BG Reads | News You Need to Know (April 7, 2021)
[BINGHAM GROUP]
BG Podcast EP. 137: Q1 2021 Review: Austin Transit Partnership with Sam Sargent, Director, Program Strategy
This BG Podcast Episode (137) features a Q1 2021 review with Sam Sargent, Director, Program Strategy, at the Austin Transit Partnership (ATP).
Formed following the passage of Project Connect in November 2020 (an historic $7.1 billion comprehensive overhaul of Austin's transit system) ATP was established as an independent organization to guide the Project Connect investment with transparency and accountability throughout the program.
You can listen to all episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud. New content every Wednesday. Please like, link, comment and subscribe!
[MEETING/HEARINGS]
[THE 87TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE]
LINK TO FILED HOUSE BILLS (5,445)
LINK TO FILED SENATE BILLS (2,505)
[AUSTIN METRO NEWS]
Austin's homeless strategy officer reveals blueprint for addressing homeless camps (KVUE)
The first phase of the Austin City Council’s HEAL Initiative to address homelessness will be complete by late summer, according to a blueprint released on Tuesday.
The HEAL Initiative aims to remove those experiencing homelessness from four high-traffic areas in Austin and connect them with housing and shelters.
Under the plan published by the City’s homeless strategy officer, Diana Grey, the City would aim to rehouse individuals in the encampments and establish the sites as non-camping areas by the end of August.
The four Phase I HEAL priority locations are:
South Central Austin, at a major intersection under a state highway overpass, on a traffic median that separates traffic flow with a raised curb adjacent to a pedestrian walkway
East Austin, on a sidewalk or public easement adjacent to or leading to a public library
along a major arterial through the Central Business District
northwest Austin, at an intersection adjacent to significant vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Grey told the city council on Tuesday that extensive efforts will be made to relocate individuals through dedicated housing resources, as well as temporary shelters where they are needed.
“What we’re seeing now is our community coming together to put the resources behind the proven housing and outreach strategies identified in Austin and across the country,” Grey said. “HEAL is, by design, an iterative and collaborative initiative that will not only have an immediate impact on the lives of people living in unstable and inhumane conditions but will also build the entire system's capacity to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.”… (LINK TO STORY)
Austin's top doctor says possible COVID surge unlikely to overload area hospitals (KUT)
New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the area are declining, but they are still well within the threshold to keep Austin and Travis County at stage 3 of Austin Public Health's risk-based guidelines.
The city's interim medical director previously had said numbers might drop low enough to move down to stage 2 by mid-April. That likely won't happen now until the end of the month or the beginning of May.
"These numbers are still decreasing, but they're decreasing very slowly," Dr. Mark Escott told a joint meeting of the Travis County Commissioners Court and the Austin City Council on Tuesday.
"I anticipated that the projections for April were going to flatten out, and that's what we're seeing here," he said of the latest projections from the UT COVID-19 Modeling Consortium.
Escott said the local mask mandate and increased efforts to prevent transmission could push numbers down more quickly and that any surge would be "sub-overwhelming."
"It's unlikely for us to see a surge that is going to threaten the health care infrastructure," he said.
APH is still tracking whether spring break activities and Easter gatherings had an effect on COVID numbers. As the end of the school year approaches, Escott said he's been hearing from school districts about planning for safe graduation ceremonies.
"Right now if we keep the current restrictions in place — the mask mandate, the protections we have in place — things are looking pretty good for graduation time [at] the end of May," he said… (LINK TO STORY)
Council discusses a recalibrated Downtown Density Bonus program (Austin Monitor)
City Council members on Tuesday supported recalibrating the Downtown Density Bonus program to increase the community benefits developers must provide in exchange for more floor area ratio.
The changes – should Council vote to implement them – could shape the skyline and impact the city’s supply of income-restricted affordable housing.
“We’re applying an extremely outdated formula of benefits,” said Council Member Kathie Tovo, who sponsored the resolution. “We are really leaving money on the table.”
The Downtown Density Bonus program allows developers of residential towers more floor area ratio (which translates as increased height) in exchange for on-site affordable housing and/or a fee-in-lieu toward permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness.
Projects that participate in the program must also meet urban design and green building standards, among other benefits. Non-residential developers have to meet all standards except for the affordable housing fee.
The program, which has not been updated since 2014, is one of several density bonus programs the city uses to incentivize affordable housing in expensive, high-demand areas.
On Thursday, Council will vote on a resolution directing staff to maximize the amount of benefits the program generates and recalibrate them every year to account for market conditions. If the resolution passes, Council will vote on the changes at its April 22 meeting, barring any postponements.
Much of the work to recalibrate the program’s benefit scheme is already done. Staffers, together with consultants, crafted a plan in 2019 as part of the Land Development Code rewrite. But when the LDC revision stalled, so did the plan.
Tovo said it doesn’t have to be that way. “We have done the calibration work, we just haven’t incorporated it into the program,” she said. Tovo supports approving the 2019 figures as soon as possible, even though she thought “they look terribly, terribly low.”
