South Central Austin Edition | October 2024

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South Central Austin Edition VOLUME 17, ISSUE 7 OCT. 26NOV. 26, 2024 Police deal in focus

The Austin Police Department’s most recent cadet class graduated 54 ocers on Sept. 20.

COURTESY AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT

Austin, police leaders eye new contract to address vacancy ‘crisis,’ oversight terms

oversight—one reason the last deal fell through. “[This agreement] recommends meaningful investments in ocer pay and benets, helping to bring much-needed stability to the department,” City Manager T.C. Broadnax said.

Association, which represents ocers, in 2023. The contract now on the table is viewed by some as key for attracting and retaining more ocers on a short-staed force, and improving overall public safety eorts. It’s also being scrutinized for its record $218 million price tag, and handling of police

BY BEN THOMPSON

Austin’s police force and city leaders could sign o on a new ve-year contract this fall after going well over a year without one. Reaching an agreement has been prioritized since City Council passed on a deal with the Austin Police

CONTINUED ON 24

Also in this issue

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Government: Southwest Austin public safety headquarters under consideration (Page 14)

Transportation: Austinites can take a driverless taxi starting next year (Page 16)

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The more you feed the blob the bigger it gets, becoming a monster clog causing expensive repairs, foul odors and sanitary sewer overflows!

Fat, oil and grease comes from food like cooking oil, meat drippings, butter, sauces, gravy, dairy products, and even salad dressing.

Help stop the Grease Blob! 6 Scrape food scraps into the trash or compost if you can 6 Collect cooking oil in a container then toss into the trash 6 Use paper towels or wipes to remove grease. DON’T FLUSH , toss them into the trash

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This Pedestrian Safety Month, the Mobility Authority wants to help you stay two steps ahead. Use these tips to keep walkers, runners and cyclists safe.

MOTORISTS

PEDESTRIANS

• Stay alert at intersections for pedestrians. • Slow down in neighborhoods and school zones. • Avoid distractions like cell phones to stay focused. • Leave space between your car and the crosswalk at stops.

• Look both ways and make eye contact before crossing. • Cross at corners and follow signals. • Walk facing traffic if there is no sidewalk. • Wear high-visibility clothing.

MORE THAN MILES

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

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Impacts

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

NORTH AUSTIN

was developed by chef and owner Daniel Berg and operating partner Dylan Salisbury, also behind Bill’s Oyster downtown. • Opening in November • 1601 W. 38th St., Ste. 1, Austin • www.teddysaustin.com

Now open

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MOPAC

Relocations

5 Texas Thrift Originally located in the Capital Plaza, the thrift store moved to a new location along US 183. The business sells used clothing, furniture, accessories and houseware. • Opened Sept. 9 • 8740 Research Blvd., Austin • www.buythrift.com

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2 Birdhouse Books and Gifts The store, owned by local Abby Strite, offers a diverse selection of middle-grade and young adult fiction, graphic novels, general fiction as well as a notable collection of LGBTQ+ titles. Book stands highlight works by local authors and one shelf includes a “banned books” section. • Opened Sept. 27 • 5925 Burnet Road, Austin • www.bookshop.org/shop/birdhousebooksatx

In the news

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6 Central Market The grocer celebrated its 30th anniversary in September, marking the milestone by breaking the Guinness World Record for largest charcuterie board to be created and consumed. The store first opened off North Lamar Boulevard in 1994. • 4001 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin • www.centralmarket.com 7 North Village Library The library will be renamed as the John Gillum Branch Library, in honor of Gillum, a longtime library employee who retired as a facilities process manager in 2019 after nearly four decades. • Name change approved Aug. 29 • 2505 Steck Ave., Austin • www.library.austintexas.gov/north-village-branch 8 Art Realm Tattoo The tattoo studio and fine art gallery is celebrating 10 years in business this November. The studio is owned by artists Andrew Matela and Nick Baxter, and is now offering piercing services from Tara Baxter for ages five and older. • 6203 N Capital of Texas Hwy., Austin • www.artrealmtattoo.com

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North Central

3 Aburi Oshi Sushi A new to-go concept is now offering a takeaway menu in Austin including flame-seared and pressed sushi, as well as classic rolls. Aburi Oshi is the first United States venture for the Aburi Restaurants group, which has concepts in Japan and Canada. • Opened Sept. 20 • 5610 N. I-35, Austin • www.aburioshisushi.com

Now open

1 Mochinut A combination of American and Japanese cuisine, Mochinut offers star-shaped donuts, mochi balls and Korean hot dogs, all made from rice flour. The menu also includes boba, other Asian-inspired beverages and soft serve ice cream. Mochinut can also be found off West Parmer Lane.

