Civic reform · community organizing · grassroots politics
Austin's platform for civic reform, grassroots politics, and community organizing. Council votes, ballot measures, neighborhood fights, and the levers ordinary residents can actually pull — all on one docket.
Median home: $550K. Median income: $75K. The math doesn't work. Land use reform (HOME initiative), density bonuses, ADU liberalization. The most debated issue in the city. austinmayor.com
Project Connect: $7.1B light rail plan approved by voters in 2020. Construction underway. Orange and Blue lines by 2030. I-35 reconstruction (TxDOT). Cap-and-stitch over I-35 downtown. Transformative if delivered.
Prop B (2021) reinstated camping ban. HEAL initiative creates transitional housing. Bridge shelters. The Community First! Village model (tiny homes for formerly homeless). Complex issue, no simple answer.
APD staffing below mandate. Proposition A (2021) for more officers failed. 911 response times debated. Community policing vs traditional enforcement. How to be safe AND just.
Stage 2 water restrictions permanent. Highland Lakes drought-sensitive. Barton Springs protection (Save Our Springs). Urban heat island effect growing. Climate adaptation is no longer optional.
Austin added 150K people in 5 years. Infrastructure strains. Schools, parks, roads. How fast should Austin grow? Who decides? Who benefits? The fundamental question.
Thursdays, 10 AM, City Hall (301 W 2nd St). Public comment is open to all residents. 3 minutes to speak. Sign up online the morning of. Your voice on the record.
70+ registered neighborhood associations in Austin. Monthly meetings. Land use decisions, development proposals, safety issues. Where local democracy actually happens.
Austin Habitat for Humanity. Central Texas Food Bank. Keep Austin Beautiful. CASA (court-appointed child advocates). Austin Pets Alive. Thousands of organizations need hands.
Neighborhood association board. School board. City commission. Council district. Most local races have low turnout. A few hundred votes can win. The bar is lower than you think.
§1.Austin uses a 10-1 council system adopted in 2014: 10 geographic districts + 1 mayor elected at-large. Council meets Thursdays. Each district has ~100,000 residents.
§2.Find your district: Enter your address at austintexas.gov/government to find your council member, attend their town halls, and submit concerns directly.
§3.Current mayor: Kirk Watson (2023–present, also served 1997–2001). Full coverage at austinmayor.com
Must register 30 days before election. Online at votetexas.gov. Need Texas DL or last 4 of SSN. Takes 2 minutes.
Austin elections: November (odd years for city, even years for state/federal). Primary: March. Early voting: 2 weeks before election day. Vote early — lines are shorter.
Travis County: vote at any polling location (vote centers). Find locations at traviscountytx.gov. Bring photo ID.