Austin for Everyone, Native and New

Good Bye for a While

2009-09-21T08:14:00.000-07:00

Between two jobs and graduate school in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), I am conceding to the need to focus. I'll start up around this time next year, but until then, remember that everything that makes Austin a wonderful place to be is for everyone who is here, not just people who have been here. Thanks for reading.

Comprehensive Plan Citizens Advisory Committee Concepts

2009-08-06T06:24:00.000-07:00

Austin is developing a comprehensive plan for the first time in thirty years, which already allows a multitude of challenges. One of the main challenges is that many people are not participating in city policies, but the vocal minority continues to speak for the city's citizens. I went to a meeting on to discuss how to address this, and met so many people who really want to change how Austin is working. Several ideas were presented, but these ideas struck a particular cord with me.

To change current public participation, many people strongly advocate meetings in multiple places, because Austin has grown beyond the capabilities of getting downtown by 6pm. Also, people have families, and providing childcare sends the message that the City of Austin is not just for young, single people who work downtown, but the hundreds of families who have resided here for years. Austin has been pro-family, and should continue to represent that image. Technology which allows people to view meetings in live time is excellent, but input could be much more effective with actually allowing people to send messages to a monitored discussion board on a consistent basis. Finally, one particularly intelligent person from London recommended that the city develop a paid internship program for students from junior high through graduate school to participate in planning policies. A shoot-off of this conversation that is found with yet another advocate group, Transition Austin: http://www.transitionaustin.org/

The reality is that people care how the city works, and fortunately, many more people are talking about how to participate and when to participate, making the public input much more important. We can no longer be ruled by the politics and the mentalities of previous decades, and it is important for the next generation of participants to step up, as well as the previous participants to delegate. Our city can go in many directions, and we have to make sure that we get people communicating with each other rather than communicating for each other.

Why Gentrification is a Nasty Word

2009-07-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

There are multiple Austins, but there are two which stand out more than any others: Poor Austin and The Rest Of Austin. In Poor Austin, there are no bank branches nearby, forcing residents to drive/bus elsewhere lest they fall prey to predatory banking practices like payday loans and check cashing fees. Grocery stores are distant, and smaller "local" stores rarely have fresh produce and what families need to stay healthy and without diabetes. Poor Austin residents, who can barely afford to pay rent, must make car payments because the neighborhoods are designed for reliance on cars. It rarely matters in Poor Austin that the residents be educated: there are few opportunities for a skilled workforce in jobs that pay actual wages, and such a stigma on location that educated people can barely keep businesses afloat when located in Poor Austin. Low wages for younger, newer residents make homeownership and home maintenace distant dreams. Political participation? Forget it, not with working multiple jobs (all of which are inflexible about time off), no cars, and no daycare facilities.

This is the Poor Austin story that many residents of The Rest Of Austin fail to understand. Hate those developers? Well, if developers build in East Austin, most of their workers would be closer to homes and families. Mad at the rise in taxes? At least there are more jobs in The Rest Of Austin which can support more of that rise, as opposed to the retail/food service jobs for barely more than minimum wage with no benefits in Poor Austin. Annoyed at the rise in CapMetro rates? A bunch of folks would enjoy having more money instead of throwing it into their cars they can barely afford. Unfortunately, The Rest Of Austin would rather speak for Poor Austin rather than actually listening to it.

We need more diverse income groups in Poor Austin neighborhoods for a number of reasons. First of all, people who make more money can afford to care more about their neighbors and neighborhoods, so crime is more difficult. After all, more wealthy people are working from home, so they probably want to be comfortable in their homes/offices. Secondly, trained and educated citizens - or at least citizens who graduated from high school - help eradicate the notion that being uneducated is some sort of "rebellion against the system" and therefore helpful for social growth. Diverse incomes generally encourage the introduction of handy things like banks, medical clinics, frequent transit routes and smaller, healthier grocery stores within walking distance. Lastly, neighborhoods with more diverse incomes generally have some people who can attend meetings, giving voices to communities which have been shut out simply because they are far from public forum locations or work too much.

Posting inspired by:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/17/AR2009051702053.html

A Dream Realized

2009-06-30T18:48:00.001-07:00

If you haven't checked out a copy of Community Impact (http://www.impactnews.com/), do it. On October 1, 2008, I wrote a piece about business collaboration, which basically encouraged businesses to seek out properties simultaneously, and have several fill a new structure instead of having to market independently. Clusters of Austin starting to abound, and I was very pleased to see that Amy's Ice Cream and a few other businesses decided to stake out some land together. We have to become a less selfish city to thrive, and although developers market to and negotiate with businesses before they build, we have to take initiative and build communities while they build buildings.

Thanks to a bit of collaboration, that community will experience three things: 1) Property values will rise. Yes, this will lead to higher taxes, but it will also lead to even more neighborhood amenities and improvements. 2) Other businesses will see how quickly the space was filled, and may contact other businesses to fill the spaces in other buildings. Quite frankly, it's daunting to be the first business in a new development, so it's better to talk to other businesses and fill the space all at once because someone might back out, but the building wouldn't be empty in its first round. 3)Multiple businesses mean that employees have diverse skill sets, and that means that people in the area have opportunities to learn new skills to be employed in their own neighborhoods. Nothing makes employees more valuable than having diverse skills, and structures like these provide more opportunities for young people to have jobs and learn skills.

Story appeared here:

http://www.impactnews.com/northwest-austin/local-news/4881-amys-ice-cream-owners-develop-in-north-austin

Rediscovering Central Texas

2009-06-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

In a time when airfare is ridiculous and gas requires a mortgage loan, now seems like the opportunity to discover Central Texas. There are so many bed & breakfasts in this region that someone could get exceedingly tired of them, so drive around on a weekend and check in, and see why these places stay in business. Also, remember that house that was way too big to begin with since the kids moved out? With some cooking classes and some creativity, there's a business opportunity to be had, or a rental opportunity for special events like SXSW, ACL, UT vs. A & M, the Pecan Street Festival, etc.

