Austin City Council Woman serving SW ATX. Mobility Cmte Chair. CapMetro. CAMPO. Former Mayor Pro Tem. Please send questions to district8
@austintexas
.gov.
We are not supposed to be a country that arrests students for speaking their mind and journalists for covering the news.
This is un-American and violates the First Amendment.
Colleges are a place of expression and dialogue. Arresting them will not silence them.
I have requested a Special Called council meeting on Austin Water infrastructure. The people of Austin deserve to know how we got under this boil water notice - and how we can prevent another one in the future.
NEW: We just learned Cruise is suspending all driverless car operations, including in Texas. The Austin Council Mobility Committee is meeting tomorrow, Oct. 27, where staff will brief us on this developing topic.
I am shocked by this decision, as Acevedo oversaw a department that caused rape kits to go untested for years and entrapped protestors, among other issues. I told Jesus Garza this is a bad call, and I guarantee that if it had come before council it would have a different outcome.
Thank you to my City Council colleagues for entrusting me as your next Mayor Pro-Tem. I'm committed to upholding these responsibilities and look forward to ensuring our new dais comes together on the most pressing issues facing our community. Let's get to work!
New from
@austinenergy
⬇️
Also, I’ve spoken with General Manager Jackie Sargent, and she confirmed they have to prioritize by critical need (think hospitals, Fire/EMS stations, etc…), and largest outages next to help the most people with each new outage repair they assign.
Great to have
@SecretaryPete
in town to collaborate on major mobility projects happening in Austin. When approaching transportation, our region shares values & priorities with the Biden Administration: Safety, Climate, Equity, Economic Strength, & Transformation.
Today’s Council meeting was a huge day for housing in Austin. Item
#158
was a finalized ordinance from my Dec. 2022 resolution on missing middle housing! Phase 1 approved today streamlines permitting for triplexes & fourplexes – removing a major barrier for building these homes.
#ATXCouncil
just approved my $460m active mobility bond for the November ballot! The bond will include desperately needed funding for trails, sidewalks, bike lanes, and the Vision Zero strategy. This will be huge win for our citizens and the environment! 🚶🚵🌳🎉
This morning I announced I am allocating $100,000 from my council office budget to fund needed upgrades at Dick Nichols Park!
✅ New & Improved Splash Pad
✅ New combo pickleball/volleyball court
✅ Resurfaced basketball court
✅ Shade tree & limestone seating
Ready by summer!
I am thrilled that Council has passed my resolution to create a
#HealthyStreets
initiative in Austin! It will temporarily create safe outdoor spaces for residents to walk, bike, push strollers, and travel in wheelchairs while social distancing requirements are in effect.
#AACStrayoftheDay
It isn't every day that our Animal Protection Officers get a call about two emus running loose at Zilker Park!
If you know who they belong to, please email animal.reclaim
@austintexas
.gov.
🏘️ I’m bringing Site Plan Lite to
#atxcouncil
tomorrow because missing-middle housing shouldn’t have to go through the same lengthy & costly permitting process as large-scale apartments.
Austin! Please call authorities if you’ve seen Hunter and help bring him home safely. His mother reached out to me, as he has been missing for five days, and we need to get the word out.
Huge news at City Hall today.
@Austintexasgov
has been awarded a $1M
@EPA
grant to help our region reduce its emissions and improve our air quality. This is the latest tool in our tool box we'll use to tackle climate change and create a more resilient community!
Good news: the City of Austin has officially eliminated its 6-month vacation leave waiting period for new employees! In August, I authored the resolution allowing employees to use PTO as it's accrued. This is one more step to help the City's recruitment & retention.
@AustinAFSCME
It’s here! The
@ZilkerEagle
has returned🚂 Thank you
@austinparksfdn
for the sneak peek today, and I can’t wait for everyone to enjoy it. The train opens to the public Wednesday at 10am!
We have water! Bottles, cans, & BYO jug up to 5 gal per HH.
Right now at:
MAPLE RUN: Boone Elementary
TRAVIS COUNTRY: Corner of Travis Country Cir/Rep of TX
THIS MIGHT BE IT FOR TODAY SO IF YOU LIVE NEARBY, GET TO ONE OF THESE SPOTS!
You asked, we listened: About $144m either cut or diverted from APD. We increased funding for Victim Services,
@ATCEMS
, open a shelter for people seeking housing from violence, created an office for violence prevention work (including a safe storage campaign), 1/
🚶 I'm proud to cosponsor
@CMQadriD9
's item 22 on today's Council agenda, which would eliminate parking minimums. A market-based approach for parking is a major step to achieve more walkable and connected communities while benefitting our environment.
