
Reporter's Notebook: Chokeholds and other chaos
More here, more to come… On Friday, the Austin Monitor broke the story about a series of disturbing complaints at the city’s Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department. As astute readers might have guessed, we weren’t able to include all…
Reporters' Notebook • By Austin Monitor • Aug 1, 2016
Sexual harassment and retaliation claims haunt Austin's housing department
By Jo Clifton, Cate Malek and Elizabeth Pagano City of Austin documents show that employees in the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department have made numerous complaints involving inappropriate behavior, a hostile work environment, sexual harassment and retaliation over the…