Coming soon

• New location opened July 12 • 6406 N. I-35, Ste. 2475, Austin • www.mochinut.com

4 Teddy’s A new Southwestern-inspired eatery and bar will feature 80 seats split between an indoor space and an enclosed, temperature-controlled patio outside. The restaurant

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Impacts

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

former home of Estelle’s lounge, from Austin real estate firm LV Collective, the building’s owner, and Matt Wolski, the local hospitality operator behind Other Racquet Social Club and Parlor & Yard. • Opening Oct. 28 • 400 Colorado St., Austin • www.tigerlillyatx.com

Now open

INNER CAMPUS DR.

Relocations

5 Juiced Up and YTX Yoga The juice bar and yoga studio will both reopen in a new space from their shared East Fourth Street space. Juiced up serves smoothies, acai bowls and more, while YTX offers in-studio and virtual classes for different styles of yoga and strength training. • Relocating this fall • 200 W. Sixth St., Ste. 250, Austin • www.juicedupcafe.com and www.ytxaustin.com

2 SusieCakes The bakery specializes in classic desserts like cakes, cupcakes and cookies made from scratch by in-house bakers. The company does not use any mixes, artificial preservatives, high-fructose corn syrups or trans-fats. The store also offers delivery services. • Opened Sept. 6 • 1111 W. Sixth St., Bldg. A, Ste. 110, Austin • www.susiecakes.com

In the news

6 The Refugee Collective The nonprofit celebrated its 15th anniversary in April. The organization provides community support to refugees resettled in Austin. • 200 E. Eighth St, Austin • www.therefugeecollective.org 7 The University of Texas at Austin Tower A $70 million project to revitalize the historic clock tower on campus will begin in November and last through 2027. • 110 Inner Campus Drive, Austin • www.tower.utexas.edu

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Downtown/West Campus

Coming soon

3 Katz’s The formerly shuttered Austin deli—known for New York-style sandwiches—will return after owners Barry and Lisa Katz bought the original building. The deli opened in 1979, expanded to Houston in 2000 where multiple locations are still open, and the original Austin location closed in 2011. • Opening in 2025 • 618 W. Sixth St., Austin • www.katzsneverkloses.com

Now open

1 Barefoot Campus Outfitter A university apparel shop with locations across Texas opened an Austin location near The University of Texas at Austin campus. The store is now offering Longhorn apparel, accessories, gifts and more. Brianna Bledsoe, Barefoot Campus Outfitter marketing director, said they opened in time for the game against Georgia on Oct. 19. • Opened Oct. 18

Closings

8 The Statesman The American restaurant and bar was open for a less than a year before it quietly closed, with online reservations and the phone line dark. • Closed this summer • 710 W. Sixth St., Ste. B, Austin

• 2338 Guadalupe St., Austin • Instagram: barefootaustin_

4 Tiger Lilly A three-story private event space will open in the

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Impacts

BY COMMUNITY IMPACT STAFF

5 Swedish Hill The Austin bakery, cafe and deli will open in Bouldin Creek, taking over what was previously Foxtrot. Owned by the MML Hospitality group, Swedish Hill offers pastries, sandwiches, salads and soups, coffee and more.