Also, there are natural wonders that can spur on conservation efforts, like Natural Bridge or Inner Space. Central Texas is built on so much limestone that caves have probably yet to be discovered, and to the brave adventurer, there is plenty to see in the well-known caves. Creeks need visiting, even when they don't have water, and there are plenty of rivers that still have water, such as the Guadalupe River. For all those jobless college graduates, those are foundations waiting to be set up or led, hint, hint. When visiting those out-of-reach places, it becomes apparent why some places need cars while Austin could rely on transit.

Central Texas has a lot to offer, so I would recommend visiting many of the places within this area, just to remind us why we live in Austin, and visit other places.

Open House Tactics

2009-06-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't like to go to open houses for fun sometimes? I have enjoyed several in the past, and I hope to enjoy several in the future. One thing, though, is that people need to start cross-promoting in venues like open houses, like the group that's promoting some of the condos on South Congress: http://www.2020congresscondos.com/. A friend and I were going to skip this event, but I was so happy that she told us to go ahead.

First of all, there were several artists who were allowed to both demonstrate their crafts and display their wares. In effect, it was very similar to the East Austin Studio Tour - and if you haven't been to that, you better go. One artist was doing a graffiti demonstration, which was decidedly the largest. Other artists had set up the condos with their wares, so one could literally walk through an art gallery that was an entire apartment complex. A catering service provided lunch for the event, so people could stay for a while, and if one had the capital, condos could be purchased.

So, for all those real estate agents who looking for exposure: stop expecting the properties to sell themselves and make your job easier. Austin loves art, so let some artists tout their wares since there are plenty of artists in this city. Also, give new businesses the opportunities for exposure, especially if there's a mixed use project to sell, because hey, you might sell the bottom floor in addition to the top. Basically, make the buildings into public spaces and indicate how people will be growing their communities by living closer together.

Miracle of Emergency Bus Rides

2009-05-31T20:54:00.000-07:00

For those of you who say that the bus is impossible to navigate:

I discovered a pain in my teeth, and had to notify my boss so that I could go immediately to the dentist. Of course, that was the day that I had no car, so I made a tentative appointment with my dentist, informing him that I might be late due to a lack in vehicle. I left work at 1:15, was at my home in northwest Austin near Braker by 2:00pm to get my car, and I made a 2:30 dental appointment. If I had known the bus schedules as I know them now, I wouldn't have even gotten my car.

Many people complain that their lives are too complicated to add public transportation to the mix. Many parents say that their children have too many after school activities for public transportation. I would ask those people to take the buses for a day, and see just how relaxing it is not to deal with traffic or the stress of finding a place to park. More parenting guides are encouraging a more hands off approach, so maybe parents could encourage more public transit instead of forcing themselves to drive all over town. One of my colleagues takes the bus, and she has two children, and I've seen many parents riding the bus with their children.

Why Image is Everything

2009-05-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

Before I lived in New York, I loved the movie Miracle on 34th Street. I loved all the clothes that the little girl wore, I loved the magic of the mall Santa, and of course, the classic love story. However, as I grew older I realized that it had one big problem: apartments are seen as a horrible place to live, while houses are seen as havens for families. I know that people like houses because of their obsession with land they rarely farm, but depicting apartments as holes of horror is the reason why there is such a negative emphasis on cities. As Sprite used to say in its commercials, image is everything.

Kids are seen as not living in real homes when they live in apartments, even though they do as much as if not more of the same stuff kids who live in houses do. The nice thing about apartments is that kids can walk to their friends' houses without having to be driven, which means that all they have to do is ask instead of interrupting parental activities, such as paying bills, or work. Houses also cost more than apartments (not all apartments, but most), so parents have to work hard to afford houses that require lawns to be mowed, roofs to be replaced, and plumbing to be fixed on a regular basis. Urban citizens can take the bus to avoid traffic, meaning that many people can be less stressed and more personable as they come to work instead of reeling from the jerks who cut them off, or changed lanes without signalling, etc. People tend to think that cities are full of criminals, but few of those people actually spend time walking around in cities because they commute to and from work, and stay away from people other than coworkers most of the time.

Of course, what could be better than a nice, quiet suburb? There are empty streets, so there is no possibility of child predators or burglaries. There are lawns, so that children can avoid the dirty parks, "dangerous adults," and the other "bad children." No one can walk to any businesses which contributes to a number of health problems even according the University of Texas at Austin, but who cares when driving is king? The point in the image is that suburbs are safer, which means that there are no criminals, and all the people are worthwhile.

To be fair, it is Texas, and I know people who have farms, and who need land because they have horses, cattle, and all the rest. There really are people who have lots of land because they had community resources like observatories, or they have youth camping trips that they sponsor. This post is not for those people. This is for people who have a lot of land because they think it will fulfill them in some way as a person, and for those who think that having a home is a sign of maturity. Homes are big pieces of debt that may not necessarily lead to prosperity or happiness. Families are families wherever they live, and no one's maturity is determined by the ownership of assets.

Small Town Journeys

2009-05-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

Recently, I visited Johnson City and stayed in a bed and breakfast called Chantilly Lace. Despite the fact that I normally go to bed and breakfasts that are off the beaten path, I appreciated the fact this one was decidedly urban. There are many businesses that are located downtown, and the houses surround them like an oasis. Several people can walk from their homes, and did for the Art Wine and Wildflower festival, which I attended purely on accident. There are two Zagat-rated restaurants with world-class chefs, which is perfect for a weekend stay. On my first night, I attended the Friendly Bar, which has excellent food, a rotating limited menu, and live music on the weekends, generally a casual environment. My second dinner was at the Silver K, which has a more elegant atmosphere, but still has a world class chef and amazing cuisine.

On the way back from Johnson City, I stopped at Marble Falls and was amazed at the amount of urban art in what is generally considered a small town. The downtown area was extremely walkable and close to a very active park, and while there, live music was held in the town square.
At the public park, a store was marketing its products by allowing customers to try them:Mud Outdoor Center http://www.mockayaks.com/.