Today, Austin City Council passed a resolution to ask
@TxDOT
and CAMPO to hold funding for the I-35 Capital Express Central project until two regional climate plans are complete. I first brought this item forward at the Mobility Committee & thank my colleagues for their support!
The Austin community overwhelmingly supports abortion rights, and
#ATXCouncil
will continue to do everything in our power to defend them. Proud to cosponsor
@CMChitoVela
's effort to decriminalize abortion if Roe is overturned.
The City of Austin must do everything we can to protect abortion rights. That includes decriminalizing abortion locally, an approach similar to our policy towards marijuana arrests. No enforcement, no investigations, no arrests.
Tomorrow the City Council and Planning Commission are hosting a joint public hearing for HOME Phase 1. The proposed changes would provide more attainable housing options for middle-income Austinites. I was proud to cosponsor
@LesliePoolATX
’s resolution initiating this effort!
Congratulations to
@chitovela3
on your strong victory tonight in D4! I look forward to all the great things this
#atxcouncil
will accomplish with you on the dais. My entire team welcomes you!
We're taking neighborhood streets to the next level! Thanks to
#ATXCouncil
for unanimously passing our
#ATXLivingStreets
resolution (Item 27) today, which will: Activate Play Streets, Streamline Block Parties, & Improve Neighborhood Safety. See the vision:
We have a truck in Shady Hollow right now, Friday at 2:15pm on Hewitt and Brodie.
Limited supply - 200 gallons - for those in critical need. YOU NEED TO BRING YOUR OWN CONTAINER, 5 gallons max per household.
I know this isn’t much, more is coming. This what we have right now.
Bike to Work Day 2024! 🚲 I’m so proud of the work being done in our city to make a this mode shift possible, safe, and comfortable. If you’re showing up to work today on two wheels, cheers! You’re making a bigger difference than you think.
Congrats to the
@AnnRichardsStar
School Marching Stars, who will be representing Austin & Texas as the FIRST all-female marching band to be featured in the
@Macys
Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City! Can't wait to see these young women leaders shine! 🤩🥁🎺
Now is the time to get vaccinated & boosted if you haven’t already! Here are locations to get a free vaccine. As cases of the Omicron variant continue to rise, we must all be diligent about doing our part not to potentially spread it to others.
The Zilker Park Draft Vision Plan survey closes in less than a week! Austinites can have a say in Zilker's future development and weigh in on issues like transit, water protection, ecological restoration, recreation areas, and more. The survey closes Jan. 8.
*Check this page at 9AM SUNDAY MORNING for an announcement.*
Here’s a video from today’s Travis Country event with
@DonnaHowardTX
and Travis County Constable Pct 3 Stacy Suits. We’ve distributed water to about 2,000 households in 8 neighborhoods over the past three days!
Here’s an update on what we know about the winter storm, how ice accumulations hit Austin harder than other regions, and the around-the-clock help we’re getting from other cities.
This wonderful photo was taken at our Willow Street block party in east Austin last Saturday.
This beautiful scene shows what's possible when streets are reclaimed for community. This should be happening across Austin, Texas, and the country all the time.
🚴🏼♀️ Have you heard?
@CapMetroATX
is getting a new fleet of e-bikes!
We were briefed on their new plan at my Mobility Committee for Bike Month in May. Feedback is being accepted through June 16th.
It's here! ATD has launched the
#HealthyStreetsATX
website, where you can see the names of the first Healthy Streets, nominate a new Healthy Street, provide feedback, and more!
@austintexasgov
has procured drinking water via FEMA and the trucks are on their way to Austin right now. Stay tuned for distribution plans. In the meantime, larger retailer stores are beginning to restock their shelves, but we know there are long lines.
“This highway, for so long, has not only been a physical barrier but a socioeconomic barrier too,” said Paige Ellis, District 8’s council member and chair of the mobility committee. "This is our moment to get that right.”
What are your thoughts on I-35?
Here is my statement after
#ATXCouncil
concluded our first conversation around temporary encampments. Folks are rightfully concerned about camping in parks. Please get involved as we move this discussion forward.
Today I had the honor of welcoming the Ambassador of Thailand Mr. Tanee Sangrat and his delegation on their first trip to Austin!🇹🇭 It's a privilege to represent our City in these diplomatic efforts exploring new potential intergovernmental relationships.
The latest:
💧Drinking water is close; distribution to be set up starting tonight.
⚡️Power has been restored to many w/a few thousand left.
