Austin City Council met Thursday for its Regular Meeting. The vast majority of items approved on the consent agenda. The session focused heavily on infrastructure maintenance, utility management, and a significant expansion of affordable housing initiatives through the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC).
Here is a summary of the key actions taken:
🏗️ Infrastructure & Utilities
Austin Energy and Austin Water received approval for several major service and construction contracts:
- Vegetation Management: Over $33 million was authorized for tree trimming and vegetation control around street lights and electric distribution lines to ensure grid reliability.
- Major Construction: Notable projects approved include the Lady Bird Lake Bore ($3M), water/wastewater rehabilitation at Astor Place ($7.1M), and wastewater improvements on Cameron Road ($9.8M).
- Utility Rates: The Council approved ordinances to suspend interim gas rate adjustments proposed by Atmos Energy and Texas Gas Service Company, protecting residents from immediate rate hikes.
🏠 Housing & Real Estate
A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to affordable housing and land acquisition:
- Park Land Expansion: The city authorized $13.4 million to acquire nearly 50 acres of land on Old San Antonio Road for new park and recreation space.
- Mexic-Arte Museum: A lease was approved to temporarily relocate the museum to the Austin History Center for up to four years at a symbolic rate of $100 per year.
- AHFC Initiatives: During the recessed AHFC meeting, the board approved over $30 million in loans and agreements for various affordable housing developments, including:
- Ada Anderson Place ($6.4M)
- Verbena Flats ($8M)
- Goodnight Ranch ($4.7M)
- Local Housing Voucher Program: Increased funding by $6 million to support rental assistance.
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🚦 Transportation & Public Health
- Smart Traffic Tech: Over $13 million in grant funding from TxDOT was accepted for advanced traffic monitoring, signal vehicle detection, and network expansion.
- Community Health: Funding was approved for a school food pantry program with the Central Texas Food Bank and nearly $900k in grants for HIV/STD prevention and intervention.
- Public Safety: The city accepted grants for legal advocacy for violent crime victims and a mental health project for Austin Police Department officers.
⚖️ Zoning & Legal
- Disannexation: Two parcels in Council District 10 (Fritz Hughes Park Rd and Manana St) were approved for disannexation under Senate Bill 1844.
- Zoning Changes: Major rezonings were approved for 1308 West Lynn St, 1000 Red River, and the East Avenue PUD (Concordia area).
- Postponements: Several high-profile cases, including the Christ Church and Vargas Mixed Use projects, were indefinitely postponed at the request of the applicants.
- Eminent Domain: The item to acquire land for a communications tower on Mount Larson Road was withdrawn.
Miscellaneous Approvals
- Fee Waivers: Multiple community events, including the Austin Roundup 2026 and the 19th Annual Missions 5K, had city fees waived or reimbursed.
- Emergency Water: An agreement was authorized for Austin to provide emergency water services to the City of Round Rock if needed.
Three high-ranking IT executives abruptly fired by the city last month were terminated after officials discovered they had undisclosed second jobs, including two who were also working for the city of Dallas in similar roles. (Austin American-Statesman)
The union representing City of Austin employees marked a petition milestone, opposing plans to consolidate all city IT services into a single department.
A nonprofit that runs both of the city’s domestic violence shelters and performs nearly every sexual assault forensic exam in Travis County is running out of money, and may have to halt exams next month and shutter one of the shelters this year. (Austin American-Statesman)
The SAFE Alliance is preparing to make millions of dollars in cuts starting this summer. This could include closing a downtown shelter and the end of services that provide additional housing assistance for people leaving abusive situations.
(Episode from April 7, 2026)
Advocates say the city improperly cleared a camp on East Cesar Chavez Street on March 31, throwing away people’s belongings.