Coming soon

MOPAC

• Opening in early 2025 • 1804 S. First St., Austin • www.swedishhillaustin.com

MOPAC

Relocations

6 Crux Climbing Center South The south location of Crux Climbing Center will be closing Dec. 31, but plans for a new location are underway. Crux can also be found in Pflugerville and in North Austin next to Blue Genie Art Bazaar, offering climbing, yoga and fitness. • Relocating late 2025

3 Day Maker Half Day Cafe From the team behind Jack Allen’s Kitchen and Salt Traders Coastal Cooking, Jack Gilmore and Tom Kamm announced a new breakfast and brunch concept. The menu will include traditional brunch items, like eggs benedict and omelets, while also catering to the fun-loving Austin ambiance with a hangover-slaying Breakfast Burger and Big Belly

• 220 Ralph Ablanedo Dr., Austin • www.cruxclimbingcenter.com

MENCHACA RD.

PICKLE RD.

275

In the news

Pastrami Sandwich. • Opening this fall

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RALPH ABLANEDO DR.

7 Broken Spoke Austin’s famous honky-tonk dance hall will turn 60 years old in November. Owned by the family of the late James M. White, Broken Spoke has hosted a multitude of country music performers since its opening in 1964 including Willie Nelson and George Strait. • 3201 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin • www.brokenspokeaustintx.net 8 Lions Municipal Golf Course The Muny Conservancy and Austin Founder Lions Club celebrated the 141-acre golf course’s 100th birthday. The AFLC built the course’s first nine holes in November 1924. In 1950, it became the first racially integrated public golf course in the Southern U.S., a milestone recognized by the Texas Historical Commission and the National Register of Historic Places. • 2901 Enfield Road, Austin • www.austintexas.gov/department/lions-municipal- course

• 1101 S. MoPac, Austin • www.daymakeratx.com

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South Central

Elementary. Owned by Shekhar Niraj, Tikka House serves North and South Indian dishes and Indo-Chinese. • Opened Sept. 29 • 2026 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin • www.tikkahousetx.com

Now open

1 Rocky’s Bar A tropical-themed bar opened in the courtyard of South Congress Avenue’s Austin Motel. Named after the hotel’s former mascot, a cat called Rocky, the bar offers cocktails and shave ice from a walk-up window. • Opened Oct. 3 • 1220 S. Congress Ave., Austin • www.bunkhousehotels.com/austin-motel/rockys-bar 2 Tikka House Indian Eatery The new Indian restaurant is open in what was previously

Coming soon

4 Austin Bouldering Project The rock climbing gym will open its third Austin location near Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden, replacing what was a Crux Climbing Center. ABP offers climbing, yoga and

other fitness classes. • Opening March 2025

• 121 Pickle Rd., #100, Austin • www.boulderingproject.com

SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

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Impacts

BY ELLE BENT & BEN THOMPSON

Filipino-style ceviche and Texas oysters, food skewers, and other dishes like adobo, ribs, pork belly and oxtail. OKO also has a tropical-inspired drink menu. • Opened Sept. 25 • 1100 E. Sixth St., Austin • www.okoaustin.com 5 St. Elmo Springdale St. Elmo Brewing Co.’s second Austin location opened late this summer. The pet- and family-friendly location is spread across 15,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor spaces, including a children’s play area. The brewery serves a variety of beers on tap and to-go, plus wine, cider, frozen and nonalcoholic drinks, and cafe offerings by Spokesman. Spicy Boys Chicken and Pueblo Viejo also have food trucks onsite. • Opened Sept. 17 • 8110 Springdale Road, Austin • www.stelmobrewing.com/springdale

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2 Bar Alcina The new rooftop lounge is now open at the Italian- American eatery Casa Bianca. The lounge serves bar snacks, cocktails, wine and other drinks and will host events in the future. Food items include sandwiches, chilled pastas and other small dishes. • Opened Sept. 24

Coming soon

6 Teddy’s Neighborhood Bar From the same team behind Love Supreme Pizza Bar, is a neighborhood cocktail bar taking over the former Thunderbird Coffee space on Manor Road. Teddy’s will be co-owned by Ryan and Wade McElroy, Paulina Cline and Love Supreme executive chef Russell Victorioso. • Opening Oct. 11 • 2200 Manor Rd., Austin • www.teddysatx.com 973

• 1510 E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin • www.casabiancaatx.com/upstairs

C O

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East Austin

3 Kalimotxo Spanish bar and eatery Kalimotxo reopened in the Arrive Austin hotel on the east side this fall. The 113-seat restaurant from Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group is now serving tapas and larger dishes like roasted prawns and Basque-style Texas wagyu steak, along with beverages including house cocktails and a curated selection of wines. • Opened Oct. 11

