Austin, Monitored: Water conservation and land trusts

City leaders evaluate surprising ideas for water conservation

From Mina Shekarchi:

Robbins, a City Hall regular and the commission’s vice chair, said his second goal was to identify areas of lost potential in existing conservation strategies. He said he aimed to address a “sense of complacency that since some of our water conservation programs have been successful, there is little room to improve.” He added later that he wanted to acknowledge Austin Water’s successes as well as their challenges.

Austin has seen recent decreases in per-capita water use per day. Robbins credited this partly to the water utility’s conservation efforts and partly to Austin Water’s increasing rates and investments. He was critical of Austin’s controversial Handcox Water Treatment Plant, which is scheduled for upgrades. “In a very real sense, the high cost of the plant became a kind of a conservation device discouraging consumption,” he said.

Housing staff wants more funding, support for land trusts to build affordable homes

From Chad Swiatecki:

The Housing Department is pushing City Council to continue to provide funding for land acquisition and development subsidies to preserve long-term housing affordability. In a recent memo responding to a Council resolution from last year, housing officials describe land banking as “the bedrock” of future affordability. The memo acknowledges that expanding the city’s community land trust program will require significantly more investment, with current developments requiring between $182,000 and $230,000 in subsidy per unit.

The recommendations were submitted in response to Resolution No. 20240404-067, which called for a formal review of the city’s land banking and land trust strategies and sought recommendations for how to enhance their reach, particularly in areas at risk of displacement. The memo outlines an assortment of financial, administrative and legal steps, with an emphasis on maintaining long-term affordability in the markets for rental and ownership housing.

Training and naloxone distribution continue to fight overdoses

Austin and Travis County officials provided an update earlier this month on the progress of a $2 million federally funded initiative aimed at reducing opioid overdoses. The effort, funded through a congressional appropriation supported by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, has expanded access to naloxone, overdose response training, and peer support services. Local leaders cited a recent decline in overdose deaths as one early indicator of the initiative’s impact.

Key outcomes of the program include the distribution of more than 24,000 naloxone doses and training for over 1,100 individuals through the “Breathe Now” overdose response program. Several community organizations played a role in the initiative’s implementation. The Texas Harm Reduction Alliance worked with individuals transitioning from incarceration and homelessness, while Communities for Recovery provided peer support services. UT Austin contributed through provider education and a public health media campaign that reached tens of millions through digital and traditional channels.

Officials said the effort has laid the groundwork for more coordinated responses to substance use disorder across public health and emergency response systems. However, they also noted that continued progress will depend on sustained funding and policy support at the state and federal levels.

— Chad Swiatecki

See how the city works with CityWorks

The city is accepting applications for the 2025 CityWorks Academy, a free civic education program that offers residents a behind-the-scenes look at how city government functions. Designed for adults who live or work in Austin, the 12-week program introduces participants to key departments such as Austin Water, the Office of Emergency Management, Parks and Recreation and Public Works.

Weekly sessions include presentations, tours of city facilities and direct engagement with city staff and leadership. Past sessions have included site visits to the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the Emergency Operations Center, and Austin Energy facilities. The program seeks to build awareness of how policy decisions are implemented on the ground and to encourage public involvement in city processes.

Classes begin in September, and the deadline to apply is July 31. More information and the application form are available on the City of Austin’s website: austintexas.gov/cityworks-academy.

— Chad Swiatecki

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