The Shoal Creek Greenbelt is yet another Austin treasure that is being turned into a homeless shelter. Every underpass occupied by someone of something. One women using the creek to do laundry. Brand new tents paid with tax dollars. People and trash waiting to be washed into… pic.twitter.com/cBai4lNsLF
— cost_of_bummership (@cost_of_bums) April 9, 2026
It's Frequent Felony Friday and today we meet Skody. Five felony convictions before 2020 including pleas for stealing cars and going on car chases with the police. Arrested for the same kind of stuff after 2020, plus the odd Robbery and firearms charges but the current DA can't… pic.twitter.com/oYcDKKPfFB
— cost_of_bummership (@cost_of_bums) April 10, 2026
OPINION: From Austin American-Statesman.
A 62-year-old man is in the hospital with a life-altering brain injury because Travis County prosecutors dismissed every charge against his attacker.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) April 9, 2026
The @statesman published 1,500 words today arguing Texas needs more mental health beds to prevent attacks like this. They're… pic.twitter.com/PcztqirIX9
A man punches a mother, spits in an officer’s face, threatens children, and puts a stranger reading in the library in the ICU.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) April 9, 2026
Travis County DA José Garza, who is the most powerful public official responsible for public safety in Austin, is telling the public that that’s not… https://t.co/itIho34gX8
Travis County DA Jose Garza said incarceration would have been "short-lived and ineffective" with a mentally ill vagrant.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) April 9, 2026
Ineffective at what? At rehabilitating the guy who beats women, threatens children, and strangers reading in the library.
That's the tell.
If your measure… https://t.co/XnG5uHUYYx
Richard Muzquiz pled guilty to arson in 2023.
— Austin Justice (@AustinJustice) April 9, 2026
In the 25 months since: 15 more cases. Prosecutors dropped or declined his charges, and sent him to "therapeutic diversion."
Last month, he spit in a woman's face outside her house and injured a cop. https://t.co/Ku91hbSqSU pic.twitter.com/rRrYxWcZ2X
The Austin Police (APD) Highway Enforcement Investigation Unit is requesting the public’s help with identifying a suspect in connection to a stolen vehicle and a Failure to Give Information and Render Aid Collision that occurred on March 31 in the intersection of Stonleigh Place & Blue Meadow Drive.
The Hays Consolidated Independent School District has suspended 10 students and placed one staff member on paid administrative leave in connection with an investigation into reports of bullying. (Austin American-Statesman)
Jurors heard more testimony Thursday in Williamson County about phone records, drug contacts and the new Texas law prosecutors are using in the case against Kreli Haynes, the accused fentanyl dealer prosecutors say sold a fake Percocet pill that killed 16-year-old Zarek McMeekin in December 2023.
A Hays County woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to arson with intent to damage a habitation, following a 2024 residential fire in Kyle.
Austin police are working through a significant backlog of requests for body camera footage used in court cases.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis says an investigation into the mass shooting on W. 6th Street is coming to a close and expects more information to be released in the coming weeks. Davis told CBS Austin she spoke with the FBI on Wednesday as the agency looks into what it described as a “potential nexus to terrorism” in the shooting that killed three people and left over a dozen others injured.
Williamson County authorities are searching for a missing 53-year-old man last seen in Round Rock.
The area around North Lamar seems to be quite active lately for ICE/immigration arrests. Three incidents reported early Thursday.
“At least two people were arrested at Lamar and Meadowlark St and minutes earlier, one more was arrested at Anderson Square and 183. In both cases, Troopers stopped work trucks.”
Another arrest at North Lamar and Rutland.
A Colorado-based restaurant chain is opening a location on Burnet Road.
TxDOT says crashes at the interchange of U.S. 281 and SH 71 in Burnet County sees a higher crash rate than the average when compared to similar structures.
The 49th Annual Statesman Capitol 10K, Austin’s iconic “rite of spring,” is set to take over the city streets this Sunday, As the largest 10K in Texas, the race kicks off at 8:00 AM on the Congress Avenue Bridge, sending thousands of runners and walkers past legendary landmarks like the Texas State Capitol, the University of Texas Tower, and the historic Clarksville neighborhood.