Besides increasing fee-in-lieu payments, Tovo supports adding other benefits not currently required by the program, such as on-site affordable housing for residential projects. Only a fee-in-lieu is required, and almost all developers have opted to pay the fee instead of providing on-site income-restricted units. She also suggested that commercial and hotel projects should have to provide a fee-in-lieu.
Though all Council members who spoke supported the recalibration efforts and their annual renewal, several expressed concern about a part of the resolution that would temporarily prohibit buildings from exceeding the density bonus program’s FAR caps, which requires special Council approval. Buildings that stay below those caps only need the approval of city staffers and the Design Commission.
Tovo wants a moratorium on approval of such buildings so staff and Council can evaluate what kinds of benefits those extra-dense buildings should provide. She suggested that the benefits for the “bonus area” exceeding the FAR limit should be above and beyond the benefits required for the rest of the tower’s bonus area. The bonus area is defined as the floor area ratio requested in excess of the base zoning’s FAR – a ratio of 8-1 in much of downtown.
Tovo initiated the discussion in response to three proposed towers in the Rainey Street District that would exceed the program’s caps. Tovo has shown some degree of sympathy for Rainey residents who have concerns about the concentration of tall towers in the area. Council is set to approve the towers on second and third reading this week, meaning the potential moratorium would only apply to future projects.
Some Council members worried that asking too much of developers could make them shy away from the program, leaving the city with fewer benefits than before.
“I’m thrilled we’re recalibrating this,” said Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison. “I also believe that we need to move very carefully to make sure that we don’t do something that somehow unintentionally discourages participation in the program.”
Council Member Greg Casar took the opportunity to push Council to adopt more density bonus programs citywide. “I wish … we had density bonus programs all over the city,” he said. “Every single week we are probably missing out on affordable housing and affordable housing fees that we should be picking up.”…. (LINK TO STORY)
Travis County lays out timeline for American Rescue Plan Act fund distribution, allocates remaining CARES Act dollars (Community Impact)
Travis County is preparing to begin distributing the first half of $247.1 million in federal funds aimed at COVID-19 recovery efforts by June. Some $123.5 million of this allocation, distributed through the Local Fiscal Recovery Fund arm of the American Rescue Plan Act, will arrive May 10, with the remaining funds arriving in May 2022.
While local officials await federal guidance to determine the specifics of how ARPA funding may be used, Diana Ramirez, Travis County’s director of economic development and strategic investments, presented county commissioners with a sketch of programming priorities for the funds April 6. Ramirez outlined both the possible creation of new programs and the continuation of some others started in 2020 with Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funding, including TCTX Thrive, which offers support to small businesses, and TCTX Serve, which supports nonprofits.
New programming under consideration includes efforts to revamp county infrastructure—including water and broadband internet access. Resources to mitigate homelessness in the local area through supportive housing and mental health and substance abuse resources are also on the table—a priority the city of Austin has identified for its $195.8 million in ARPA funds.According to a timeline proposed by Ramirez, county staff will present finalized ARPA funding priorities to commissioners by May 18, with distribution through local programs beginning by the end of June. Programs established with the funding may extend through 2024… (LINK TO STORY)
St. Edward’s becomes one of the first universities in nation to require COVID-19 vaccine this fall for in-person activities (Texas Tribune)
St. Edward’s University, a small, private university in Austin with about 4,300 students, is one of a few universities in the country so far requiring students and employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine for the fall semester if they need to return in person.
According to a campus announcement late last month, people can opt out of the vaccine requirement for religious, medical or personal concerns with the vaccine's Emergency Use Authorization. But they must obtain a notarized exemption document, as is needed for other required vaccines such as the meningitis shot.
If students don’t comply or submit exemption documentation by Sept. 1, they will not be able to live on campus or have access to campus facilities, and will be limited in what courses they can take.
According to the university’s website, officials are planning for more in-person activities this fall, including most classes. Dormitories will be open but limited to one student per room.
Across the country, at least four other colleges and universities have instituted similar vaccination mandates, including Rutgers University in New Jersey, a public university, and Cornell University in New York, which is private.
On Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order that would prevent all government agencies, including public universities, from instituting COVID-19 requirements for services. The order also applies to organizations that receive public money.
The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment about whether this order could affect St. Edward’s. Late Tuesday afternoon, the university released a statement that their order is in compliance with state requirements… (LINK TO STORY)
[TEXAS NEWS]
Texas Senate approves a $250 billion state budget — but questions remain about how federal aid will be used (Texas Tribune)
The Texas Senate unanimously signed off on a two-year, $250 billion state budget Tuesday, though there are still questions about how tens of billions of dollars in expected federal aid will be used — and whether it will arrive in time for lawmakers to use this legislative session.
“This budget … meets our essential needs in this growing state [and] it holds true to the principles of fiscal responsibility that make Texas strong and successful,” state Sen. Jane Nelson, the Flower Mound Republican who chairs the budget-writing Senate Finance Committee, told senators as the chamber took up Senate Bill 1.