I say all this to point out one thing: urbanism is not a new idea. Johnson City and Marble Falls are very small towns in a rural part of central Texas, and although some of them commute to Austin, many of them live and work where they are, and many of them are close to downtown. Being close to one's job and entertainment is the most effective way to live because it increases a sense of community and creates shared responsibility. The real problems in Austin are that too few people live near their jobs - thus increasing traffic - and too many people make opportunities for people have long commutes, and cheap property outside city jurisdiction. To add injury to insult, people create barriers to putting jobs near people in the form of developments, and no one wants people from out of town to "desecrate" the "sanctity" of Austin. Johnson City is an old-fashioned small town with 3 art galleries, world class chefs, and Marble Falls is an old-fashioned small town with urban art and live music on a Sunday, and both love visitors and new residents. I would be embarrassed to find that Austin is incapable of following the examples of small towns.

Businesses I visited:

http://www.chantillylacesoaps.com/
http://www.silverkcafe.com/
http://www.friendlybarbistro.com/

Hidden Treasures in Suburbs

2009-04-30T20:52:00.000-07:00

I used live in Bryker Woods, and I have been noticing a lot of changes in the neighborhood. Some of the sweeping mansions have been torn down to make space for multiple homes, and there are new businesses coming into place. If one lived there, it would be harder and harder to remain bored, no matter what age. What this means is that all the businesses get immediate exposure because there are more ways to be a pedestrian and there are more people close together, which helps keep these businesses running.

The challenge of suburbanism is that businesses risk a lack of exposure, and therefore risk running out of business. While I know that businesses should look out for themselves, I can't help but notice that we have put the spaces for them in an awkward position: no one can see the businesses unless he or she is walking, and the neighborhoods are usually not pedestrian friendly. Take Shandeez Restaurant (www.shandeez.com): it's located on Anderson Mill Road, and that road is driven by hundreds of drivers per day. There are plenty of apartments nearby, as well as numerous houses, but there are long stretches where pedestrians would see nothing but houses. Entrances to the gated apartment complexes are not close to the shopping center where Shandeez is located. Because of that, this excellent restaurant has actually done a $10 lunch, and has had to cancel live music events. The neighborhood is not patronizing this restaurant (yes, we know we're in recession), but the restaurant might not stand a chance without more exposure in the form of other businesses and more density.

I know that we all live in suburbs because they are "safer." However, the price of gas is going up, wages are going down, and our business communities will become less diverse and more sparse (by the way, that means less jobs) unless we adopt a more dense approach to development. Sidewalks, buses, and people keep businesses alive. Thank goodness people are still moving to Austin.

Solutions for Suburbs

2009-04-14T07:41:00.001-07:00

We have a lot of suburbs now. While some of them were the product of the boom - overbuilding into antiquated infrastructure - most of the building was done in an effort to keep Austin "safe," in the minds of many who believe that safety is only achieved with a yard and a car. These same people push against density partially, I believe, because they think that developers and new urbanites want to bulldoze their houses to the ground and build skyscrapers. With full disclosure in mind, I prefer condominiums and townhomes, and I look at my car - or as I think of it, my oversized purse that picks up all the extra garbage - with disdain.

However, one thing I remember from my childhood is the fact that I was three blocks away from my school, and my school was across the street from the after school day care center. When I came back to Austin, my new neighborhood and bus routes were full of businesses that people ran from their homes: day care centers, architectural firms, consultants, etc. Torchy's Tacos and Salvation Pizza are two small businesses that are always full of people. A couple of my friends have been involved in the Pampered Chef franchise, and more and more people I know are thinking about running their own businesses.

I propose that instead of continuing to let people reject our applications and tell us that we are not worth the investment, that we revitalize the suburbs. How much would the value of homes and the morale of the neighborhoods rise if more people started running daycare centers out of their homes, and how much would neighbors then get to know each other? Environmentally, how much less of a carbon footprint would we all have if more of the working population worked from home, and for those not environmentally motivated, how much more would people save in transportation costs? No, having a home office is not as "impressive" as having a high rise in downtown, and yes, we do need to rent out those spaces so that areas steer clear of dilapidation. Also, marketing is not free and does take time, although thanks to LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Craigslist, the time is less than one would think.

However, with so many people out of work, we have a unique opportunity to find out what people really need, people who work full time and need to relieve stress. We know that health care insurance and retirement benefits come with company and government jobs, but we also know that some of the future of business lies in the expansion of small businesses.

"What does this have to do with planning, and what do you think you know about business?" If we revitalize suburbs by supplementing those sleepy neighborhoods with few people home with consultants who walk their children over to their neighbors' daycare centers and take a break in the middle of the day to go to their other neighbors' yoga studios or cooking classes, suburbs can regain a sense of significance in the planning world. They will no longer be the realm of NIMBYs who know only the most "important" of their neighbors, and homeowner's associations will be more affective networking tools, as they will be aware of the true needs of communities, like an evening day care center for people like doctors and professors. One of the many aspects of a safe neighborhood is eyes on the street, and if there were more people working from home, those neighborhoods would be less prone to burglaries and guess what? This style of living is another example of density making those neighborhoods more aligned with the entire city, which is, after all, the goal.

What else? Thanks to transit centers, and all these nodes around Austin, there are many places that are close to where people come home or leave for work, if you decide to run a daycare. Also, thanks to all the networking tools mentioned earlier, you can always pool your resources with other home business owners and all of you could rent a space in the commercial area closest to you so that you can have those all important meetings and conferences and make a professional impression, while spending the rest of the week working from home. One day a week of commuting. Working from home is not for everyone or without risk, but those suburbs need some life and the jobless need some hope. To lead by example, I will take this opportunity to say that I myself will be available on Monday and Wednesday evenings as a writing tutor beginning next week. You can expect to see my ad on Craigslist, my Facebook page, and my LinkedIn page by Friday.

Digital Divide and Planning

2009-03-09T05:49:00.001-07:00

It's that time again, time to take the census. Every 10 years, the country decides to attempt to keep track of all those millions of people and activities. While this is a good idea, the difficulty lies in its expense and the time it takes to collect the data. No one will be able to accurately argue that the data is bad, but I would suggest that our methods are a bit antiquated and could be expedited but for one thing: the digital divide.