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In the news

Now open

7 The Liberty The dive bar is celebrated its 15th anniversary in October. The Liberty features a traditional dive bar vibe with music played on a jukebox, a pool table and even an Asian food truck, MANNA, on the outdoor patio. • 1618 E. Sixth St., Austin • www.6street.com/listing/the-liberty

1 Hyperreal Film Club Co-founded by David McMichael, Jenni Kaye and Tanner Hadfield, the local movie enthusiast group launched a new theater location. The space offers screenings throughout the week—including local shorts and international films—and hosts community meet-ups and 71

• 1813 E. Sixth St., Austin • www.kalimotxoatx.com

theater rentals. • Opened Sept. 3 • 301 Chicon St., Austin • www.hyperrealfilm.club

4 OKO The Filipino restaurant and lounge opened early this fall in East Austin in the former Ah Sing Den space. The 1,600-square-foot bar and eatery is now serving cuisine from the Philippines with a Texan influence including

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Enhanced TxTag customer service is coming!

To improve customer experience, the Texas Department of Transportation is working toward transitioning toll collection, billing, and customer service operations to the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA).

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Government

BY HALEY MCLEOD & BEN THOMPSON

$2B Travis County budget funds justice updates Travis County officials passed a $1.97 billion fis- cal year 2024-25 budget—a 16% increase from last year—with millions reserved for judicial reforms. Budget explained About $75.8 million of the budget awaits voter approval in the November election. County officials previously approved a tax rate of $0.3195 per $100 of property value to support much of the budget. However, the officials have proposed a further 2.5-cent increase to support child care. Voters will decide whether to approve that addition—an estimated $288 annual tax increase for the average homeowner—in November. The details One highlight of the new budget is $15.5 million set aside to fully implement a counsel at first appearance program offering legal representation

Task force planning Austin climate bond Austin voters will likely be weighing a climate-centered bond package by Novem- ber 2026, and its development is underway. The big picture The volunteer 2026 Bond Election Advi- sory Task Force was created this summer to oversee the bond framework, part of a broader “comprehensive climate implemen- tation program” City Council is pursuing. The task force will meet for the first time Oct. 21, after press time, and its final project recommendations are due next July. Those could include land purchases, infrastructure updates, conservation initiatives and more. Council voted Sept. 26 to also plan for topics like children’s play areas, homeless shelter and housing, and municipal building upgrades.

Travis County taxes Tax rate per $100 property value Annual tax rates

2024 VATRE*

$0.30 $0.35 $0.20 $0.25 $0.00

FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25

*THE ADDITIONAL 2.5-CENT TAX RATE INCREASE FOR CHILD CARE INITIATIVES WILL BE DECIDED IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

for anyone after their arrest. Officials’ prioritization of the program follows some public frustration and a lawsuit filed in recent months, amid ongoing legal and law enforcement reforms. Commissioners also approved another $1.8 million in indigent defense and legal fees, which includes additional resources for court-ap- pointed attorney fees as well as additional staff in the county’s public defender’s office.

Austin homeless shelter closure plans reversed

Marshalling Yard shelter outcomes The temporary city shelter has served more than 1,000 clients since opening last August.

from Mayor Kirk Watson was approved to maintain it, as it has taken in more than 1,000 people since last August at the lowest annual per-bed cost of four city-funded shelter facilities. A year of operations was budgeted at $9.14 mil- lion, with $500,000 more added to run it through March 2025. The proposal directed staff to find money outside the homeless services budget.

Austin leaders are seeking to continue opera- tions at The Marshalling Yard, a 300-bed homeless shelter, reversing course from a planned closure. What’s happening Last year, an east side convention center warehouse was converted into a shelter to boost local capacity. Council voted to shut down the shelter by March 2025. In September, a proposal

Negative exit*: 107 Exit to housing: 172 Exit to unknown destination: 485

*NOTE: NEGATIVE EXITS CAN INCLUDE A RETURN TO HOMELESSNESS, HOSPITALIZATION, COMMITMENT TO A SUBSTANCE USE OR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY, AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.

SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT

There’s a new storyteller in the driver’s seat. Hop In & Travel With Us for Season 53 of Texas Country Reporter with new host J.B. Sauceda.

SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

Government

BY BEN THOMPSON

Council considers $120M public safety HQ in Southwest Austin Austin City Council is voting in October on a $120.5 million plan to convert Southwest Austin oces into a new joint police, re and emergency medical services headquarters. Current situation City leaders and sta have been planning for

years to upgrade Austin’s public safety department facilities now viewed as obsolete and falling into disrepair. The current headquarters are each housed in decades-old buildings with maintenance and acces- sibility issues, according to the city. Those include: • Mechanical and wastewater issues, and a lack of hot water, sucient parking and employee amenities at downtown’s 104,425-square-foot APD facility • Foundation and accessibility problems at AFD’s “woefully insucient” 103,800-square-foot east side headquarters that also houses some police and EMS operations • Mechanical failures, outdated sanitary and safety systems and limited parking in the “highly constrained” 71,093-square-foot EMS oces east of downtown that also include other city oces. Mayor Kirk Watson said the buildings are in “crummy, pathetic, dirt sorry” condition and have long needed to be replaced. What’s happening City ocials on Oct. 11 announced plans to buy a 391,000-square-foot oce campus on Barton Skyway, o MoPac south of downtown. The buildings are located on about 14 acres at 1501-1601 S. MoPac with parking garages and other amenities. Watson said the garages could also be used for public parking during festivals and events. The proposal includes a $107.89 million acquisi- tion, $9.9 million for design work and $3 million for renovations. Council will vote on Oct. 24, after press time. City Manager T.C. Broadnax said the move would complete a longtime city vision of housing APD, AFD and ATCEMS together. Deputy CFO Kim Olivares also said local oce market conditions allowed Austin to land an “incred- ible” price tag for the purchase; the city estimates building a comparable facility from scratch would cost up to $240 million. The details If approved, the purchase will be funded through certicates of obligation, which allow governments to issue debt without voter approval. The city used

An oce campus located o MoPac south of downtown may be converted into a combined headquarters for Austin’s police, re and emergency medical services departments.

COURTESY CITY OF AUSTIN

the same approach for its recent acquisition of Tokyo Electron’s Southeast Austin oce campus. Bringing all public safety personnel under one roof will “signicantly enhance” emergency response and communications between the departments, according to the city, with added space for training, information-sharing and other operations. The property is expected to meet the three departments’ current and future growth needs for oce space, and will not serve as a police, re or EMS station. “We anticipate the joint public safety HQ will naturally lead to improved collaboration among the departments which can have a positive impact on operations,” a city spokesperson said in an email. What’s next If the purchase is approved, Olivares said about six months of review would be needed before reno- vations begin. Estimated completion and move-in dates will be set after that early planning. “We are going to be on a ‘let’s go’ kind of a timeline,” she said. “We don’t want to sit on this by any means.” After the eventual relocations of APD, AFD and EMS in the coming years, ocials also said the city could explore new opportunities for the city-owned headquarter properties now valued at tens of millions of dollars in total.

Purchase plan The city’s debt-backed acquisition would include:

$107.6M property purchase $9.9M for design planning $3M for initial renovations

Total: $120.5M

The 13.83-acre campus includes 390,963 square feet of oces and more than 1,500 parking spaces

SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTINCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Current Proposed Public safety presence

AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT

AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT

MOPAC

AUSTINTRAVIS COUNTY EMS

NEW PUBLIC SAFETY HQ

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COLORADO RIVER

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY BEN THOMPSON

Homeless service needs rise in Austin area, first-time client count increases

Zooming in

Unhoused Austin and Travis County residents continue to skew male and single, with a majority also experiencing a disabling condition. Racial dis- parities persist, with Black Austinites more likely become homeless than others despite making up much less of the local population. Austin also has a higher share of chronically homeless individuals than other large Texas cities. “It really highlights the need that we need more units to be able to exit people out of the system quicker,” Montaño said. ECHO also found far more people being wel- comed into existing programs around Austin, particularly rapid rehousing, than in the past.

