Austin officials could reopen sanctioned homeless camp debate "Austin officials may once again consider opening sanctioned campsites for the homeless as the city works to bolster its housing and support services while also enforcing local and state camping bans." (Ben Thompson, Community Impact)
Mosaic Sound Collective Losing Lease to Development "Mosaic Sound Collective, the East Austin music/entrepreneurial hub that opened in 2017, is winding down its operations and will vacate the former juvenile detention facility in the coming months as redevelopment plans for the property move forward." (Chad Swiatecki, Austin Chronicle)
Austin-based Tesla appears set to break into Texas retail electricity market "Austin-based Tesla appears to be ready to break into the Texas retail electricity market. While Tesla has yet to make a formal announcement, it has posted a job opening describing an 'emerging electricity retail business' that it plans to launch in Texas. The post was first reported on by Electrek, a news and commentary site focused on electric vehicles." (Kara Carlson, Austin American-Statesman)
Developers approved to start building 'legacy' $750 million mixed-use project in Hill Country "Since buying hundreds of acres in Marble Falls more than two decades ago, Darrell Sargent has stayed patient, waiting for the right moment to develop what he has long viewed as the 'the most significant intersection in the Hill Country.' That time has come, as Sargent and the rest of the development team have revealed plans for the $750 million Legacy Crossing mixed-use project, bringing more than 1,000 homes, more than 200 multi-family units and hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail and commercial space to 546 acres at the southeast corner of U.S. Highway 281 and State Highway 71." (Justin Sayers, Austin Business Journal)
San Marcos voters to decide on decriminalization of marijuana this November "Voters in San Marcos will decide whether or not to decriminalize marijuana this November. The opportunity comes after a criminal justice reform group, Mano Amiga, collected more than 4,600 signatures as part of a campaign to get the measure on the ballot." (Riane Roldan, KUT-FM)
Nate Paul buying back prime Austin real estate after sale of self-storage chain "Nate Paul, the embattled Austin real estate investor who leads World Class Holdings, has a new strategy for regaining control of some of his firm's properties, and he's been busy this summer. A shell company affiliated with World Class, Rising Tide Investments LLC, has scooped up the assets of at least five World Class entities. The real estate involved ranges from a hilltop spot overlooking Barton Springs Road to a bar property on East Sixth Street." (Paul Thompson, Community Impact)
Austin housing market 'normalizing,' tilting back in buyers' favor, latest numbers show "Whether you call it 'cooling' or 'normalizing,' for the first time in a long time the Austin-area housing market is starting to tilt a bit in buyers' favor as home prices are rising slower and more housing inventory is available. In July, home prices in the five-county Austin metro area grew at their slowest rate in nearly two years, according to new data from the Austin Board of Realtors. For the fifth month in row, the number of homes sold also declined, both for the full metro area and within Austin's city limits." (Shonda Novak, Austin American-Statesman)
Travis County releases preliminary property tax rate for FY 2022-23 "Travis County officials released a preliminary property tax rate of $0.318239 per $100 valuation for fiscal year 2022-23, a $0.039 decrease from last year. Many Travis County residents can expect to pay slightly less in FY 2022-23, despite increasing property values." (Katy McAfee, Community Impact)
ZAP unable to support South Austin townhomes "The Zoning and Platting Commission failed to recommend a rezoning for seven townhomes in South Austin. The zoning case concerns a 1.3-acre vacant lot at 7311 and 7313 Bluff Springs Road, which the applicant hopes to rezone from Single Family-Small Lot (SF-4A) to Townhouse & Condominium (SF-6). The triangular parcel is constrained on one side by a gas line, which also buffers the site from an adjacent single-family neighborhood." (Jonathan Lee, Austin Monitor)