Hopefully, many people are not under the illusion that the next census (or the census after that) will continue to use citizens moving door to door to collect information. That practice is good for building communities, but is better suited to a city rather than a nation or even a state. The best method will be to use a website to enter information, and allow citizens to fill said information out for themselves.

It is time for cities and states to start prioritizing computer centers so that data like this can be collected, and proper planning decisions can be made. After all, people who planned on having the luxury of a car are seriously scratching their heads and wondering if all the planning sacrifices and the expense of maintaining the roads of the nation for everyone was worth it.

Light Rail

2009-02-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

I remember reading that the City was going to complete the hike and bike trail around Town Lake* for $1.5 million, and that many citizens were perturbed by such actions. Well, folks, such actions cost money, and unless you think that creating more walkable trails is a bad thing, you should probably learn how to cope. One evening I was having dinner with friends and one mentioned disdain about the light rail being expensive and not going south of the river. "You know," I said, having attended a meeting full of people who gave their opinions of the light rail, "many people south of the river mentioned that they didn't want the noise, even though everyone knows that light rail increases property value." My friends were stunned, and the room was quiet. "The noise? There were car/rail accidents in Houston because the rail cars were too quiet, and the engineers had to add noise to the trains. The noise?" asked one of my other friends.

Bottom line: light rail serves as a public good, and rich and poor people will ride it. True, it will require a modicum of spending and regulation, but that is nothing new to a state full of highways, universities, and real estate development. All public goods cost money, but using price as excuse to keep cities antiquated continues to divide the rich from the poor. Rich people are happy to pay hundreds of dollars a month for the privilege of sitting in traffic, while poorer people remain in debt and sacrifice food and living space for said "privilege." Not building up light rail constitutes continuing to choose for people, instead of letting them choose for themselves.

Another question to posit to opponents of rail is this: how much money do roads make and how much do they cost? In other words, where is my check from IH-35? Roads in and of themselves are not businesses earning profit. If one logs in to the TxDOT website, the meetings are videotaped and broadcasted online, and all discussions are about how highways will be funded. What is evident throughout these meetings, which rarely have any mention of public transit, is that TxDOT is about highways, not about all types of transportation. Highways mean money for specific contractors, auto makers, and oil companies. They do very little for citizens except perpetuate bad planning practices, and they cost a staggering amount of money to build and maintain.

Light rail, and particularly commuter rail, offers an extraordinary opportunity for economic viability in smaller towns. Towns and neighborhoods that are normally bypassed by highways to maximize travel routes can become popular daytrips that encourage the gestation of local businesses. There are so many people who live in smaller towns and commute to larger towns that rail centers would provide business opportunities for restaurants, movie theatres, or even college satellite campuses. In Box Hill, a city in southeast Australia, the Asian-Australian community has solidified downtown into a cultural experience that one can get to easily and affordably, which has boosted real estate value and has expanded additional local businesses. Our own Fredericksburg has expanded tremendously, and what would be better than allowing people to avoid gas and parking, and just go to Fredericksburg - or New Braunfels, for that matter, which has invested greatly in its downtown area - and enjoy their community events and businesses, and then take a train right back to Austin? Or how about just hopping on a train from the Mueller Development to enjoy South by Southwest?

Finally, more people have taken on second jobs to pay bills and as good as the bus system is, getting across town at night is difficult and takes a long time. Many people end up using the money from their second jobs just to get to them, and the situation will continue to worsen as this economy sets itself for employers, not employees. Work is essential to keep our economy moving, and rail is a method of transportation that allows people to work and to get to work more easily. Discussing transportation for workers and not discussing rail is like two people trying to clear a field with a pair of scissors and a machete: the task can be done, but it will most likely take a long time.

Light rail moves people more easily around cities, and the cost of constructing it will only rise in the coming years. We need to invest now so that Austin remains one of the greatest cities in Texas, and to lower at least part of the cost of living here. $500 a month to keep a car running is no longer cutting edge technology.

Don't Whine About Big Box Stores

2009-01-26T07:38:00.000-08:00

In the 50s, everyone decided that it was a really good idea for every American household to have a car, families to have houses with yards and garages, and for all people to buy as much as they could to be "happy." Before that, America had the General Store, so named because customers could buy everything "in general" that they needed. Later, there were department stores that had several stores in one location, making it more easy for American families to get what they "needed."

All of these consumer centers evolved into strip malls, with malls that were just inside out, where the walking took place in parking lots. We liked it. We encouraged architects and developers to keep building these sorts of establishments. Just like the Hummer 3, we decided that instead of supporting multiple independent businesses that were walking distance from our homes (like they were in the "good ol' days"), we wanted one-stop shopping centers, bigger grocery stores, and football fields worth of parking.

I think it would be remiss to blame developers for giving Austinites what they want in the form of dozens of shopping centers. We had the opportunity to prevent this from happening simply by speaking with our wallets. Instead of paying for cars, we could have paid for an advanced transit system. Many Austin businesses could have remained if we had decided that instead of driving, we wanted a more pedestrian city. I find it difficult to completely take the moral high ground when we were pushing millions of dollars into these stores for decades.

We are responsible for all the traffic, and we are responsible for all the "Big Box atrocities", even those of us who living "traditional" Austin neighborhoods. There has been a new call for taking responsibility, and I think that Austinites are long overdue. After decades of supporting nothing but sprawl, we have done as much damage as we have done good, and the last minute is too late to cry foul.

Insult of the Comprehensive Plan

2009-01-04T17:42:00.000-08:00

Hello Austin, did you know that we are putting together a comprehensive plan for our city, to update the one 30 years ago? Yes, we are, and according to the city, it will take 2 years and $1.8 million, with $1.5 million going to the independent consultant. You heard me: $1.8 million in total with $1.5 million going to the independent consultant. Seriously.

