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BG Reads 1.30.2024

BG Reads 1.30.2024

🗞️ Bingham Group Reads - January 30, 2024

January 30, 2024

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January 30, 2024

Today's BG Reads include:

✅ City hoping to fast-track some changes to land use code

✅ Almost half of Austin renters spend more than 30% of their income on rent

✅ A dozen affordable housing projects face tight race for state tax credits

✅ Falling inflation, rising growth give U.S. the world’s best recovery

✅ Pentagon says it is not seeking war with Iran after Jordan attack kills 3 U.S. soldiers

And Because you asked:

✅ Rethink35’s full lawsuit against TxDOT // Press Release Here

✅ More background on Austin’s Universal Basic Income program: Austin becomes first Texas city to test a taxpayer-funded “guaranteed income” program (Texas Tribune, 5.6.2022)

Read on!

[AUSTIN COUNCIL WATCH]

The Austin Council meets for its Work Session today at 9AM.

Work Session Agenda

Watch Live Here (ATXN Live)

City hoping to fast-track some changes to land use code (Austin Monitor)

The City Council Housing and Planning Committee last week approved a resolution urging the entire Council to move forward expeditiously with several amendments to the Land Development Code, particularly as they relate to Equitable Transit Oriented Development, called ETOD in city parlance.

The resolution is part of proposed Land Development Code changes related to Project Connect as well as code changes to reduce minimum lot sizes for housing. Committee members discussed changes they want to see in the code in the near future. Those changes include several that Council will initiate at Thursday’s meeting.

Sponsored by Council Members Natasha Harper-Madison and Ryan Alter, the committee’s resolution relates specifically to code changes initiated last year as a part of the HOME initiative. Those changes address reducing lot sizes for single-family homes, adjusting height and setback requirements, and increasing density.

Mindful of legal problems the city faced as a result of passing three ordinances designed to allow for development of housing in more places, such as residential uses in commercial areas, staff has redesigned the processes for adding the revised ordinances... (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Report: Almost half of Austin renters spend more than 30% of their income on rent (KXAN)

A national rental housing report released last week found nearly half of renters in the Austin metro are classified as “cost burdened,” spending 30% or more of their annual incomes on housing and utilities. The trends happening in Austin mirror national figures that reveal increasingly more people navigating climbing rents and wages unable to keep up with heightened housing costs.

Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) released its “America’s Rental Housing 2024” report on Thursday. That report found a record 22.4 million renter households in the United States spent more than 30% of their income on housing and utility expenses in 2022, up two million additional renter households compared to 2019… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

A dozen affordable housing projects face tight race for state tax credits (Austin Monitor)

On Thursday, City Council will consider plans for 11 housing developments across the city that could receive state money to fund the creation of affordable housing. Nearly 1,100 units are in the works for the projects, which if approved will compete for 9 percent tax credits from the state’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program.

The program provides the credits to offset the cost of including affordable housing in new construction, with developers able to sell the credits to investors, banks or other large institutions looking to offset their federal tax liability over a 10-year period.

A memo from Mandy DeMayo, director of the Housing Department, notes that the 9 percent credits are competitively awarded based on the ability to offer long-term affordable housing and spur job growth that lasts beyond the construction period of the project. A separate state program offers 4 percent credits based on a lottery system.

The memo notes that local competition for the credits is likely to be fierce because the greater Austin region has $5.3 million available – enough to help fund two projects – as well as a statewide pool of $13 million for projects deemed to be “at risk.”… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Austin Airport is first in nation to get advanced tower simulator, boosting controller training and safety (Federal Aviation Administration)

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is the first air traffic control tower in the nation to receive the new modernized Tower Simulation System, which is used for controller training on airport operations. 

"Safety is our priority, and we are investing in new technologies that provide enhanced training for our air traffic controllers," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said. "The new simulators will help us achieve that by providing real scenarios to train controllers throughout the National Airspace System."