of research and evaluation. The recent ECHO analysis also stated more people may be falling into homelessness now due to issues like housing unaffordability and sluggish wage growth. ECHO’s report of the total number of people who sought services over a full year is different— and much higher—than the number of people who are likely homeless in the Austin area at any given time. ECHO estimated that population at around 5,300 as of late September. It’s also a separate statistic than the federally mandated point-in-time count, or PIT, conducted in-person every two years. The most recent PIT found nearly 2,400 people on the streets and in shelters in early 2023. Austin’s count placed below Dallas, was on roughly even footing with Fort Worth, and higher than San Antonio and Houston. The next PIT is scheduled for Jan. 25 and is now accepting interested volunteers.

Thousands more people in the Austin area sought help with homelessness last year than in 2022, including a spike in first-time clients. More than 24,300 people in Austin and Travis County received services like shelter, housing and case management in 2023, according to new data reported by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, or ECHO—the organization overseeing the local Homelessness Response System. That was nearly 42% more than in 2022. Almost a third of all individuals receiving support last year were new to the system. ECHO staff noted factors like improved community outreach and the availability of new resources likely contributed to the growing client pool as well. “It’s really easy to get a little shocked by the numbers ... But I think it’s also really important contextually to look at, we just have a lot more programs in the system doing a lot of different things,” said Joseph Montaño, ECHO’s director

The outlook

Hundreds of new supportive housing units are anticipated in the 2020s. Several projects added nearly 350 rooms combined this year, and almost 900 more are expected by 2028. However, ECHO projects at least 5,000 units are needed to meet local needs in the coming decade. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of the city and county’s federal relief dollars—which supported many new developments—are drying up. Montaño said the impending funding drop-off is a “large concern” that local organizations and the city Homeless Strategy Office are planning for.

People served The number of people who sought services through the local Homeless Response System grew by more than 40% from 2022 to 2023.

25,000

20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0

SOURCE: ENDING COMMUNITY HOMELESSNESS COALITION/ COMMUNITY IMPACT

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

Transportation

Development

BY HALEY MCLEOD

BY HALEY MCLEOD & BEN THOMPSON

New Capital Metro routes coming soon

Waymo robotaxis to debut next year Austinites may soon hail an Uber, hop in the back seat, and notice there isn’t a driver. Driverless car company Waymo announced a partnership with the ride-hail- ing service Sept. 13, by which Waymo will offer its driverless robotaxi services via the Uber app in early 2025. The big picture Uber will oversee and deploy a fleet of Waymo’s fully autonomous, all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, which will gradually expand to include hundreds of cars, accord- ing to a news release. The two companies are expected to slowly scale services with a focus on safety, reliability and convenience.

TravCo backs affordable housing projects Travis County commissioners supported hun- dreds of new affordable housing units with tens of millions of dollars this fall. The details The new developments tie into county and city efforts to address housing insecurity. Recent fund- ing came from the county’s $110 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, which has gone toward nearly a dozen projects since 2021. In September, nonprofit Foundation Communi- ties received $15 million for the 79,500-square-foot Burleson Studios in Southeast Austin. It’ll include 104 units for homeless adults, located within a new master-planned Community First Village property for those leaving chronic homelessness. Another $13 million was awarded to youth advo- cate group LifeWorks for The Works III project in East Austin. The development will reserve 120 units

Waterfront zoning plans remain on hold Regulations for new development south of Lady Bird Lake downtown are on hold. The details The South Central Waterfront covers more than 100 acres along the lakeshore. Com- munity members and city leaders have eyed the district’s potential for years given its proximity to downtown, and the presence of many properties that could be redeveloped and bring new public benefits like parkland and affordable housing. Approval of district-wide zoning plans for new projects there was delayed again in late summer, likely until next year. Officials said the extra time would allow for more collaboration between district stakeholders. Meanwhile, some individual project plans in the area are advancing.

Route 837 Route 800 New MetroRapid routes

Travis County housing updates The following developments will bring affordable housing units to Travis County.

183

Delco Center Park & Ride

1 The Works III

4 2824 Real St. 5 801 Tillery St.