Whether you’re chasing a personal best or just soaking in the live music along the course, the journey concludes at Vic Mathias Shores with the massive Finish Line Festival, featuring live performances, food vendors, and the much-deserved finisher medals.
A Purple Monster sprung up in Oldham County yesterday.
Update: the #PurpleMonsterFire in Oldham County is an estimated 1,500 acres and 35% contained. The fire continues to burn in complex, rough terrain. Firefighters continue to engage. #txfire pic.twitter.com/VrGpw94dx8
— Incident Information – Texas A&M Forest Service (@AllHazardsTFS) April 10, 2026
UPDATE: The blaze is now 55% conatined.
WEATHER
THURSDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
AUSTIN-BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
CAMP MABRY
Rain on Thursday varied. The airport received little while Camp Mabry, areas of downtown and South Austin received anywhere from a half-inch to an inch of rain during downpours in the late afternoon.
Rain on Auditorium Shores pic.twitter.com/kxgyhS8kg6
— Chris Walker (@WalkerATX) April 10, 2026
Heavy rain is causing ponding near UT’s Campus. This is along Lamar near 24th street. Be careful while driving! @KXAN_News pic.twitter.com/yTGof7cmzk
— Nabil Brent Remadna KXAN (@RemadnaKXAN) April 9, 2026
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
It was a hot afternoon in May of 1922 when the deadliest tornadoes in Austin’s history struck the city.
Arguments have concluded in a trial that could require Texas to provide air conditioning at more than 100 prisons statewide. (KUT 90.5)
Texas restaurants are facing serious economic headwinds. According to data tracked by the National Restaurant Association, 50% of Texas restaurant operators failed to earn a profit in 2025. (Houston Public Media)
The Texas State Board of Education gave preliminary approval Thursday evening to a mandatory list of books that all public schools will teach starting in 2030, paring down an earlier version students and educators had criticized for being too long, lacking diversity and emphasizing Christianity. (Texas Tribune)
This week the State Board of Education met in Austin to propose and vote on newly rewritten K-12 history and English curricula that could include teachings from the Bible and Texas-centric lesson plans. On this week’s Friday News Roundup host Nikki DaVaughn is joined by producers Eva Ruth Moravec and Elissa Castles to break down what these changes would mean for classrooms across the state and why Austinites rallied at the Texas Capital in response.
The THC industry is fighting back against new Texas regulations that threaten to put many of them out of business. Houston Chronicle reporter Isaac Yu joins host Jeremy Wallace to explain key parts of the new regulations, the industry’s recent lawsuit and what will happen next.
(Episode from April 7, 2026)
Andrea Steel of The Banks Law Firm in Houston explains the hemp lawsuit.
Statewide Investigation of Cities’ Tax Compliance Continues…
Legislators Focus on Data Centers…
System Chancellors Discuss Next Steps in Higher Education Reform…
Appeals Court Considers Arguments in Battle Over Harris County Commissioner Seat…
More victims have come forward against Maj. Blaine McGraw, a former OBGYN at Fort Hood.
A Houston-area teacher is facing charges after police say she staged a stabbing… on herself – and blamed a student.
Someone in Texas purchased a Powerball ticket that is worth $78 million…but time is running out to claim it.
SPORTS
NBA: Magic 8 ball.
Kevin Durant scored 29 points and the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak to eight games with a 113-102 win Thursday night over the Philadelphia 76ers, who were missing Joel Embiid after he had an appendectomy. (Associated Press via CBS Sports)
The Rockets play again tonight.
Dallas plays at in-state rival San Antonio.
MLB: No games Thursday from Houston or Texas. They’re both back in action this weekend.
From the Houston Chronicle via MSN.
COLLEGE BASEBALL: The No. 2 Texas Longhorns play in College Station this weekend.
Tales of the Texas Rangers is a 20th century Western old-time radio and television police procedural drama which originally aired on NBC Radio from 1950 to 1952 and later on CBS Television from 1955 to 1958.
Here’s a radio episode from March 16, 1952 entitled, “Candy Man”.