This is the point where everyone should have his or her eyebrows raised and said, "Really?" Not only is the ratio a complete fallacy in terms of including Austinites and building goodwill towards the city, but the whole price is a complete insult. There are many, many houses in Austin worth more than $1.8 million, let alone an entire comprehensive plan. That amount is a paltry sum, a mere token, and the process for completing the plan is most likely going to offend more people than be effective.

Anyone who reads this knows that I care a great deal about community involvement in the comprehensive plan (see the October 5, 2008 entry). If anyone is aware, there is a UNIVERSITY that has a COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PLANNING DEPARTMENT located fairly close to downtown. Its name is the UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. If one gave $1.5 million to that department to help complete the comprehensive plan, not only would there be more models to base actual results on, but the STATE university would have free access to the information gathered by the state. Comprehensive planning is what these students AND PROFESSORS study, morning, noon and night, and to pay an outside consultant a ridiculous sum of money when we have resources at our own disposal is going for the two birds in the bush.

Yes, UT has seemed a bit like Rapunzel, standing in her tower and only allowing the sacred few to enter. On the contrary, how on earth are we going to initiate the process of removing the maiden from the tower if we are unwilling to climb her hair? Universities know how to live on $1.5 million sums, and they know more about allocation than anything, not to mention that they are non-profits. It simply makes no sense to spend $1.8 million on a comprehensive plan and give that money to someone outside of the direct effects, while ignoring perfectly good resources at our immediate disposal. And $1.8 million dollars is nothing, for the record.

Stranded Downtown

2009-01-01T20:57:00.000-08:00

On December 23, I had to work late because the end of the year was busy. Like a good urbanite, I took the bus and expected to take the bus home again. Normally, there were two buses which traveled to my neighborhood, but I saw roughly 11 Trail of Lights buses before I finally caught a bus. I was basically stranded downtown with no way home for about an hour and I was at 11th and Lavaca, which has no businesses to patronize and no regular foot traffic.

Many people argue that because there is no "effective" public transit system, people are forced to drive. My counter is this: if no one takes the bus after hours, then there will be inefficient and ineffective buses after hours. There are students, but these days, more workers come early and stay late, and people need to feel that they can get home safely and quickly without having to factor an extra hour of waiting.

Being stranded downtown should never happen in one of the fastest growing cities in America. Please talk to Capitol Metro (yes, I do the same) and tell them if you ever ride the bus after 6pm. There are many activities that happen in the later hours, and not having to park would be a boon on the city. We need to work with our transit system to make it more effective so that the buses and trains do not give us a curfew.

Safety around the parking lots

2009-01-01T20:25:00.000-08:00

One of my co-workers was coming in early to do overtime, since the end of the year tends to be a busy season for a number of state departments. While she was getting out of her car, two men appeared and tried to demand money. Despite a number of firm statements, the men did not leave, so it was fortunate that she made her way to work and that her car remained unharmed.

To have a long stream of parking lots with no businesses or people is unsafe, and that is exactly the case from 15th Street to 11th Street on San Jacinto and Trinity. There is no constant fluctuation of foot traffic because there are no restaurants or stores for people to go to, and there are no residents who watch out for themselves and others. Even the Texas Residential Construction Commission is swallowed by its isolation next to those parking lots, as there are no businesses to support the safety of the area.

Downtown does not have to be unsafe at any part. While it is important to have parking lots because so many people insist upon driving (although that could potentially change), there should not be blocks and blocks of parking garages that have little to no foot traffic. Those areas create unsafe environments for the very workers who park their cars there.

Options for New Year

2008-12-29T16:06:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the end of the semester and the holidays, the loyal few have not heard much news from me. Fortunately, with the coming of the new year comes a new opportunity to see what Austin can and will do. We have options, and we have factions. It will be interesting to see how the city changes over the next twelve months. Happy New Year!

Students at Work

2008-11-30T19:22:00.000-08:00

When I read stories in the Statesman (or any news) that demonstrate use of student input, I jump up and down and dance. This city has been avoiding the use of its student population for years, and I am literally at a loss as to why. This city has one of the highest concentrations of students in the entire state of Texas, and we basically pat them on theirs heads, and tell them to fill up the punch bowl. Recently, I was inspired by the student input into the Waller Creek development, and after walking in the Waller Creek area today, I can honestly say that it needs a bunch of planners, students and developers working on it.

Student initiative is vital to a constantly changing city. For example, there are several downright ugly traffic medians ("islands" as they are called) which could use landscaping. Well, we could pay some landscaping firm to come up with an idea that might get into the budget 20 years later. Or, we could make these islands projects for landscape architecture students, landscaping students, or any other type of students who are in the process of learning about how to make the outdoors prettier. These bring up the value in the community and they provide experience for students before they graduate.

We have students, and pretending otherwise is detrimental to our local economy. Instead of paying them nothing and having them fill punch bowls, we should start putting them to good use and making it less possible for them to live in our city without becoming positively engaged in the good of the entire community.

Artisan Communities Exploit Non-Consumerism

2008-11-28T13:35:00.000-08:00

One of the tragedies of the rise in the cost of living in Austin is that the city is losing a number of artist communities, or the possibility of gallery space. While the cost of living has risen, the community that supports art in Austin has become disconnected. What if someone is not as "high class" as the Blanton? What if someone wants more unity than a tour of studios? Full disclosure: I enjoy the Blanton and I enjoy the East Austin studio tour. However, I know that people enjoy an artisan community, and other than guitarists, I believe the city has a responsibility to support such a community.

Because there are still large quantities of space that have little to no development, a developer should buy a large parcel of land, and build 20 of those super small houses so that artists, writers, and musicians can have small spaces to practice their crafts, but not have a mountain of bills for basic maintenance. For those who are unfamiliar with the concept of a super small house, there are houses that are as small as 84 sq. ft. up to as large as 300 sq. ft. Single family housing is still incredibly inexpensive to build, so the profitability should be visible to the average developer. This would encourage more studios to be built, and might actually support a shared space so that people can know where to go for art.

