Stories by Chad Swiatecki
Developer of parking-free downtown apartments surrenders building to lender
A parking-free, 30-unit apartment building that gained attention as one of the first attempts to bring “missing middle” housing downtown has been turned over to its lender after failing to generate enough occupancy to operate successfully. Weaver Buildings, the company…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 5, 2023
Report finds widespread action needed to prepare city for future weather emergencies
The city has received dozens of steps for staff at all levels to take to reduce the impact of future weather emergencies. The full after-action report for the February 2023 winter storm evaluates problems experienced during the freeze that disrupted…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 4, 2023
Mobility Committee airs financial, environmental concerns over I-35 expansion
City Council members expressed a variety of concerns about the Interstate 35 expansion through downtown Austin, including a desire that the state and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization delay funding approvals on the $4.5 billion project until concerns over construction-related…
Transportation • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 3, 2023
APD's 911 center seeing progress in filling dispatcher, call taker vacancies
Austin Police Department has made progress in filling vacancies and improving retention in its Emergency Communications Center over the past 12 months, with more new hires expected by the end of the year. A memo released last week from Robin…
Public Safety • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 2, 2023
Council members want action, updates to improve city animal shelter
Members of City Council want ongoing updates from the Animal Services Office about the conditions at the Austin Animal Center, which a recent audit found to be routinely overcrowded due to a variety of management issues. Council’s Audit and Finance…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 29, 2023
Audit finds Austin Energy falling behind on tree-trimming schedule
The Office of the City Auditor has found Austin Energy is far behind on its seven-year schedule of trimming trees and vegetation around power lines, with the utility’s current pace likely requiring 14 years to complete all needed clearing. The…
Energy • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 28, 2023
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Downtown Commission pushes for progress on housing, Palm District planning
Members of the Downtown Commission want the city to adjust density bonus programs and other initiatives intended to add middle-income and affordable housing to new developments downtown. They also see a need for better planning and economic development measures for…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 27, 2023
Animal shelter audit calls out overcrowding, management issues for no-kill facility
An audit of operations at the Austin Animal Shelter has found that the no-kill facility is often beyond its capacity and lacks the data, staff and processes to meet the city’s 95 percent live-release goal. A draft copy of the…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 26, 2023
City taking criticisms, survey results to improve Live Music Fund process
The city is taking extensive feedback from a local musician advocacy group into consideration as it works to refine the Live Music Fund’s application process, which many hopeful recipients claimed was not aligned with the needs of working musicians. At…
Music & Entertainment • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 25, 2023
Council approves incentives for NXP Semiconductors' $290M planned investment
The city has agreed to its first major economic incentive package in six years, with just over $1 million for a variety of uses headed toward tech manufacturer NXP Semiconductors N.V. That package will allow NXP, which has two major…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 22, 2023
Council weighs affordable housing goals as it restarts HealthSouth redevelopment process
Members of City Council want the city to reexamine how much affordable and market-rate housing could be generated downtown based on the redevelopment of the parcels known as the HealthSouth property. Item 101 on the agenda for today’s meeting directs…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 21, 2023
Austin Transit Partnership seeks federal grant funding for light rail
Leaders of the Austin Transit Partnership are expected today to give the OK to petition the federal government for transportation grants needed to cover half the cost of the planned light rail system through downtown Austin. That step, which will…
