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 “vulnerable” officers given rising threats against them.
New safety centers
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Austin moves to ban hidden rental fees in affordability, transparency push City landlords could soon be required to disclose all tenant fees from the start of the leasing process. Put in perspective Tenant Action and University of Texas School of Law analysts found hidden fees are common around Austin. housing providers are concerned about unin- tended consequences from the council proposal. Zooming out
UT Law clinical professor Heather K. Way said the system creates a “race to the bottom,” leaving honest landlords at a competitive disadvantage if they do disclose extra costs upfront. Emily Blair, Austin Apartment Association executive vice president, said Austin landlords are committed to fee transparency and that some local
New rules for rental fee and apartment advertis- ing transparency could be in place by June, based on a resolution from council member Ryan Alter approved in late October. More than half of Austin’s households rent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Renter representation group Building and Strengthening
Austin’s approach comes with more reported rental housing “junk fees” nationwide, according to the National Consumer Law Center. The White House and Federal Trade Commis- sion also moved to ban junk fees. And apartment listing services like Zillow have changed their systems to display total rental costs.
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