Save Austin Now Sues City, Saying It Isn't Fully Enforcing Ban On Camping In Public "The political action committee Save Austin Now and four business owners have filed a lawsuit against the City of Austin alleging it hasn't been fully enforcing the ban on camping in public. Voters passed Proposition B in May. The petition-led initiative, organized by Save Austin Now, reinstated old rules surrounding homelessness, including a camping ban." (Jerry Quijano, KUT)
Austin nonprofit helps place more than 100 people experiencing homelessness into permanent housing "Homeless advocacy groups continue their work getting people off the streets and into permanent housing. One of those groups — Ending Community Homelessness Coalition — just hit a huge milestone in getting 108 formerly homeless individuals into permanent housing since Aug. 18. 'This is the hardest market we have had to maneuver,' said Kaylin Rubin with ECHO. 'The goal is to house as many families as possible and individuals and move them into housing. Although that is particularly challenging at this moment due to the housing market.'" (Nabil Remadna, KXAN)
City Council approves loans, land purchases to bring hundreds of affordable housing spaces throughout Austin "Austin City Council voted Aug. 26 to move forward with funding for several affordable housing projects, including townhomes, a facility for people exiting homelessness and land acquisitions for future developments. The items were approved during a regular meeting of the Austin Housing Finance Corp. board, which comprises council members. Five housing project loans backed by council are to be facilitated through a combination of city assistance programs and state and federal dollars. A total of three properties in East and Southeast Austin were also purchased to eventually turn into housing projects. The loan items stem from the city's Rental Housing Development Assistance and Ownership Housing Development Assistance initiatives and are those programs' final application approvals for fiscal year 2020-21." (Ben Thompson, Community Impact)
A bright spot for World Class: Nate Paul's firm refinances three high-profile Austin sites "After a summer of tumult, Nate Paul's World Class Holdings has some good news to tout: It recently refinanced a trio of high-profile properties in and near downtown Austin. In the past month-plus, it has secured new loans for a six-acre site on South Congress Avenue just south of Lady Bird Lake, a roughly 1.4-acre site in the Rainey Street area at 56 East Ave. and a warehouse comprising nearly an acre at 501 Waller St. in East Austin. ... World Class is coming off a chaotic summer spent grappling with lenders over other marquee Austin properties, including the 156-acre former 3M campus in Northwest Austin, which was foreclosed upon in June by an entity tied to Karlin Real Estate." (Paul Thompson, Austin Business Journal)
Meet T3 Eastside, Austin’s First Modern Timber Office and Residential Building "Houston-based international developer Hines will bring East Austin the city’s first example of a modern office and residential building constructed from sustainably-sourced heavy timber at 1201 East Fourth Street in a project known as T3 Eastside — that’s 'timber, transit, and technology,' a brand Hines calls its prototype for the use of engineered wood in contemporary office developments, with other buildings under the T3 name currently completed in Minneapolis and Atlanta with more on the way." (James Rambin, Towers)
CapMetro rethinks public safety measures with creation of transit police "As Austin city officials work to reshape the roles and responsibilities of its Police Department, regional public transit agency Capital Metro is seeking to create its own police force. CapMetro, which runs Austin's buses and commuter rail, currently relies on Austin police to respond to calls and provide security. As the city and its transportation system continue to grow, officials said they want to build a transport-specific security team." (Katie Hall, Austin American-Statesman)