The Senate’s budget as passed includes $117.9 billion in general revenue, which is roughly $5 billion over the amount Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar projected lawmakers would have to work with. But it does not factor in over $35 billion in federal funding in coronavirus aid, much of which will go to the state government. Senators acknowledged during Tuesday’s debate that those funds may be a challenge to appropriate, depending on when they come in and what strings could be attached to them… (LINK TO STORY)
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blasts Hidalgo, Turner as 'liars' in fiery press conference on GOP voting bill (Houston Chronicle)
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick accused Democrats of “race-baiting” as they fight election bills in the Texas Legislature and said elected officials like Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner are lying about what the legislation would do.
“Senate Bill 7 is not voter suppression, it's voter security,” Patrick said during a more than 30-minute press conference in which he repeatedly slammed the media, Harris County officials, American Airlines, Democrats including Beto O’Rourke a “nest of liars” for saying the legislation seeks to disenfranchise people of color.
Patrick aimed his criticism at Harris County officials Hidalgo and Turner who have labeled the legislation as a form of voter suppression.
“They’re lying to you,” Patrick said looking into a bank of television cameras.
The back and forth on the Texas voting bill has escalated since last week as major Texas-based businesses including American Airlines, Southwest and Dell have put out statements of concern about it. That resistance comes as businesses and sports leagues including Major League Baseball oppose voting legislation in Georgia pushed by Republicans that similarly has been called an attempt to suppress the vote, particularly in minority communities that vote overwhelmingly in favor of Democrats... (LINK TO STORY)
Gov. Greg Abbott bans state agencies and state-funded organizations from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination (Texas Tribune)
Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday that he banned state agencies, political subdivisions and organizations receiving public funds from creating "vaccine passports" or otherwise requiring someone to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccine in order to receive services.
This comes as vaccine credentials, often referred to as vaccine passports, are being developed around the world as a way to quickly prove someone's vaccination status. It has become a fierce debate, with Republicans largely opposing the move, saying it is an infringement on individual freedoms and privacy. Supporters, including a number of private companies, point to the passports as a way to confidently return to activities and ensure safety at workplaces.
A handful of GOP-backed bills have been introduced in states across the U.S. aiming to restrict entities from requiring vaccines for their employees, including in Texas. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also prohibited state agencies from using vaccine passports but went a step further and said no business can require their customers to display them… (LINK TO STORY)
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Atlanta mayor issues order to expand ballot access (The Hill)
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms (D) on Tuesday issued an executive order taking aim at the voting restrictions enacted by the state that have dominated political debate for weeks.
Bottoms’s order directs the city’s chief equity officer to craft a “plan of action to mitigate the impact on City of Atlanta residents of the voting restrictions” that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) signed into law in March.
Among the actions the official can take are providing training to staff members and information on early, absentee and in-person voting; directing residents on how to gain the proper ID to vote by mail; and working with private sector and advocacy groups to implement related public service announcements.
The move is the latest by Democrats to increase ballot access while fighting back against the restrictions, which have been at the center of a political battle and garnered pushback from lawmakers, private companies and the sports world.
“The voting restrictions of SB 202 will disproportionately impact Atlanta residents—particularly in communities of color and other minority groups,” Bottoms said in a statement, referring to the Senate bill that became law. “This Administrative Order is designed to do what those in the majority of the state legislature did not—expand access to our right to vote.”… (LINK TO STORY)
Facebook, Apple and Niantic bet people are ready for augmented-reality glasses (Wall Street Journal)
Tech companies are accelerating their development of computerized glasses for consumers, in a competition between Facebook Inc., FB -0.86% Apple Inc. and others that proponents say will usher in a new way for consumers to use technology.
The devices feature augmented reality, which overlays digital content onto a person’s view of the real world. Augmented reality has been available for years in smartphone apps, such as Niantic Inc.’s hit game “Pokémon Go” and shopping tools that enable people to see how a coffee table might look in their living room. Now companies are pushing to put the same technology directly in front of consumers’ eyes, an effort that could open up a category of computing in the years to come if they can overcome technical, ethical and financial hurdles.
Facebook last month said it is working on AR glasses in tandem with sensor-packed wristbands that can detect finger movements, part of a broader push in researching the development of software and hardware to support the eyewear. As an interim step, the social-media giant this year is releasing eyewear with some tech capabilities in partnership with EssilorLuxottica SA’s Ray-Ban brand.
Niantic Chief Executive John Hanke last week posted a tweet touting progress on its planned AR glasses, which it is making in partnership with chip maker Qualcomm Inc.
Other companies are guarding their plans. Apple is working on an AR headset for consumers, which analysts expect to hit the market as soon as next year, and has plans for AR glasses to follow. Analysts also say Snap Inc., SNAP 5.12% which already sells camera-equipped sunglasses it calls Spectacles, is developing consumer AR glasses, and that Alphabet Inc.’s Google, which entered the space in 2013 with Google Glass before focusing on sales to business customers, is likely to try a consumer play again… (LINK TO STORY)