Hundreds of new units were cleared for construction during the initial year of the Home Ownership for Middle-income Empowerment, or HOME, initiative's first phase allowing for more housing on single-family lots.

The details: The effects of the new policy are already being felt around Austin, although more time may be needed to determine its clear outcomes on housing affordability, resident displacement, public infrastructure and the environment, according to city reporting.

City Council required annual reporting on HOME's impacts when the land-use update was approved in late 2023. During its first year in effect, from February 2024 through February 2025, the city approved plans for more than 400 new housing units, including many projects featuring multiple homes on a property.

The city's first in-depth analysis, released Nov. 19, suggests HOME is "beginning to achieve its intended objectives without triggering widespread negative impacts." However, city staff wrote that further annual reviews are likely needed before drawing conclusions about HOME's potential success or consequences.

Firefly Equestrian is now offering full-care horse boarding and dressage training with United States Dressage Federation in addition to other horse training programs.

The details: Co-founded by April Thompson and Sarah Doney, the full-service English riding and dressage facility has launched in Southwest Austin with English riding lessons for ages three and up.

The facility features over 100 acres of trails and arenas for both competitive and recreational riders.

• 12901 Trail End, Austin

Nearly 4 months after closing the food truck in Wimberley Square, Neon Armadillo’s team opened its permanent spot at The Junction in Wimberley.

The gist: The restaurant offers 30,000 square feet of Tex-Mex-barbecue fusion served family style, along with a full bar, outdoor seating and games and spots for live entertainment.

On the menu: Officials said Chef Adam Puskorius sources ingredients from local ranchers and farmers committed to pasture-raised and organic practices. Neon Armadillo is also the first restaurant in the nation to partner with Austin-based Force of Nature Meats to offer regenerative grass-fed meat, according to the release.

The menu offers other options, including grass-fed lamb carnitas and beef burgers, al pastor-style pulled pork, and more.

• Opened Nov. 5

Google is targeting Texas for future investments in data and artificial infrastructure, with $40 billion expected to be spent on adding three new data centers.

Federal, state and local leaders announced the new centers to be constructed in Armstrong and Haskell counties at a Nov. 14 event at the first Texas Google Data Center in Midlothian, near the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The gist: One new data center will be constructed in Armstrong County near Amarillo, and two new data centers will be constructed in Haskell County near Abilene. One center in Haskell County will also use a new solar and battery energy storage plant.

“They say that everything is bigger in Texas—and that certainly applies to the golden opportunity with AI,” Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said.

Also of note: The driverless car company Waymo is expanding to North Texas in 2026, Pichai said.