BG Reads | News You Need to Know (January 14, 2020)
[BINGHAM GROUP]
NEW -> Episode 70 - Jim O'Brien, Host of The Lobbying Podcast (LINK TO SHOW)
[AUSTIN METRO]
The 2019 Austin Housing Market Was Hot. Experts Expect 2020 To Be Even Hotter. (KUT)
Austin and its suburbs should expect a strong year of new home sales – barring a recession, maybe even the biggest year yet.
“It’s really hard to find anything negative about our economy and demand for housing as we look forward,” Eldon Rude, principal with 360 Real Estate Analytics, said Tuesday during the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin’s annual housing forecast. “So, I expect it to be a pretty darn good year.”
That “pretty darn good year” would build on a strong 2019 housing market. Cities in the greater Austin area permitted roughly 18,000 single-family homes, the highest number since 2006. According to a December report from the Texas A&M Real Estate Center, that's up roughly 9% from 2018 and new housing permits are expected to increase another 10% in 2020… (LINK TO STORY)
Austin unveils multi-billion dollar transit plan with possible light rail expansion, downtown subway (KXAN)
After months of speculation and rumors, Austin is getting a glimpse Tuesday at a massive transportation plan which is aiming to fund a new generation of transit for a growing city.
At a joint work session of Austin City Council and Capital Metro Board of directors, Tuesday afternoon discussed an update to Project Connect, a plan to create high-capacity transit in the Austin area. For the first time publically, they explained which transit options are on the table and how they might pay for it.
The transit plans these groups are looking at range from $3.2-$10.2 billion dollars, depending on the features they opt for. CapMetro explained they believe they can pay for 40% of this amount through federal grants… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS]
Texas' Biggest Oil And Gas Industry Group Accepts Role In Climate Change (KUT)
The head of the Texas Oil and Gas Association said Tuesday his group agrees fossil fuels contribute to global warming and that the industry will find ways to reduce emissions.
“I think Texas is at risk if we don’t have a very real, factual-based conversation about our climate, about our environment, and about the progress that needs to be made,” Todd Staples, president of TXOGA, said in a media conference call. “I think Texas-based oil and natural gas companies are committed to making climate progress. They’re committed to a lower emissions future.”… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATION]
The Bingham Group, LLC is an Austin-based full service lobbying firm representing and advising clients on municipal, legislative, and regulatory matters throughout Texas.
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