In the past, artists have rented spaces separate from their homes to display and create their art. The high cost of living is one thing, but maintaining two separate residences makes art somewhat of a hobby for the superwealthy. Instead, creating an artisan community would allow artists the respect of separating their work from their private lives and promote a non-consumer mentality: if you only work there, you have little need for extra furniture and the rest of the trimmings that people usually put in their homes.

The real challenge of Austin is that we all believe that density means putting everything in one place. What density actually means is making many opportunities available in several locations. All the live music venues, art galleries, and poetry slams should not be concentrated in 78701, 78702, 78703, 78704, and 78705. We have a big city, and one way to promote artists of all types is community exposure in several different locations. If a developer builds a community of studios, that developer is promoting art in Austin, and allowing people to see its good will in the promotion of Austin values.

Call to Action

2008-11-25T06:13:00.000-08:00

This goes out to all the people that density proponents are marketing to who are at happy hours and lectures instead of at the public meetings. Honestly, the message regarding density is not getting out there, and people who support new urbanism are surprised that change is happening slowly. Well, I fail to see where the surprise is: people at the public meetings are the same people who oppose the very ideas that society is trying to instill in its citizens, like use of public transit, mixed use locations, and shared public spaces. It would seem very difficult to encourage density when few people who support the concept are at the meetings.

Therefore, I am implementing a call to action. Instead of going to happy hours all the time and only networking with people you already know, go to a public meeting. Not only will it give you a chance to expand your network, but you might even catch a glimpse of what the other side is saying. Also, I know that many of you complain about what should be happening in Austin, but is taking too much time. Well, if you never say anything where someone who has power can hear you, it would be rather difficult to give you what you want.

Density, like adult literacy and child welfare, is a cause. If no one at the meeting supports being able to walk to work, the grocery, the bank and childcare, then politicians have to listen to the people who are at the meeting. Obama was elected because a bunch of young people used technology, networking, and community organization skills to support the greater good. Sprawl is not the definition of a strong society, and it will not matter that people wanted cars when the government runs out of money to support the automobile infrastructure, or for people to own an acre a piece, or for parents to drive their children everywhere. Be the change you want to see. If we choose to live in huge houses, buy wasteful vehicles and eat too much, we deserve what we get. Those of you who appreciate walking to the drug store, walking to the movies, and having businesses in your neighborhood without having to get into a car, get to the public meetings. The message is not clear when only one side is speaking.

Crossing the Street

2008-10-29T11:33:00.001-07:00

A lot of people argue that investing in a more pedestrian outlook would cost too much money. One thing that people have not considered is that there are many ways to slowly implement a more pedestrian society that do not cost a fortune. I advocate mass transit, wider sidewalks, and vertical mixed use. However, I know that those options are expensive and keep some citizens away from the center of town because of living costs. Those are ideas that take time and planning.

Right now, we have an extremely obvious problem with an easy answer: crossing the street. Why are there so many large streets in Austin, and so few crosswalks to get across those large streets? This is not the cost of widening, building or improving a sidewalk. This is paint. We have a lot at our disposal, and there is no reason why we should avoid making more crosswalks when more people are walking. Adding crosswalks would make streets with large blocks, like Lamar, South 1st, Guadalupe, Jollyville, Spicewood Springs, Burnet, Cameron, etc. much more pedestrian. Just by adding paint.

So, let's stop acting like everything that would make Austin more pedestrian costs a fortune. Let's instead make it easier for everyone to cross the street.

Argument for Private Transportation

2008-10-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

I think one of the most important parts of selecting an argument is knowing the other side. After visiting Natural Bridge Caverns, I realize why public transportation could not work in every location. Such a cave is a geological wonder, and the stress of a train track or heavy traffic would surely be so detrimental that it would be destroyed. To be sure, there are a number of locations that would be particularly sensitive to the strain of heavy density, and for those areas, I think it makes perfect sense to reduce growth.

New Braunfels, Canyon City, Sattler, and Gruene are perfect examples of why all cities should not aspire to have heavy density. They maintain their individuality and provide nearby tourist destinations for the larger cities nearby, such as San Marcos, Austin, and San Antonio. Their profits are probably large because they exploit their value as small towns and as escapes from large cities. The biggest argument for density within large cities is that having a city of 500,000 be classified as a "town" is detrimental as far as businesses and public utility.

Presentation

2008-10-05T16:31:00.000-07:00

Business Collaboration

2008-10-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

One thing I've noticed about businesses in Austin is that while they'll collaborate for an activity, like a concert or a run, they don't as often collaborate about location. The real trick with all the development that has come in has been the fact that vertical mixed use buildings have empty facades for months. The credit crunch has obviously been at work, but the reality speaks of something more. Why don't businesses seek to grow together in Austin?

Instead of having independent meetings at each business about where to grow and why, Austin businesses should discuss collaboration with other businesses to fill the empty facades. There is no reason why Taco Shack, Jo's Coffee, and a bookseller shouldn't be close to each other. Nonprofits could talk to businesses for something other than fundraising, building more comraderie between the entity types. Wouldn't it be an asset for Austin if the owner of Amy's and the owner of Mmmpanadas got together and said, "Hey, why don't we go into adjoining properties with a killer deck so that we can get customers from both angles?" Property in Austin is getting more expensive, and it would probably be easier to get more revenue if the Austin businesses took a more collaborative approach. After all, two successful businesses are more likely to get a loan they co-sign for than an independent loan these days.

Students in coffee shops

2008-09-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

One of the real challenges in Austin is probably going to be coffeeshop culture. Now while it's true that McDonald's is starting to have some lattes and mochas that other coffee shops offer, the real challenge is how the independent coffee shops do business. One huge issue with coffee shops especially in a city like Austin is the number of students and workers who come in to coffee shops to do work. While it's important that coffee shops cater to everybody, the real challenge is going to be making sure that coffee shops can stay in business while workers come into them, and do homework for hours at a time. Many different independent coffee shops have had problems with this in the past, or at least the ones I've seen, when people don't order that many items from the menu, but they stay in the coffeeshop for hours at a time. That is helpful insomuch as there are people inside the coffeeshop, but it's a bad aspect for the coffeeshop business because there aren't enough people who can sit in a coffee shop which is being taken up with students with laptops doing homework. Some students need to be around other students to focus and study. However, if someone needs to be around other people to do his or her work that person needs to go place where there isn't a business that's expected to be run and where other people are sitting.

