Stories by Audrey McGlinchy
Thursday, March 26, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Housing
Rent deferred. Full amount due. What landlords are telling tenants during the COVID-19 crisis.
It’s a hell of a time to try to open a restaurant.That’s what Steven Kresena was thinking last week as he watched Austin Mayor Steve Adler order all restaurants and bars closed to diners in an attempt to stall the…
Thursday, March 19, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Courts
Judge throws out City Council votes on new Austin land code, putting rewrite in jeopardy
In a ruling that could derail Austin’s rewrite of its Land Development Code, a Travis County district judge voided two votes City Council has taken so far on the changes.The city has spent nearly eight years and more than $10…
Monday, March 16, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Austin
Travis County evictions put on hold, Austin Energy won’t shut off utilities amid COVID-19 outbreak
Eviction hearings in the Austin area will be put on pause until at least April 1, after Travis County justices of the peace issued an order Friday.“It’s not in the public’s interest to have people out in public trying to…
Monday, March 9, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Courts
The city’s rewrite of its land use code heads to court (again)
Lawyers representing a group of Austin homeowners will argue in court this week that landowners have the right to formally protest the rezoning of their property under a citywide land code rewrite.If the court sides with them, it could mean…
Wednesday, March 4, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Elections
District Attorney race heads to runoff election
José Garza celebrated his early lead against incumbent Margaret Moore at a campaign watch party at Mi Madre’s Restaurant in East Austin. With his early voting numbers showing a slight lead over Moore, he said he anticipated the race going…
Thursday, February 13, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Uncategorized
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 week…
Thursday, February 6, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Land Development Code
Take a look at what could be built under Austin’s proposed new land code
On Wednesday, the city of Austin revealed some models of what could be built under the proposed new Land Development Code, the rules that dictate what can be built in the city and where.It’s important to note that in most…
Monday, February 3, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Land Development Code
Austin releases reworked land code ahead of second of three votes to finalize
The Austin City Council released the second draft of its Land Development Code Friday, the latest step in the city’s more than half-decade-long attempt to update the rules determining what can be built in the city and where.“The code and…
Friday, January 31, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Police
Black and Hispanic drivers are increasingly more likely to be stopped by Austin police
While the black population in Austin hovers around 8 percent, black people made up roughly 15 percent of drivers pulled over by police and 25 percent of people subsequently arrested in 2018 – a disparity that has worsened since 2015.At…
Friday, January 24, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Police
Austin will not pay to test for marijuana, effectively decriminalizing small amounts of pot
As law enforcement agencies in Texas figure out how to test suspected marijuana following the legalization of hemp in the state, the Austin City Council responded Thursday with its fix: a measure that effectively decriminalizes small amounts of pot.“It’s the…
Wednesday, January 15, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Police
Activists say officers allege retaliation for speaking to investigators in racism probe of APD
Activists and a City Council member say they’ve heard claims of possible obstruction in the investigation into alleged racism and homophobia among the highest ranks of the Austin Police Department.“It seems that people are not able to wholeheartedly and openly…
Wednesday, January 8, 2020 by Audrey McGlinchy
Roads
Traffic deaths went up in Austin last year. Safety advocates ask: Where’s the moral outrage?
Billy Brewster loved lawnmowers. The 15-year-old, who was autistic and nonverbal, would just admire them from afar.“Billy sometimes wouldn’t even want to use the lawnmower,” his mother, Mia Brown, said. “He just wanted to stand there and look at it.”He…
Monday, December 9, 2019 by Audrey McGlinchy
Land Development Code
White homeowners dominate input over Austin’s land code rewrite. One group is trying to change that.
More than 100 people sat in Austin City Hall chambers just past 10 a.m. on Saturday, gearing up to share their thoughts about the city’s rewrite of its Land Development Code. Council Member Alison Alter, who represents part of Northwest…
Friday, December 6, 2019 by Audrey McGlinchy
Police
Austin orders sweeping probe of alleged racism, bigotry among police, including social media audit
The city of Austin will conduct a department-wide investigation of discrimination in the Austin Police Department, following accusations of racism and homophobia among the highest ranks.“There comes a time in everybody’s existence to have to do something really hard because…
Thursday, November 14, 2019 by Audrey McGlinchy
Land Development Code
Land code heads to City Council with request to focus development on West Austin instead of East
Austin’s new land use code, which determines what can be built in the city and where, is one step closer to being finalized – but first, one city body is asking that the plan encourage development farther west instead of…
Tuesday, November 12, 2019 by Audrey McGlinchy
Land Development Code
Austin City Council will start voting on a new land code in December. Here are five terms to know.
The city of Austin has spent almost eight years and roughly $11 million rewriting its land use code, the set of rules dictating what you can build in the city and where you can build it.Much of the code can…
Monday, October 28, 2019 by Audrey McGlinchy
Land Development Code
Can you protest changes to your property under the land code rewrite? City says no.
City of Austin lawyers are refuting the claims of an Austin nonprofit that has been campaigning for property owners to protest the possible rezoning of their land under the city’s land use code rewrite.“City officials plan to rezone your home…
Thursday, October 24, 2019 by Audrey McGlinchy
Health & Human Services
Audit says Austin could better track outcomes after it refers people to mental health services
The city of Austin does a poor job of tracking the outcomes of people it refers to mental health services, despite the fact that improving access to these providers is one of City Council’s goals over the next couple of…
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 by Audrey McGlinchy
Development
Dallas-based owner of much of East 12th Street teases future plans
Eureka Holdings, the Dallas-based company that has remained mum about plans for the more than two-dozen properties it has purchased on East 12th Street, has unveiled some initial goals for the area.The plans offered by Austin-based consulting firm Lionheart, give…
Friday, October 4, 2019 by Audrey McGlinchy
Land Development Code
Latest draft of Austin’s land development rules permit denser housing, loosen parking restrictions
The city has proposed allowing for denser housing while loosening parking requirements in its latest revamp of rules dictating what can be built in Austin and where.The draft proposal, released to the public Friday afternoon, also allows for accessory dwelling…
