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Tag Archives: Economic Development Department
Council considers Colony Park TIRZ ahead of expected approval
City Council appears ready to move forward next week with the creation of a property tax mechanism that will bring more than $80 million over 20 years to the Colony Park development in East Austin. At Tuesday’s work session, staff…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 28, 2022
Council likely to vote on negotiation only for Aspen Heights deal
At Tuesday’s work session, City Council members praised a proposed final agreement with Aspen Heights Partners for a large development at 1215 Red River St. and 606 East 12th St., formerly known as HealthSouth. They were particularly appreciative of the…
Development • By Jo Clifton • Sep 28, 2022
City moving ahead with five-year food security plan
The Office of Sustainability will soon begin recruiting community members interested in helping to create the city’s first comprehensive food plan, which is intended to address food scarcity and build up the community’s resilience to withstand natural disasters. The plan…
Resources • By Chad Swiatecki • Aug 25, 2022
Law Department predicts challenges ahead for equity-based preservation programs
The Historic Landmark Commission was in an unusually gloomy mood last Wednesday, as the meeting kicked off with an ominous briefing from the city’s legal department. At the request of Commissioner Blake Tollett, Assistant City Attorney Neal Falgoust dropped by…
Preservation • By Kali Bramble • Aug 9, 2022
Featured Collection: police contract negotiations
City, police union resume labor contract negotiations
The city of Austin and the Austin Police Association returned to the bargaining table Wednesday after a brief hiatus stemming from an impasse on oversight provisions. The city initiated the pause early this month after the police union said it…
More Headlines for police contract negotiations
City formulates $98 million financing plan to cover Colony Park gap
The city is asking Travis County to contribute $30 million to the development costs of the Colony Park planned unit development in Northeast Austin, part of a proposed financing package of $98.8 million needed to complete the project. A city…
Development • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 6, 2022
Music Commission wants Council to 'expedite' Live Music Fund activation
The Music Commission plans to push City Council and staff to speed up the deployment of the Live Music Fund, which was approved by City Council in fall 2019 but is not scheduled to be distributed until next July. At…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 30, 2022
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City outlines plans for improvements to corridors along 11th and 12th streets
The city has shared some of its initial plans for improving the African American Cultural Heritage District along 11th and 12th streets with place-making, entertainment options and development proposals expected in the coming months. In a memo released last week,…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 29, 2022
Staffing issues cause slow rollout of arts, historic preservation programs
The Economic Development Department plans to wait until fall to begin spinning up three programs for music, arts and historic preservation that are funded by proceeds from the city’s Hotel Occupancy Tax. Portions of those programs aren’t slated to become…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Jun 7, 2022
Austin Police Department Budget, 2012-2022
During the 2020-21 budget process, City Council cut $31.5 million from APD’s budget, citing the protests and “community outcry against the disproportionate impact of police violence on Black Americans, Latinx Americans and other non-white ethnic communities,” according to the approved…
City staffing shortages to delay Live Music Fund deployment until mid-2023
Musicians, promoters and other creatives will have to wait another year to enter into a contract of $5,000-$10,000 from the city’s Live Music Fund. The delay is due to a staffing shortage in the city, including 20 positions in the Economic…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • May 10, 2022
Audit finds city slow to move on workforce development recommendations
An updated audit has found the city has yet to implement most of the recommendations made five years ago related to improving workforce development programs within the Economic Development Department and Austin Public Health. The 2022 audit, which was discussed…
City Hall • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 25, 2022
Audit praises city's Covid assistance efforts, with rental payment results mixed
An audit found mixed results in the execution of some of the city’s programs created with federal money to provide assistance with the many impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. A report last week from the Office of the City Auditor…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 15, 2021
Music Commission's oversight could further delay emergency funds for musicians
The Music Commission has asked city staff for more input and involvement in how a pair of financial assistance programs for Austin musicians will be carried out, with an emergency aid fund tied to Covid-19 possibly delayed three weeks as…