🚰All water plants are online&stable. Reservoirs filling & pressure is building.
🥤Boil water until further notice once water comes back.
🌳DEBRIS CLEANUP
Contact Austin Resource Recovery by dialing 3-1-1 or through the 311 mobile app for free pickup service.
Click "New Request"➡️"Storm Debris Collection" and you'll be prompted for an address and a photo. Debris must be at the curb ready for collection.
.
@austinenergy
and
@cpsenergy
are out at the Toney Burger Center helping folks charge devices. Cell phones, laptops, and medical devices, just remember to bring a charger!
Today
#ATXCouncil
passed my item adding particulate matter (PM2.5) to our Regional Air Quality Plan. In the past, the RAQP has had strategies to share the public health danger of PM2.5 but it has never tried to actually curb production of this hazardous pollution... until now.
I'm so glad to see our efforts paying off! Last year, I sponsored a resolution to add incentive pay to help recruit city lifeguards. For the hot summer ahead, I hope Austinites stay safe and cool at a City pool. ☀️
We've hired over 1K lifeguards, opened all 32 operational pools + expanded hours at Deep Eddy Pool. We'd like to thank Mayor, Council, City leadership, HR, partner organizations, communications staff + lifeguards who helped make this possible.
Read more:
Just now:
#ATXCouncil
unanimously approved increasing Austin's homestead exemption to 20%! We will also be approving millions of dollars in rental assistance, and a huge investment in housing for the currently homeless. We are using all the tools we have to keep Austinites here.
Huge thanks for the leadership of
@PaigeForAustin
in creating the Living Streets program and to City staff for launching it.
Healthy Streets was a crucial program during the pandemic and Living Streets promises to be a profound long term successor.
See you in the streets! ⛹️♀️🚴🏿♂️
3 EVENTS IN SOUTHWEST AUSTIN TODAY:
9AM-ACC Pinnacle
7748 Hwy 290 West
1 case/household
10:30AM-Travis Country, at Travis Country Cir & Rep of Texas (same spot as Sat). Bottled water, and 200 gal if you bring a container.
12:30PM-Austin Oaks Church
4220 Monterey Oaks Blvd
Apartments in SW Austin have been hard hit. Today we delivered cases of bottled water to the mgt offices of:
✅BC Landing
✅Legacy at WO
✅Landmark BC
✅Monterey Ranch
✅Park at Monterey Oaks
✅River Stone Ranch
✅Preserve at BC
✅Santal Apts
✅Bell Quarry
✅Vineyard Hills
We just got our 2nd pallet of bottled water delivered to the Precinct 3 office. It is moving quickly. We only have enough for critical need, but we have some.
“What Texas Women are Doing to End Traffic Deaths” was an insightful panel discussion about transportation options & advocacy.
Thank you
@VisionZeroTexas
for inviting me to speak!
It’s John Dromgoole Day in Austin, Texas, y’all! Please help me celebrate this amazing human and local legend. Thanks for making D8 a beautiful place!🪴
Today, the City Council voted 10-1 to move forward with a new executive to implement the community’s policy goals. I thank Spencer Cronk for his service and am committed to ensuring trust and transparency in our local government.
We have water at Western Oaks! Both bottles and bulk. Karst Preserve Entrance at Davis Ln and La Cresada. Bring jugs to fill or we have a limited amount of bottled.
Thank you
@DGarzaforD2
for being a leader on and off the dais for our city. As County Attorney, you will continue to work boldly and bravely on behalf of our community. You are a wonderful friend and mentor, and I can't wait to see what you do next.
📣🚨💧Pop-up Water Drive Thru Alert! 30K+ bottles of water just arrived at Barton Creek Mall thanks to
@Intellihelp
! Distribution is between Sears and the Cheesecake Factory. SW Austin - esp apartment dwellers - come get your water!
#atxcouncil
#austinwater
#ATXCouncil
just unanimously adopted the 2021-2022 budget which, combined with the doubling of the homestead exemption, offers a significant savings to the average homeowner, and even more for seniors & folks with disabilities.
Good morning! Here are FIVE updates for Wednesday afternoon:
1. Do you know of an apartment building that is still without water? We are tracking them with a list - please let me know in the comments!
If you live in an apartment complex that is still without water in SW Austin, please comment here with the name of your complex and the address!
#atxcouncil
#austinwater
From AE’s email “We have 85 crews in service, with an additional 32 crews from other utilities that have begun working. In addition, CenterPoint Energy crews will be here as soon as possible.”
Outages could take until late Friday to get fully restored.
