An in-depth evaluation of Austin's spending on social services is moving forward, which city leaders say could lead to more compliance monitoring and new rules for relationships with contractors.

The details: The city's comprehensive social services "reset" is designed to evaluate current community needs, city spending levels, and whether funding and agreement structures should be adjusted. It comes as Austin will spend over $100 million on homeless response, public health, housing and other areas in the current fiscal year.

Diving deeper: Several city working groups are currently assessing the city's full social service portfolio, community needs, service gaps, public partnerships and the structure and monitoring of city agreements. This project is expected to be completed by late December and will inform the changes anticipated next year, likely including:

• The re-solicitation of many current nonprofit contracts

• Potential recommendations for funding shifts in the city's fiscal year 2027-28 spending plan

• Adjusted city oversight standards, which could include more performance-based contract structures

As Austin prepares to host the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas from Oct. 22-25, brands are hosting various fan activations across the city. Local racing fans can experience watch parties, car shows, live entertainment and other activities at several pop-up events:

• Atlassian Williams F1 Team Fan Zone from Oct. 19-24, featuring driver appearances, a show car and racing simulators.
• Ford Racing Den at Distribution Hall from Oct. 21-25, offering watch parties, live music and flash tattoos.
• MINI Garage Pop Up from Oct. 22-24, featuring free coffee and donuts and an appearance by racer Charlie Cooper.
• Red Bull Austin Race Nights Fan Zone from Oct. 22-25, with racing simulators and driver appearances.
• Google Store Pit Stop on Oct. 24, featuring a mini track and photo opportunities.
• Sports Illustrated’s Circuit Series on Oct. 24, offering musical performances and axe throwing.
• Luxury & Exotic Car Showcase on Oct. 25, featuring a luxury car show.
• Race Weekend Apple Sessions on Oct. 25, hosting an Apple TV broadcast of the race.

In July, Texas' top elected officials directed most state agencies, appellate courts and public universities to cut spending by 3% in their base budget requests for the next two years.

The overview: Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows said those reductions will help Texas hold a "strong fiscal position" by expanding property tax relief and maintaining public education funding when the legislature returns to Austin next year.

The issue: Dozens of agency leaders have warned that the cuts, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, are not sustainable. They would cause Texas residents to lose "essential" services and lead to losses in state revenue, leaders said at the capitol and in budget documents.

Government institutions protesting the budget reductions include the comptroller's office, the attorney general, Texas' Cancer Prevention and Research Institute, state criminal justice agencies and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.