Government
BY HALEY MCLEOD & BEN THOMPSON
Austin to spend $123M on public safety sites A new land acquisition to expand Austin’s public safety training campus is set to be approved, weeks after City Council voted to buy two Southwest Austin offices to serve as a future combined police, fire and emer- gency medical services headquarters. The big picture On Nov. 21, after press time, council members will vote to spend $2.24 million for more than 4 acres of land near the existing training center in South Austin to expand that facility’s capacity, according to the city. It’d come soon after they authorized the purchase of what will become a joint headquarters building off MoPac on Oct. 24. The acquisition and related design and rehabilitation will cost $120.5 million, to be funded through city debt.
Security concerns Texas judges, court staff and others in the legal system have faced an increasing volume of security incidents this decade including dozens of personal threats made in 2023 alone.
342.1% increase since 2014
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SOURCE: TEXAS OFFICE OF COURT ADMINISTRATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Travis County invests in judicial security systems Travis County commissioners approved new judicial safety funding this fall, following scrutiny of previous home security spending on District Attorney José Garza. What happened County leaders approved a $115,000 budget amendment for Garza’s security after a March executive session. Attorney General Ken Paxton since sued them, claiming their “secret” discus- sion over using public money at a private resi- dence violated state law. On Oct. 22, commissioners approved $500,000 for county judge, staff and elected officials’ safety.
They also reaffirmed Garza’s security funding, which a county spokesperson said is needed to address threats. Commissioner Jeff Travillion said the moves are needed to protect public workers in a “poisonous political time.” District Judge Julie Kocurek—shot nine years ago in apparent retaliation for a judicial ruling—said funding may help officers, given the rising threats against them. “[This funding] would help protect us where we are most vulnerable, so that we can do our jobs free from danger and keep our families from danger as well as ourselves,” Kocurek said. Coupled with their approval for the $500,000 security funding initiative Oct. 22, commissioners passed a second motion allocating $115,000 to the district attorney for security enhancements to address threats at specific locations identified by a security assessment, reaffirming the March vote.
New safety centers
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Land purchase
60-unit housing for residents exiting homelessness now open in Austin A former hotel property off MoPac in Northwest Austin started housing dozens of residents exiting homelessness in November, representing the last of several city-sponsored hotel conversions for supportive housing and shelter. The big picture Officials with the city and Integral Care—Travis Park, the 60-unit complex, on Nov. 1. Move-ins are expected to begin later in November. Bungalows is open to residents who’ve experi- enced lengthy homelessness in recent years and have a disabling condition. Under the permanent supportive housing, or PSH, model, tenants will receive help with their housing costs and have
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Bungalows at Century Park
on-site services available like homeless case management, counseling, nursing, peer support and group therapy, employment assistance, and community events.
County’s health authority for mental illness, substance use disorders and other disabilities— marked the opening of Bungalows at Century
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NORTH - NORTHWEST AUSTIN EDITION
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