MOPAC

290

2 Community First Village 3 6400 FM 969

Capital Metro announced the creation of two new MetroRapid bus routes Sept. 11, including two park and rides in east Austin with services expected to begin in spring 2025. The project will also feature a new pickup zone in the Decker and Colony Park area. What’s new Claimed to be “the most significant service changes CapMetro has completed in several years,” by the agency, the two routes are a part of CapMet- ro’s Project Connect contributions to expand the city’s transit network. The new bus routes are funded by $65.6 million in federal and $35.6 million in Project Connect funding.

DECKER LAKE RD.

969

183 TOLL

AIRPORT BLVD.

4TH ST.

Decker Lane Expo Center Park & Ride

183

REAL ST.

183

DISTRIBUTION RD.

S. PLEASANT VALLEY RD.

183

E. WILLIAM CANNON DR.

SLAUGHTER LN.

for supportive housing for tenants experiencing homelessness and those aging out of foster care. In October, commissioners also approved $35.8 million for another four low-income residences, bringing about 260 affordable units to east Austin.

Goodnight Ranch Park & Ride

MAP NOT TO SCALE N

BRODIE LANE 4970 Hwy 290 W (512) 366-8260 SOUTHPARK MEADOWS 9900 IH-35 Service Road S (512) 280-7400

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Election

BY BEN THOMPSON

Incumbent Austin officials hold financial leads before election

Austin mayoral candidates Campaign finances from July to late September 2024. Candidates are listed in ballot order.

Austin City Council candidates collectively raised more than $650,000 and had nearly $1 million avail- able for their campaigns in the lead-up to Election Day, paced once again by City Hall incumbents including Mayor Kirk Watson. The big picture Twenty-two candidates contending for the seats of mayor and council representatives for districts 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10 are on the ballot for Austin voters. Previous reports on their campaigns’ financial activity came out early this year and in July. New reports that were due one month before Election Day on Nov. 5 provide the latest look at finances since mid-summer. Final campaign reports will be released the week before the election. Zooming in Watson continued to heavily out-raise his competition in the mayoral contest and maintained a financial lead for his re-election bid. After raising over $700,000 in the first half of the year, Watson reported campaign contributions of about $216,500 from July through late September. It was more than three times the total of his challeng- ers—Carmen Llanes Pulido, Jeffery L. Bowen, Doug Greco and Kathie Tovo—combined. Watson also reported spending nearly half a mil- lion dollars in the same time period and had about $267,000 on hand, again outpacing competitors. Financial support for Watson is bolstered by the Austin Leadership PAC, which reported almost $236,000 on hand in late September. A pro-Greco PAC reported more than $19,000 remaining, while a pro-Llanes Pulido PAC had $9,210 in September.

Also of note Both Watson and Greco face ethics complaints over fundraising from donors outside city limits earlier this year. Final hearings on those charges will be held in late October, after press time. Greco argued Austin’s fundraising limits unfairly benefit incumbents, and he filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the rule. A judge dismissed the issue until the local ethics complaint is decided. Wat- son’s campaign says the complaint over his activity is flawed, and that it complied with city policy. The breakdown Incumbent Vanessa Fuentes remained ahead of Robert Reynolds in the South Austin District 2 coun- cil race. Reynolds reported spending $200 against Fuentes’s $41,000, and he had no remaining funds to her more than $93,000. Council member Chito Vela led financially in the race to represent North Central Austin’s District 4 with $67,000 on hand, to the more than $25,000 reported by his returning challenger Monica Guzmán. Candidate Louis Herrin reported less than $2,000, while candidates Eduardo “Lalito” Romero and Jim Rabuck didn’t file finance reports. In Northwest Austin, council member Mackenzie Kelly roughly doubled challenger Krista Laine’s donation, spending and cash-on-hand totals and had about $118,000 remaining. Kelly also filed an ethics complaint against Laine alleging she didn’t submit personal financial information to the city on time. In the six-person race to succeed Mayor Pro Tem Leslie Pool in District 7, two candidates took the lead in financial activity. Civil rights lawyer Gary Bledsoe overtook 2024’s first-half front-runner, attorney Mike Siegel, with more than $48,000 in cash on hand