My solution is this: there need to be some larger coffee shops that have space specifically for students, but they need to disallow the rest of the space to be used for people who take up space with laptops. For example, if a student comes in and sits for half an hour to 45 minutes, that's not the worst thing in the world. Even regular patrons will probably sit for 30 to 45 minutes because we have such a strong coffee culture. The real challenge is when the student sits there for hours. A good tactic in that case would be for the manager to say after about an hour, especially if the coffeeshop is filled up, "Please move to the student section of the coffeeshop. We need the space for other customers, and there are too many people in here for you to sit here and not order anything for an extended period of time." Some people may say that this is fascist, largely because they fail to recognize that a table that only makes $12 because of three students for six hours can be the real death of a business. I guess that's one thing that McDonald's can do for us: they can offer a space where the business doesn't suffer just because students are sitting with WiFi and not order anything new.

The "Supplemental Income" Job

2008-09-13T09:39:00.000-07:00

In Austin, there is a tendency to believe that there are enough jobs for everyone. This, in fact, is true. The challenge in Austin, however, is the ability to distinguish between what is a liveable job, and what is a "supplemental income" job. A liveable job is a job that allows two things: 1) financial stability, in which one is able to save, pay all bills, and potentially purchase a home; and 2) personal freedom, or the idea that one should be able to choose to ride a bus, have a roommate, go to additional schooling, participate in community activities, etc. Most of these jobs are located in many of the fields that Austinites do not practice: technology (no, not everyone is a "techie"), healthcare (more people, but takes a lot of education, and so not many), and law (that's lawyers, not support staff).

Much of Austin is consumed with what I will call the "supplemental income" job. These jobs are positions that 1) do not require much schooling, but the hiring department is frequently impressed by schooling; 2) do not offer many marketable skills which allow people to get promoted or transition to other careers; and 3) do not pay very much. The reason that I name them "supplemental income" jobs is that they are mostly taken by women, and the idea is that there is another income, a spouse, that makes the real money. Young people of both sexes are starting to make up these positions, and therein lies the problem.

While it is good to have a number of positions that are available, Austin looks antiquated when determining that some positions are worth so much less than others. Administrative assistants do quite a bit of work running an office, but only executive assistants get a living wage. Cashiers are, perhaps, the most important people in a restaurant because they make sure people get the money to be paid, but cashiers make little money. All careers start at entry-level, but too many entry-level jobs require experience. Nowadays, I see paralegal positions, which are executive assistants to attorneys, being offered $9-11 an hour, and those jobs require experience or, often, a certificate.

Austin needs to recognize that it needs new ideas to mesh with the old ideas. There can only be so many cheap employers before the city realizes that it's starving its own economy. I think the only reason people want to continue to think of Austin as a "cheap" city is to keep wages low. One thing that can be said about many of the new businesses is that they create more liveable jobs. It's better to have people living in the city and contributing than it is to say, "We have lots of jobs," and none of them support a household. Not to mention that as the city transitions to a more dense environment, those "supplemental income" jobs will not pay the cost of living, even without a car payment.

If you want a graduate, check the debt for today's graduate, and then decide your salary, because too many people are choosing to stay in school rather than face bad jobs that don't pay enough for people to live. If you want experience, ask yourself why someone who has experience doing something elsewhere has experience with you. Most companies, departments, etc. have their own software and their own procedures, and just because someone did anything at another company doesn't mean that person is better than someone who can be trained for the job they're in, rather than the job they had. If your position is in a remote location, don't scrimp on the salary, because people most likely have to drive to get there, which means a car, gas, insurance and maintenance, and most people don't own their own cars.

Living in Bryker Woods

2008-09-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

A lot of Austinites like to talk about the good ol' days. I am not a fan of such rampant nostalgia, but I will say one thing that I miss about Austin: kids on bicycles. When I was in my later years of elementary school (yes, assume 4th-6th grade), I was an avid bike rider. I would ride to friends' houses when I could, my friends and I would ride as the school on the black top, my sister and I would ride to what was recently Lucky's but what was then 7-11. Friends and I used to play at the school, and I remember being particularly proud of myself for babysitting and getting the money I needed to pay for clothes at summer camp.

One time that shaped my opinion of a healthy neighborhood was when I decided that riding my bike with my eyes closed was a good idea. Well, of course it's not, but to a six-year-old, the idea is absolutely brilliant. So there I was, in my school's back parking lot, showing how well I could ride, and I promptly fell over and hurt my right hand. If you see me, ask me about my crescent shaped scar on my left hand. My hand was bleeding, I was crying, and I was scared because I was three blocks away from home. There were two landscapers at the school who noticed me crying, and without being asked by anyone (for it was only three of us), they helped me into the back of their truck, put up my bike, and drove me to my house. My parents were very grateful, and I learned that riding my bike with my eyes closed equals stitches.

I don't see this attitude in Austin anymore. Not only do I not see kids riding their bikes (and determining their independence), but I don't see this attempt to reach out to one's neighbors like they did 20 years ago. There is a real feeling that there are people who "understand" Austin, but don't understand that everyone's needs matter. Many of these people feel that Austin is being "infiltrated," as if human beings don't belong with other human beings. I wonder if these people would help a child if its parents lived in a condo and supported a streetcar system.

The reason I support density is that it supports an attitude of Austinites looking out for each other, small business owners, neighbors, visitors, etc. South Congress has had a number of break-ins, and that's largely because people don't see that the feeling of neighborhood closeness isn't something developed by businesses alone or neighborhoods alone. It's the attitude that we're all in Austin together, and we should look out for each other, from the grungy musician to the skipping toddler. We're all here anyway.

The Truth About Roads

2008-09-13T09:31:00.002-07:00

Check out the Austin Chronicle issue of September 11, 2008. Cul-de-sacs, those curvy roads, and those big expressways are more expensive than rail, both to build and to maintain. Here's the secret: EVERYONE KNEW THAT.

