Austin has dipped to the 13th largest city, and the fourth fastest-growing region in the country due to slowdowns in key pull factors and job growth.
"There have been a lot of ups and downs and twists and turns in trying to figure out how to keep these buildings intact," said Historic Preservation Division Manager Kim McKnight. "We do have very clear direction from Council to do whatever is necessary to get this dealt with in terms of removing historic designation as an obstacle."
The former director of the Economic Development Department authorized grant awards that violated city code restrictions, permitting the overlap of funding for arts organizations.
Despite its touted benefits, the rezoning under the density bonus program is seen by many as a failure, exacerbating the housing crisis for low-income residents.
Jenell Moffett, chief impact officer for DAA, told Austin Monitor that while the office market has cooled, several major public infrastructure projects totaling more than $20 billion are moving forward at full speed.
As with most construction, costs have escalated significantly post-pandemic," CapMetro's Chief of Staff Cheyenne Conyer explained to the transit agency's board of directors in an email this month. "Additionally, Brandywine approached CapMetro to renegotiate the terms of the original agreement as their post-pandemic financial picture solidified.
We no longer have the enhanced infrastructure to quickly act during an outbreak of an infectious disease, such as the measles outbreak occurring just a few counties over in West Texas. The recent federal funding cuts have made our communities weaker, less safe and decreased Austin Public Health's ability to respond effectively to current and future threats.