A bill that would make it much easier for Austin and other Texas cities to overhaul their land development codes is getting a hearing at the Capitol today. The House Committee on Land & Resource Management will take up HB 2989, a bill authored by Rep. John Cyrier, a Bastrop Republican, which would clarify that … Continue reading Could the Lege save land use reform in Austin? →

Well this was very interesting. City Council came closer than I would have expected yesterday to killing an affordable senior housing project in Southeast Austin. It was particularly interesting to see CM Vanessa Fuentes vote against the project, a troubling sign for housing advocates, many of whom have voiced cautious optimism that the newcomer, despite … Continue reading A curiously tight vote on affordable housing in Southeast Austin →

Can Austin bury I-35? City Council is starting to push back on TxDOT’s vision for I-35. Kinda. To be clear, we’re talking about the $4.3 billion I-35 Capital Express Central project, not to be confused with Capital Express North or Capital Express South expansions that will be underway even sooner. The Central project is between … Continue reading Can Austin bury I-35? And a chance for more housing on Rainey →

City Council voted to approve ballot language that is clearly aimed at defeating the proposed “strong mayor” charter amendment.

Council's new conservative member is sending mixed messages on homelessness strategy.

Hopefully more transit priority lanes are coming after the ones on E. Riverside.

Mackenzie Kelly says she wants to clear up "misconceptions" her constituents have about the proposed hotel purchase. Her colleagues give her the benefit of the doubt.

Council's new conservative member pushes to delay a shelter in her district.

If one had to mount a defense of Austin’s regressive land development code, it would be that it is an equal opportunity obstacle. It is a pain in the ass for absolutely everyone who deals with it, including the city itself. Case and point: A lengthy memo from the Public Works Dept describing ways the code currently … Continue reading How Austin’s code delays good projects, at taxpayer expense →