Growth or...?

2008-09-13T09:31:00.001-07:00

Refer to MarketPlace.Org Morning Report, September 5, 2008. Here's an example of what happens when cities don't grow, don't attract new residents (and businesses), and keep things the way they've always been for decades. We may not be the poorest county in Texas, but some Austinites would do well to remember that there's a reason to be careful about one's wishes. Like I said, thank goodness we have more residents so that we'll be forced into caring about our public transit system.

Change in Austin

2008-09-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

One thing I would like to see change about Austin is the way that neighborhood organizations think that they speak for everyone in the neighborhood. It is unfair to penalize the rest of one's neighbors who might think differently, and claim that they are "conservative" and "don't know how things ought to be." An example of confused leadership is a group of people who talk repeatedly about cookie-cutter houses. To those people (including myself on occasion), I say this: custom made houses are like custom-made cars, and cost more. These "cookie-cutter" communities are the reason that some low income households are able to afford homes, and live near schools and businesses. As a density advocate, I know that these houses are also the reason why sprawl exists. The problem with looking at everything as if there is an easy answer, though, is that the easy answer usually excludes a large portion of the population.

Beautiful Sunday, September 7, 2008

2008-09-13T09:29:00.002-07:00

One of the great things about life is that you absolutely have the right to see what's going on in the city. Today, just for kicks and giggles, I walked in Hyde Park along the 45th street area. What I can't help but admire is the way that this area is clearly an example of density, but that there are old and new houses, old and new businesses, and people are genuinely pleased. It's interesting that there are so many people in Austin against density, but that density is where you always find people in Austin, both old and new neighborhoods. Similar locations are on Northloop and Duval, along S. 1st and Mary, Manor Road (near IH-35), and S. 5th and Mary.

After my walk, I went down to Juan in a Million for lunch and noticed that there were condo closeouts on Chicon and Cesar Chavez. Naturally, after lunch I had to walk in that direction and find out more about the property(www.waterstreetaustin.com). There I met the owner of Mode, another business owned by people under the age of 30, who also work other jobs (modeaustin@gmail.com). I realized that new development accentuates old businesses by increasing visibility and initiating business growth in an area. There are several businesses in Austin that have existed for years, but because they are in areas that are primarily residential, there are no people and less pedestrian traffic which makes it hard to see the fruits of labor. One thing development could do is work to make sure that it encourages the start of newer small businesses around older businesses, increasing the economic development.

The Saltillo stop is an excellent example of transit oriented development. The stop itself has restrooms, a stage for live music, lots of public seating, and of course, businesses across the street. Because of the delay in service for the Red Line, one of the businesses located there had to move. There are still some businesses that could benefit from their location at the Saltillo stop if Austin would only let them, white collar businesses that would encourage other white collar businesses to be located near transit, like maybe the tech industry. For those new to Austin, you can find the stop at 1601 E. 5th Street.

Finally, I viewed an open house put on by Constructive Ventures, who had two properties with availability. The first property, 2124 (www.twentyone24.com), had amazing spaces for people looking to live central, and start a small business downstairs. What is great about Constructive Ventures is that the company is Austin-based, therefore not just developing a product and leaving the area immediately. A counter-intuitive move by them includes forgoing a gym, which the agent explained lowered the HOA fees. The property is Este Condos, which take flex space, and add a hook (www.esteaustin.com). More than the properties, I loved hearing that Constructive Ventures sold space to the University of Texas at Austin charter school (http://www.utexas.edu/provost/elementary/), and they will be constructing a 50,000 square foot school, and that the Live Strong Foundation (livestrong.org) will be locating nearby, introducing even more jobs to the area.

For the people who are completely opposed to new development in East Austin: one could question your motives, largely because job availability and affordable housing were problems before the developers appeared. Several non-profits are creating white collar jobs, and luring more businesses keeping East Austin residents safe. Southwest Key (swkey.org) moved there over a year ago, giving an example of an educated Latino leader dedicated to bringing up the youth in the community, and showing them that all minorities are all things. All those minority businesses in East Austin are getting free advertising by the people located on their streets, and including new residents. While it may be more expensive to start a business, it's more expensive not to start a business, and keep an area stagnant.

Comprehensive Planning Committee, September 2, 2008

2008-09-13T09:29:00.001-07:00

Perhaps the most contentious conversation in Austin is the idea that Austin needs a rail. There are two problems with rail: 1) people don't want to pay for it; and 2) people are addicted to their cars.

Today, we discussed the newest cause for strife: the streetcar. Here, people are largely concerned with where it goes and how to fund it. In my opinion, because the streetcar would open more areas to new development, developers who have money would be great sources of funding, and the streetcar might open the doors for more public-private funding and remove a source of tension. Also, a streetcar allows the potential for more urban rail, provided that Austinites work with the city and the developers to make a successful experience for the first streetcar. On the other hand, there are several native Austinites (and some new) who oppose the newest addition to public transit because they don't want to make it easier for developers to take over new land, and they don't know the public impact. My understanding is that as long as there's another way for people to get to work, people will use it.

Otherwise, the Committee watched a presentation by Capital Metro that further discussed the transit plans already in progress. This was interesting largely because most of the information presented is available on their website. There was one interested citizen who was speaking for "native Austinites" who created a moment of tension for the notion that the city had numbers for transit but no numbers for development. I would argue that development spurs from the interest of people. If no one wants to live in a certain area, there would be no development. If people don't support development in a certain area, development discontinues. Obviously, if people like a certain area, there will be more development. I am interested in seeing more businesses in Austin, and I for one would try my best to support more local start ups, because we need the jobs.

The one important thing for all Austinites to remember is that even if there were no growth in Austin and no people coming, there would still be higher gas prices. A lot of people in U. S. cities that aren't growing are facing the depressing reality that there isn't justification for more public transit (or highway construction), but people still have to get to work. It's devastating that because people are married to their automobiles, life requires people who make less than $30,000 to spend 25% or more on work transit.