During these challenging times, our
@AustinCityParks
Park Rangers and Park Monitors are doing their jobs to keep the parks clean, beautiful, and safe. Please
#SpreadKindnessNotCOVID
and treat our parks staff respectfully. 🌲🌈
"I said, I have it, it answers important questions that we're getting, and so it's going out," Ellis told the American-Statesman.
@AutulloAAS
& I talked about why I shared the memo yesterday.
Mike Ramos and George Floyd should be alive today. Thank you to the protesters calling for an end to police brutality. I respect organizers who must be on the lookout for aggressors. 1/2
📣 I have a very special appreciation for the folks who came out to share their stories and photos.
There is a real human impact to unpredictable lane blockages.
Please keep sharing your experiences.
Austin health officials have moved us down to Stage 3! What we are doing to protect each other is working, so continue to wear a mask and social distance until more of our community can get fully vaccinated.
And that’s a wrap! I’ve enjoyed serving our community as Mayor Pro Tem for 2023. Looking forward to
@LesliePoolATX
’s leadership as our next MPT.
The D8 team wishes you all a safe and happy holiday season. Our office remains open, and the next agenda will be published Jan 5.
We are trying to address critical needs this morning to the best of our ability. If you do not have power or water, please let me know THREE things:
1. Your neighborhood
2. Do you have energy? yes/no
3. Do you have water? yes/no
Extremely grateful for the
@austinfiredept
Brush 43 team in SW Austin. They've been quick to put out small brushfires that could've been a serious danger for nearby neighborhoods. Stay safe, and do your part to prevent wildfires!
📷: Dana, Avana resident
Tomorrow City Council will vote on accepting the Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD) Policy Plan. Thank you
@NatashaD1atx
for your leadership on this item, and I'm proud to support this effort as we think of the future of public transit in Austin!
It’s our last City Council meeting before taking up the Budget in July, and it’s a busy one!
My item (
#50
) set a public hearing for 7/20 to allow fourplexes & triplexes to follow the same streamlined process as single family & duplex homes, diversifying housing options in ATX!
It's Air Quality Awareness Week! Austin's air quality has a direct impact our health and quality of life. Climate change is expected to worsen harmful ground-level ozone, but you can take small steps today to help improve our region's air quality:
🏘️ Item
#158
complements an important resolution also approved today, led by
@LesliePoolATX
. Congrats, CM Pool, on the overwhelming support for your HOME resolution (item
#126
), and I’m so proud to co-sponsor this item!
My Clean Creeks and Lakes resolution to address littering and scooters in Austin's watersheds passed this morning! Thank you to my co-sponsors
@NatashaD1atx
,
@kathietovo
,
@GregCasar
, and
@MayorAdler
. Resolution can be found here:
“Pedestrians and cyclists have had to guess if they have time to safely get across this intersection as they navigate coming in and out of downtown Austin. If we want more people to try different mobility options, it is our responsibility to ensure they can do so safely.”
New signals are coming to the Red Line Parkway crossing at I-35 & 4th St.!
“We are very thankful....” [Tom Wald of Red Line Parkway] told
@austinmonitor
. “Right now, people have to find a gap in highway speed traffic to cross both frontage roads....”
Over 28 years ago, I took a job as a part-time
@CapMetroATX
bus operator. Today, this 2nd-generation transit worker is honored to be officially named
@CapMetroATX
’s next CEO. Thx to the board for this opportunity.
Happy my family was there to see this moment.💙
@Javi386
@ShaneGoldmacher
@npfandos
An Austin City Council member came to my neighborhood to handout cases of water tonight. Right now a case of fresh water is a big darn deal to my family. Public leaders have options to help constituents in need. Thank you again
@PaigeForAustin
I believe what he meant to say was -
My condolences to Battalion Chief Maher’s family, colleagues, and everyone impacted by his immeasurable dedication to our community.
I had the opportunity to tour the beautiful new
@VillageMedical_
Health Clinic at Wm Cannon & Brodie this week. With the ongoing COVID surge, they are a great resource for D8 with instant COVID testing, same day appointments & 8 exam rooms. Learn more:
This is a huge moment for our city & we should be proud. We also need to suit up for the work ahead. I am grateful to our public safety committee leaders
@NatashaD1atx
,
@GregCasar
,
@DGarzaforD2
, &
@JimmyFlannigan
. I look forward to collaborating with them in the days ahead. 3/3
Last, I want to thank
@wheeldealatx
for being the first to advance vision for a comprehensive mobility package for the November 2020 ballot. This wouldn’t have happened without you.