The system is now operational at Austin and includes a visual database to simulate air traffic scenarios on an airport’s layout, operations and airspace, enhancing safety. Controllers at Austin handled over 250,000 flights in 2023… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Mayor floats therapeutic housing idea as new Austin State Hospital set to open (KXAN)

There are concurrent efforts by Travis County and the City of Austin right now to get people suffering from mental health illnesses more help. While Travis County works through a plan to build a mental health diversion center, which could divert people from jail to resources, a big factor in the city’s approach will be the reopening of the updated Austin State Hospital.

“Which is something I worked on in the Texas Senate and helped get funding for. We’ll cut the ribbon on that probably in May and people will be in that hospital right after that,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.

The state allocated more than $300 million to reconstruct the hospital, but Watson said the 240 rooms it will create will go fast. He thinks now is the time for grand ideas about what can go hand in hand with that improved service… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

[BG Podcast Weekly Recap EP. 234]

On this episode Bingham Group CEO A.J. Bingham and Associate Hannah Garcia wrap up the week of January 22nd, 2024 in Austin politics.

Topics include:

✅ Austin Council reaction to Art Acevedo hire (continued)

✅ 2024 Mayoral election updates

✅ And more

LISTEN ON: SoundCloud, YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify

Click here for this week’s Austin public meeting meeting times and agendas.

[TEXAS NEWS]

Texas GOP increasingly considers push to close its primaries (Texas Tribune)

Texas Republicans are increasingly debating who should be allowed to vote in their primary as the March 5 contest nears with the presidential nominee at the top of the ticket.

The debate has increased in recent days as presidential candidate Nikki Haley has talked openly about targeting states like Texas that have open primaries, or primaries that are open to voters regardless of partisan affiliation. But even before the former South Carolina governor started trumpeting her strategy, GOP activists in Texas were zeroing in on limiting the state’s primary to Republicans, crafting a nonbinding ballot proposition on the March 5 ballot to gauge support for the idea.

Haley’s strategy only added fuel to the fire.

“This is a very obvious call for Democrat crossover voting in the Republican Primary, which we know already happens in Texas on a large scale,” Texas GOP Chair Matt Rinaldi said last week in response to a Haley campaign memo on the topic. “The [Texas GOP] must prioritize closed primaries.”… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Pro-Palestinian protesters target San Antonio mayor, council member (San Antonio Express-News)

Two San Antonio politicians, including the mayor, were targeted last week by protesters calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and an end to the city’s friendship agreement with Tel Aviv. Mayor Ron Nirenberg was at lunch when a group of people approached his table, according to a video posted by BreakThroughNews on X, the social media app formerly known as Twitter. The group called for Nirenberg to sever the city’s ties with Tel Aviv, a move Nirenberg has maintained he won't consider. Nirenberg has said that he has no plans to call for a cease-fire or to end the sister city program and agreements, which he described as a "platform for people-to-people diplomacy" that transcends "government and geopolitics." “You are disgusting,” one of the protesters yelled. “How dare you claim to represent the San Antonian people?” The activists' chants of “Free Palestine” filled the restaurant.

The Mayor’s Dream Ball was also targeted by a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Dozens of people showed up to the Boeing Center at Tech Port on Saturday evening to protest as guests arrived at the event. Nirenberg wasn’t the only local politician whose affairs were interrupted by demonstrations last week. San Antonio District 9 Council Member John Courage announced his mayoral bid at City Hall on Thursday while organizers shouted in support of a cease-fire and end of U.S. aid to Israel. “You are a hypocrite,” one of the attendees yelled during the news conference. “You have blood on your hands. How many kids have to die before you speak up?” Courage didn’t address the protesters until his staff members attempted to quiet them. “Allow them to say what they want,” said Courage, whose voice was drowned out by the continued chants.

“They have freedom of speech. It’s only helping me get more media from our mayor’s race so thank you.” As he wrapped up his prepared remarks, Courage said: “I’d like to respond to the people here. All of you have a right to be here, all of you have a right to speak. I appreciate that. But you do not represent the entire city.” (LINK TO FULL STORY)

[US/WORLD NEWS]

Biden says US 'shall respond' after drone strike by Iran-backed group kills 3 US troops in Jordan (Associated Press)

President Joe Biden said Sunday that the U.S. “shall respond” after three American troops were killed and dozens more were injured in an overnight drone strike in northeast Jordan near the Syrian border. Biden blamed Iran-backed militias for the first U.S. fatalities after months of strikes by such groups against American forces across the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Biden, who was traveling in South Carolina, asked for a moment of silence during an appearance at a Baptist church’s banquet hall.

