Texas Disposal Systems, or TDS, has been named the city of Austin’s only qualified waste processor for major demolition and construction projects.

Materials, including concrete, metal, untreated wood and plastics from Austin construction projects, will be directed to the Construction and Demolition Waste Materials Recovery Facility in Creedmoor, according to a news release.

The framework: The facility, operated by Texas Landfill Management LLC in partnership with TDS, has been operational since January 2025, but achieved third-party certification in April. This makes the facility the only authorized processor in the region for Austin’s 50% construction material diversion ordinance, Rick Fraumann, vice president of sales and growth at TDS, told Community Impact.

More than 32,000 affordable housing units were built in Austin from 2018 to 2024, representing progress toward decade-long goals established in 2017. However, options for the lowest-income residents remain scarce citywide and many parts of town continue to see relatively few affordable additions.

The details: Affordable housing gains in Austin are monitored under the city's 10-year Strategic Housing Blueprint, which includes the high-level aim of creating at least 60,000 new income-restricted housing units by 2028. New data through 2024 was released in May.

Austin passed its decade-long goal of adding at least 15,000 new units for some low-income earners, and the city has made strides toward preserving affordable housing and adding new development in active areas. As of 2024 however, housing for the lowest income brackets continued to lag and new construction may slow thanks to larger market forces.

A geographic split in affordable development is also continuing, with much of West Austin falling well below blueprint benchmarks while areas on the east side were well beyond their targets as of 2024.

Central Texas voters will soon choose who will be the Democratic candidate in the State Board of Education District 5 race in November. Six candidates filed to run in the March 3 primary election, but two are headed to a runoff May 26: Stephanie Limon Bazan and Allison Bush. This is due to neither candidate receiving over 50% of the vote March 3.

The details: Mica Arellano is ran unopposed in the Republican primary to be a candidate in the November election. Democratic District 5 incumbent Rebecca Bell-Metereau did not seek re-election.

The setup: Runoff candidates were asked to keep responses under 50 words, answer the questions provided and avoid attacking opponents. Answers may have been edited or cut to adhere to those guidelines, or for style and clarity.

Check out the latest transportation projects across the Austin metro. 

Upcoming projects
Bee Cave Road AI traffic signals
Project: West Lake Hills will install nine artificial intelligence traffic signals along Bee Cave Road to try and improve traffic efficiency along the corridor.
Update: City Council moved forward with funding the traffic signals April 22.

• Timeline: TBD
• Cost: $360,000
• Funding source: city tax revenue proceeds, general fund

• Timeline: August 2024-summer 2027
• Cost: $52.4 million
• Funding source: Williamson County 2019 road bond