Officials next consider a recommendation from council's Public Health Committee to develop an updated local investment plan for homeless shelter, housing, and other resources. That's approved with some edits from CM Alter. An update on this process should be coming in March

While a temporary freeze on federal grant dollars and other financial assistance is now reportedly on hold, Austin and Travis County are prepping for the potential impacts of a funding pause. Statements from the city and county:

CM Krista Laine and 2024 candidate Ashika Ganguly were both dinged for failing to file financial disclosures on time in last year's campaign Many other candidates also filed late, but none have faced ethics complaints

For the first time in a while, cars will be driving down Austin's E. Sixth Street all weekend after some safety strategy shifts by the city. Meanwhile, longer-term efforts to restore the entertainment district with new restaurants+retail are continuing:

With some station+rail decisions still to be made, a few notes from those outlines: -Vehicle traffic could be blocked along a stretch of Guad and at Congress/Colorado -New park&rides at 38th/Guad, Oltorf/S. Congress, far E. Riverside -East side transit maintenance yard off 183/71

And as has become a recent tradition, mayor pro tem duties will be split up annually. Council elects CM Fuentes to the ceremonial role for 2025 followed by CM Vela in 2026

Austin has completed its report on the first 6 months of development applications under HOME Phase 1 with some high-level stats compiled. Here's our recent story on the program's rollout and the status of related city reporting:

Late update on Mike Siegel's win in the District 7 runoff with some comments from him and candidate Gary Bledsoe: Again, unofficial results show Siegel finished with 51.2% of the vote, 206 ahead of Bledsoe

It's still a slim margin in the District 7 council runoff, but Siegel appears to have won by 206 votes Siegel: 4,402 votes (51%) Bledsoe: 4,196 votes (49%) Those totals with all voting centers now reporting, according to the county

The contest stays close with the latest update from the county. Bledsoe at 50.35% (3,776 votes) to Siegel's 3,724. That's now a 52-vote gap

That lead is extended with the first batch of Election Day votes counted. Bledsoe now just over 51% (3,509), Siegel at 49% (3,366). That's a 143-vote gap with 20/51 polling places reporting, per Travis County

Gary Bledsoe takes a close early lead over Mike Siegel in Austin's District 7 council runoff. Bledsoe: 2,878 (50.77%) Siegel: 2,791 (49.23%) (early voting results only)