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Council looks to expand AI policies, examine energy and water needs for data centers

Later this week, City Council will consider a substantial expansion of the city’s artificial intelligence oversight, incorporating detailed guidance on workforce protections, public transparency, and the environmental impacts of growing AI infrastructure. The resolution on Thursday’s agenda builds on a…

Animal Center gets interim leaders to help with five-year improvement plan

The city is moving forward with new leadership at Austin Animal Center, following a memo from city manager T.C. Broadnax announcing the appointment of an interim leadership team. As of last week, Rolando Fernandez took over as interim chief animal…

Downtown Commission looks at partnerships, philanthropy to address homelessness

The city is establishing new partnerships with homelessness relief organizations and could announce new philanthropic partners later this month, while continuing to improve programs already in place to address the needs of the area’s growing homeless population. The most recent…

Fed spending cuts delay city's workforce, infrastructure training plans

City staff are seeking additional time to develop a comprehensive plan for funding and implementing the city’s workforce development program, in part due to federal funding delays and broader budget uncertainties. A recent memo to City Council from the city’s…

Austin requires all homes to have working air conditioning

Ahead of Austin’s scorching summer months, City Council members adopted a property maintenance code Thursday that requires all homes in the city to have functioning air conditioning. The new rule does not require property owners to have central air conditioning. But…

Council OKs next steps in planning improvements to Sixth Street district

With early data suggesting the area’s safety can continue to improve, City Council approved a detailed resolution Thursday directing city staff to pursue a wide-ranging set of improvements and operational changes aimed at encouraging daytime activity in the Sixth Street…

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TipSheet: Austin City Council, 4.10.25

Today’s Austin City Council meeting looks to be a rather tame affair, but we’re staying tuned nonetheless. As usual, the entire agenda is posted online, but we’ve read through and made our best guesses at what might be worth a…

City facing a $33 million deficit for 2026

Given current conditions, the city’s budget analysts are projecting a $33 million shortfall in the city’s General Fund in Fiscal Year 2026, with that number increasing to $79.9 million by FY 2030. City Council heard the bad news from City…

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City looking to fill in gaps after spending or encumbering all ARPA funds

The city has spent or encumbered a total of $188.5 million that it received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act. According to a memo to the mayor and City Council, the city met the Dec. 31,…

City Council expected to implement requirements for residential air conditioning

The city is revising its technical building codes. As part of this process, City Council is slated to adopt changes to Austin’s version of the International Property Maintenance Code on April 10. Most notably, these changes will include a requirement…

Workshops helping city gear up business expansion, place-based incentive programs

Ahead of a planned rollout in May, the city is hoping a series of workshops this month will generate interest in its updated business expansion and upcoming place-based enhancement incentive programs. The programs, which were recently approved by City Council,…

Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland to retire following administrative leave

The city announced last week that Chief Animal Services Officer Don Bland will retire, effective May 9, following his placement on administrative leave in early March. Bland, the director of the Austin Animal Center since 2019, was placed on administrative…

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