NEW US CENSUS DATA IS OUT
Remember the whole "Austin Mass Exodus" news cycle from last year?
I guess you could say the reports of our death are greatly exaggerated.
57 seconds. This whole incident is tragic, but the sole reason it wasn’t worse was because APD officers responded and were on scene in seconds. Patrol officers and CAST (team of APD officers and ATCEMS paramedics together) moved with incredible speed to stop the killing. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this both victims and family.
The utterly amazing statistic in this all is that when seconds count - officers ran towards the gunfire and were there in 57seconds. That’s a heroic speed.
#URGENTE | Jorge Rodríguez informa que se ha “decidido la puesta en libertad de un número importante” de presos políticos venezolanos y extranjeros.
Dice que está ocurriendo desde este momento.
Austin's HOME initiative is really working
the goal was to allow more (family sized) homes on smaller lots. now we've got multiple projects in permitting and construction doing just that
this one is in Crestview, and it's a cool combination of HOME Phase I & II, allowing four homes (1600sf+) where only a couple years ago the maximum would have been one of this size.
it lives better, and it's super cozy with lots of indoor/outdoor spaces
courtyard > front-yard, side-yard
just better in every way, an example of where neighborhoods in Austin are heading, and the power of zoning reform (thanks @chitovela3)
Pickleball?!
It’s a bit of a silly name - and I hadn’t paid much attention to it. I mostly dismissed it as a fad, something not all that serious or mainstream.
But my opinion completely changed this week.
I attended an unrelated city council meeting, and to my surprise, much of the room was filled with people holding pickleball paddles.
The issue on the table?
Some neighbors were frustrated by the noise, and the city was considering reducing the hours of play or requiring quieter paddles.
One by one, the pickleball players stepped up to the microphone to address the council.
I wasn’t expecting for what I heard.
Retirees shared stories of newfound friendships and community after picking up the sport just a few years ago.
Younger folks talked about how they finish their workdays and head to the courts to reconnect, unwind, and play with others.
Men. Women. Long-time residents. Immigrants. Executives. Blue collar. White collar.
They came up in groups, sharing how much this sport has meant to them, how much community it has created, and how (yes, pickleball) has changed their lives.
The passion in that room was undeniable. You could feel it. It was real.
And I realized this same thing is happening in communities across the country.
This isn’t a fad. It’s not to be dismissed.
It’s a huge market, and it’s here to stay.
Attention non-real estate people:
When a developer makes the decision to build an apartment building, she's typically signing up for years of work & risk in hopes she can make something like $0.06 / yr on each $1 invested, once the building is done & leased.
If there are developers interested in building new housing in your community on those terms, you ought to thank them!
Thanks to Austin’s legalization of 5-story single-stair apartment buildings, we can now build apartments that…
- Have more windows
- Are more affordable
- Have family-oriented sizes/layouts
- Better integrate with the existing urban fabric
Massive win for Austin! 🎉🎉