“We had a tough day last night in the Middle East. We lost three brave souls in an attack on one of our bases,” he said. After the moment of silence, Biden added, “and we shall respond.” With an increasing risk of military escalation in the region, U.S. officials were working to conclusively identify the precise group responsible for the attack, but they have assessed that one of several Iranian-backed groups was behind it.

Biden said in a written statement that the United States “will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner (of) our choosing.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said “we will take all necessary actions to defend the United States, our troops, and our interests.” Iran-backed fighters in east Syria began evacuating their posts, fearing U.S. airstrikes, according to Omar Abu Layla, a Europe-based activist who heads the Deir Ezzor 24 media outlet.

He told The Associated Press that the areas are the strongholds of Mayadeen and Boukamal. U.S. Central Command said at least 34 troops were injured by the one-way attack drone, with eight flown out of Jordan for follow-up care. It described the eight as being in stable condition.

The large drone struck a logistics support base in Jordan known as Tower 22. It is along the Syrian border and is used largely by troops involved in the advise-and-assist mission for Jordanian forces. Central Command said approximately 350 U.S. Army and Air Force personnel were deployed to the base. The three who were killed and most of the wounded were Army soldiers, according to several U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to give details not yet made public… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Pentagon says it is not seeking war with Iran after Jordan attack (Reuters)

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday vowed the U.S. would take "all necessary actions" to defend its troops after a deadly drone attack in Jordan by Iran-backed militants, even as President Joe Biden's administration stressed it was not seeking a war with Iran.

The attack on Sunday killed three U.S. soldiers and wounded more than 40 troops. It was the first deadly strike against U.S. troops since the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October and marks a major escalation in tensions that have engulfed the Middle East.

The U.S. military released the names of the victims, the youngest of which was a 23-year-old Army Reserve specialist, Breonna Alexsondria Moffett.

U.S. troops have been attacked over 160 times in Iraq, Syria and Jordan since Oct.7 and warships been attacked in the Red Sea as well. Houthi fighters in Yemen have been firing drones and missiles at them on the Red Sea.

The attacks are piling political pressure on Biden to deal a blow directly against Iran, a step he has been reluctant to take out of fear of igniting a broader war… (LINK TO FULL STORY)

Falling inflation, rising growth give U.S. the world’s best recovery (Washington Post)

The European economy, hobbled by unfamiliar weakness in Germany, is barely growing. China is struggling to recapture its sizzle. And Japan continues to disappoint.

But in the United States, it’s a different story. Here, despite lingering consumer angst over inflation, the surprisingly strong economy is outperforming all of its major trading partners. Since 2020, the United States has powered through a once-in-a-century pandemic, the highest inflation in 40 years and fallout from two foreign wars. Now, after posting faster annual growth last year than in 2022, the U.S. economy is quashing fears of a recession while offering lessons for future crisis-fighting.

“The U.S. has really come out of this into a place of strength and is moving forward like covid never happened,” said Claudia Sahm, a former Federal Reserve economist who now runs an eponymous consulting firm. “We earned this; it wasn’t just a fluke.”

On Friday, President Biden hailed fresh government data showing that annual inflation over the second half of 2023 fell back to the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target. Coupled with Thursday’s news that the economy grew by 3.1 percent over the past 12 months, the Commerce Department report showed that the United States appears to have achieved an economic soft landing.

The recovery from the pandemic challenged long-standing economic beliefs, such as the idea of an inverse relationship between unemployment and inflation. (As one rose, the other was expected to fall.) Expressed in what economists call the Phillips curve, this nostrum proved nearly useless in explaining the economy’s recent behavior. Washington’s success in reviving the economy also suggests a new approach to future downturns, one that relies more on the government’s power of the purse and less on the Federal Reserve’s control of the cost of credit… (LINK TO FULL STORY)