Donations Spending

Cash on hand

Carmen Llanes Pulido

$33,672

$37,740.81

$4,661.29

Jeffery L. Bowen $11,355

$3,652.10 $9,915

Doug Greco

$10,080

$17,420.94

$45,218.50

Kirk Watson*

$216,483

$488,657.64

$266,891.61

Kathie Tovo

$19,516

$32,499.40 $31,713

SOURCE: CITY OF AUSTIN/COMMUNITY IMPACT *INCUMBENT

to Siegel’s $43,000. Candidate Todd Shaw was the only other to report more than $10,000 remaining. In the race for District 10, legislative director Ashika Ganguly pulled ahead of business owner and consultant Marc Duchen in both donations and remaining cash on hand; she had more than $98,000 left to his nearly $70,000. Duchen has also filed an ethics complaint over’s Ganguly’s financial state- ment filing.

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SOUTH CENTRAL AUSTIN EDITION

MOPAC SOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY PUBLIC MEETING

IN-PERSON: Austin High School Cafeteria 1715 W Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78703 Tues., Nov. 12, 2024, 5 - 8 p.m.

ONLINE: voh.mopacsouth.com Tues., Nov. 12, 2024 at 5 p.m. through Sun., Dec. 29, 2024

Join us for Open House #6

We need your input

Written comments from the public regarding the proposed project are requested and may be submitted:  At the In-Person Open House  By Mail: Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, c/o MoPac South 3300 N. IH-35, Suite 300 Austin, TX 78705  By Email: mopacsouth@ctrma.org  Online: voh.mopacsouth.com

Information about the environmental study and Recommended Build Alternative will be available for public review and comment, as well as project history, status, and next steps.

Comments must be received or postmarked by Sun., Dec. 29, 2024 to be included in the official record of this open house.

The virtual and in-person public meeting will be conducted in English. Interpreters or document translators may be provided upon request. Special accommodations can also be requested by persons with disabilities. For interpretation or translation services or for other special accommodations, the public may contact the project team at (512) 342-3299 no later than 4 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 6, 2024 for the in-person meeting and no later than 4 p.m. on Fri., Dec. 20, 2024 for the virtual meeting .

The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated December 9, 2019, and executed by FHWA and TxDOT

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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Education

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON & ELLE BENT

What’s on the ballot for Austin ISD voters? Austin ISD voters will weigh on two con- tested board of trustees seats and a potential tax rate increase this November. For the AISD board of trustees, 10 can- didates are running. Incumbents Kevin Foster and Lynn Boswell are uncontested for districts 3 and 5, respectively. Ofelia Zapata will not run for re-election for District 2, nor will Noelita Lugo for the at-large position. Voters will decide between two district 2 candidates and six at-large candidates. AISD ocials are also asking for a prop- erty tax increase to oset a $119 million budget decit. If approved, it’s predicted to generate $171 million in revenue under a tax rate of $0.9505 per $100 valuation. This would be a $34-per-month increase to the average homeowner, or an estimated $412 per year.

Austin districts see uptick of school threats Local districts have seen an uptick in student-made threats against schools since the start of the academic year, said Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura. AISD is one of several Austin-metro school dis- tricts that have had students arrested for making threats. According to Travis County District Attor- ney José Garza, there are at least 30 cases pending in the DA oce related to these threats. AISD Police Chief Wayne Sneed said that all threats, whether they are legitimate or rumors, will be investigated and pursued until it’s no longer a threat, regardless of when they occur. If there is probable cause to believe a juvenile committed a crime, Garza said, they will be arrested. The impact Sneed said law enforcement agencies are

“Many of us are running decit budgets at this moment and so this

additional cost is something that isn’t budgeted for. But we have to ensure that our ocers are paid to do this very important work.” MATIAS SEGURA, AUSTIN ISD SUPERINTENDENT

working through the late hours to investigate these threats, which puts a weight on their resources. The process also involves ocers having to expend overtime amid districts facing budget shortfalls, Segura said. Discussions about violence can also create feel- ings of fear, anxiety and uncertainty for students, AISD mental health professional Amanda Toohey said. Ocials have asked parents to play an active role in talking to their children about responsible social media use and appropriate jokes.

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