by Daryl Slusher | Dec 4, 2023 | City Council 2023, Land Development Code/Zoning, Leslie Pool HOME proposal
Who knew? Council Member Ryan Alter is a developer; or at least he was until very recently. I just learned that this weekend. I was a little late to the news. The answer to my question — “who knew” — is Ken Martin of the Austin Bulldog. Martin reported the...
by Daryl Slusher | Nov 27, 2023 | City Council 2023, Land Development Code/Zoning, Leslie Pool HOME proposal
“Let me tell you about the very rich. They are different from you and me.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Rich Boy, 1926 I was reluctant to quote that F. Scott Fitzgerald line because I don’t like statements that attribute the same qualities to any group of individuals, or...
by Daryl Slusher | Nov 13, 2023 | City Council 2023, Land Development Code/Zoning, Leslie Pool HOME proposal
It’s been a few weeks since we published. A lot has been going on at City Hall during that period, but probably nothing more far reaching than Council Member Leslie Pool’s HOME (Home Options for Middle-Income Empowerment) initiative. That’s the one which would allow... by Daryl Slusher | Sep 20, 2023 | City Council 2023, Land Development Code/Zoning, Leslie Pool HOME proposal
Well, folks there’s just too much going on in local government and politics for one person to really be able to keep up and report on it. This week I’m picking one Council item from the flood of items roaring by. And, that’s Mayor Kirk Watson’s initiative to give...
by Daryl Slusher | Aug 8, 2023 | City Council 2023, Land Development Code/Zoning, Leslie Pool HOME proposal
Council Member Leslie Pool’s proposal to change zoning definitions and criteria on single family housing could affect up to an estimated 171,944 “parcels” or properties. That estimate was provided by City staff in response to an inquiry from the Austin Independent....
by Daryl Slusher | Jul 13, 2023 | Land Development Code/Zoning, Leslie Pool HOME proposal
In a move that would have dramatic effects on neighborhoods in every part of Austin, Council Member Leslie Pool is proposing to redefine single family zoning categories to allow at least three units per lot in all areas zoned Single Family — SF 1, SF 2, SF3 and...
by Daryl Slusher | May 31, 2023 | Land Development Code/Zoning, Texas Legislature
It’s the end of May in an odd numbered year. In Texas politics that always means good news and bad news. The good news is that the Texas Legislature has adjourned. The bad news is that there is always the possibility that the Governor may call them back for a special...
by Daryl Slusher | Apr 27, 2023 | Austin Elections, ETODs, Land Development Code/Zoning, True Stories
It’s election time again in Austin with Prop A and B, both about police oversight, on a May 6 ballot. Early voting is already underway. Prop A was put on the ballot by police accountability activists while Prop B looks like a sneak attack from the Austin Police...
by Daryl Slusher | Apr 25, 2023 | Land Development Code/Zoning
The Austin housing market has made the national news again. The latest is an article in Bloomberg which explores one of the subjects we’ve covered frequently here. That is the New Urbanist mantra that simply building more housing, especially apartments, will lower...
by Daryl Slusher | Apr 4, 2023 | City Council 2023, Land Development Code/Zoning, Texas Legislature
We haven’t brought it up much in these pages, but the Texas Legislature has been in town since late January. So we probably need to take a look at proposed bills that would target Austin. In a fairly recent phenomenon, many of the bills are written to target...
