About the Author
Chad Swiatecki is a 20-year journalist who relocated to Austin from his home state of Michigan in 2008. He most enjoys covering the intersection of arts, business and local/state politics. He has written for Rolling Stone, Spin, New York Daily News, Texas Monthly, Austin American-Statesman and many other regional and national outlets.
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Stories by Chad Swiatecki
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
A year later, workforce plan pieces coming into alignment
Nearly a year after Austin, Travis County and an assortment of nonprofit organizations announced a coordinated effort to move low- and middle-income residents into more stable and high-paying jobs, the early talks and planning to make that happen are coming…
Friday, May 25, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Health & Human Services
Growing opioid abuse crisis draws push for budget requests, partnerships
Looking to head off a public health issue that was repeatedly referred to as a growing crisis, City Council voted Thursday to take the first steps to combat an increase in deaths and abuse of the opioid family of drugs…
Thursday, May 24, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Get smart: Tech leaders seeking solutions to Austin’s data, hardware challenges
Describing the patchwork of roughly a dozen information management systems her employees have to use to manage the city’s affordable and low-income housing network, Rosie Truelove said it’s time for Austin’s tech sector to help the city run smarter. With…
Monday, May 21, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Downtown 2039: New vision anticipates growth, mobility changes, cultural preservation
Improved mobility, preservation of at-risk cultural assets and public space, and a dramatic expansion of residential and commercial activity are some of the biggest components of a new 21-year vision created for downtown Austin.The Downtown Austin Alliance has started to…
Thursday, May 17, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Budget
Safety, transit planning among priorities at start of budget input sessions
If the opinions expressed during the second of the city’s 11 community budget input sessions is any indication, City Council members will be considering sizable shifts in public safety resources later this summer before adoption of the city’s next $3.9…
Tuesday, May 15, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
City Council
Council votes to move ahead with People’s Plan to combat displacement
City Council’s push to address the area’s rising cost of living could soon include components of a plan put forward by a coalition of community groups to prevent low-income residents from being priced out of Austin. At last week’s meeting,…
Monday, May 14, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
After community input, the wait is on for soccer team’s Austin proposal
After a blitz of community input sessions in recent weeks, representatives of the group looking to move a Major League Soccer franchise to Austin have a firm grasp on what they have to do to meet what they admit is…
Friday, May 11, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Heavily amended events ordinance passes, ending six-year struggle to manage large gatherings
A heavily amended version of the city’s long-proposed special events ordinance was given its third reading and final approval Thursday, setting the stage for the next steps in creating a new framework for planning and regulating large gatherings throughout the…
Wednesday, May 9, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Six years gone: Music Commission again asks Council to halt special events ordinance
The Austin Music Commission has asked City Council to put on hold nearly six years of work on updating and revamping of the city’s regulations covering special events.At Monday’s meeting, the commission approved a resolution that calls the current draft…
Tuesday, May 8, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Incentive proposals target middle class, creatives in push to address affordability
After more than a year of community input and research, the city is taking the next steps to dramatically overhaul its policies for economic incentives to grow businesses in Austin.The proposed changes, which will be presented at today’s City Council…
Friday, May 4, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Environment
Talking climate change, national water experts in Austin look for answers
With temperatures creeping toward the triple digits and area rainfall totals falling below historical averages, Austin’s environmental and public planning communities recently got a look at the ways local governments across the country are planning to deal with water management…
Friday, April 27, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Health & Human Services
Dell Med School using grant money for population, teen mental health
A grant of nearly $1 million from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation is paying for a pair of programs at the University of Texas’ Dell Medical School that will attempt to advance treatment of teenage mental health and the…
Thursday, April 26, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Housing
Real estate leaders tackle equity, housing affordability at ULI breakfast
Austin’s ability to continue its rapid economic and population growth while trying to keep longtime residents from being forced out due to affordability issues was the topic of the day at Wednesday’s breakfast meeting for the Urban Land Institute. The…
Tuesday, April 24, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Arts programs could showcase diversity under ‘inclusion rider’ concept
Austin’s Music and Arts commissions are in the early phase of a push to make the city’s contracts for cultural services take steps to reach out to underrepresented groups, in an attempt to give more opportunities to those who have…
Monday, April 23, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Entertainment & Events
Events ordinance approaching completion, with rules TBD
It appears that the city’s ordinance to manage the thriving and lucrative special events industry in Austin is finally about to become a working part of local code.City Council is expected to have a third reading and final approval of…
Friday, April 20, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Austin
Chamber conference tackles pains (and gains) of Austin businesses
Business owners and leaders gathered Thursday for the Austin Chamber of Commerce’s State of Talent conference sounded a common refrain: Life in a bustling and fast-growing population center doesn’t guarantee easy days of cash registers that ring by themselves.Rather, compounding…
Thursday, April 19, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Bonds & Propositions
Extra bond requests – $65M and counting – bring worry for cultural centers
Requests for additional funds for cultural and arts needs in a bond proposal expected to be voted on in November are causing worry from community groups that sticker shock could put much-needed funding at risk.Some of those concerns bubbled up…
Monday, April 16, 2018 by Chad Swiatecki
Housing
Fund to preserve workforce housing begins the hunt for first 1,000 units
A group of real estate investors focused on preserving housing for Austin’s middle-class workforce is on the hunt for properties, with the goal of purchasing up to 1,000 apartment units within the next year.The Austin Housing Conservancy announced last week…
