Sixty people who have experienced chronic homelessness in Travis County will have a permanent home at Seabrook Square II, a supportive housing community in East Austin from county mental health authority Integral Care.
Fourteen residents moved in the first week, with more arriving in waves of about 15, said Kristi Kaiser, Integral Care's practice administrator for housing and healthcare in its homeless initiatives.

How it works: Referrals come through the county's Coordinated Entry system, and a full-time on-site team provides voluntary services. Treatment or sobriety is not required to qualify or stay housed.

By the numbers: Austin-Travis County officials counted 3,238 people experiencing homelessness in its January 2025 Point-in-Time count, a 36% jump from 2023.

What's next: The community holds a welcome gathering Aug. 28, followed by a Sept. 18 mural unveiling honoring the building's namesake, Dr. J.J. Seabrook.

A city lease totaling more than $3 million was authorized for a new forensics evidence storage facility, due to the delayed opening of the city's Public Safety Warehouse Project.

The details: The city budgeted about $46 million to buy the new public safety warehouse and office space in Southeast Austin in 2024, and more than $32 million to improve the facility. However, it requires several fixes before public safety departments including Austin Forensic Science can move in.

While that project's opening is delayed, forensics evidence control at two other existing city facilities is nearing or at capacity. Officials agreed to open another warehouse next door to one of those properties due to urgent storage space and staffing needs. City Council advanced a lease of up to five years and $3.35 million for 44,000 square feet at 4405 Springdale Road on Aug. 27.

Serene Breast and Wellness Center opened its doors to patients in mid-April, according to Ana Knoben, the business’ Practice Director. The center brings integrated care for women with benign and malignant breast conditions. 

The backstory: Dr. Heather King, a breast surgical oncologist, founded the business to provide advanced medical care with a compassionate, personalized approach tailored to each patient. 

What they offer: Serene Breast and Wellness Center offers multiple in-office procedures, including ultrasound guided core biopsies and ultrasounds. Operative procedures include total mastectomy/ aesthetic flat closure, port placement and excisional biopsy. 

The center also pairs a wellness approach to its surgical aspects. Treatments include dry needling, lymphatic treatment and hormone replacement therapy.

Learn more: Serene Breast and Wellness Center treats benign breast lesions, a breast mass, lump or cyst, mastitis, breast cancer and more. Prospective patients can request appointments online. 

• 630 W. 34th St., Ste. 201, Austin

Additions and renovations to Deerpark Middle School in Round Rock ISD, a refresh of the Yeti headquarters building and a new donut shop in Austin are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the metro this week.

1. Aalo Advanced Manufacturing ($25 million): This project involves the renovation of an existing 204,350 square-foot one-story warehouse building to provide lab, machine shop and production floor space for Aalo Atomics Advanced Manufacturing.

2. Deerpark Middle School additions and renovations ($20 million): Renovations will be taking place at Deerpark Middle School, including a fine arts and classroom addition at the main building.

3. Yeti HQ refresh ($2.1 million): The Yeti headquarters building in Austin will undergo a renovation. 

4. UT Austin President's Office renovation ($1 million): This project involves the renovation of the main suite to serve as the temporary President’s Office during the main building restoration.

5. Smiling Donuts ($120,000): A new Smiling Donuts location is coming to Austin.

Two Austin nonprofits are racing to cover what AISD's budget can't this school year.

Communities In Schools of Central Texas closed its Refuse to Lose campaign Aug. 31 having raised more than $354,200 to keep student support staff on 19 campuses—while Austin Ed Fund will hand-deliver $350,000 to 48 teacher-led projects across the district Sept. 2.

By the numbers: The AISD board of trustees voted in June to adopt an $887 million budget, closing a $181 million shortfall through cuts that grew to $205 million gross.
The district's real deficit for the year before came in at $105 million, five times the $19 million originally adopted, while its state financial rating dropped to a B for the first time since 2017.

What's next: CIS's Refuse to Lose campaign met its matched-giving goal by the Aug. 31 deadline. Austin Ed Fund accepts campus-specific gifts year-round at www.austinedfund.org and holds its Inspire the Future Luncheon Oct. 20.