ATX-NNW: Impact 11/4/2025

Whether you’re looking to get in shape or pick up a healthy snack, far Northwest Austin has new locations now open or coming soon to cater to your every need. Here are nine of the latest updates from the region.

Now open
Everbowl
The menu features an array of acai bowls, signature smoothies, avocado toast and cookie sandwiches. Patrons can build their own bowls or order off of the set menu. The classic Everbowl features acai, granola, banana, strawberries and blueberries. The Austin location marks Everbowl’s ninth Texas location, joining North Texas stores in Dallas, Flower Mound and Plano.

• Opening Nov. 7
• 13429 N. US 183, Ste. 110, Austin

Construction is underway on a major affordable housing project in Whisper Valley, a sustainable master-planned community just east of Austin.

What's happening? Austin Habitat for Humanity is building 25 homes this year as part of a multiyear effort to expand affordable homeownership across Central Texas. The project will ultimately include 48 Habitat homes in Whisper Valley, supported by $1.9 million in Travis County funding.

A closer look: County Judge Andy Brown called the community “the future of housing,” noting the homes are designed to stay affordable long term while reducing energy costs through efficient design and sustainable materials.

Whisper Valley features geothermal energy, solar panels, and a 600-acre park—offering residents both affordability and environmental benefits.

Looking ahead: Habitat leaders say the initiative marks a turning point for the nonprofit, which aims to build up to 100 homes annually. The first 25 homeowners are expected to move in by spring 2026.

Approximately 460,000 Texans have Alzheimer's disease, a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Advocates are encouraging Texas voters to approve State Proposition 14, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to spend $3 billion to launch the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

The overview: Proposition 14 would allocate $3 billion in state dollars to fund the institute for the next 10 years. The institute would work with researchers and doctors to study the prevention and treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

All funding for the institute would come from existing state revenue, donations and potential federal grants, meaning no new state taxes or fees would be created.

What they're saying: "If Proposition 14 passes, it really will establish Texas as an incredible leader in our country," neurological researcher Joshua Shulman said.

Millions of Texans may see delays in their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits beginning Nov. 1, as the federal government shutdown reaches the one-month mark.

The latest: The federal food assistance program is set to run out of funding in November, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Two federal judges ruled Oct. 31 that the Trump Administration must use federal contingency funds, which are stockpiled for emergency expenses, to fund SNAP in November, although the next steps surrounding SNAP benefits were unclear as of press time.

The local impact: Over 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits each month, according to Feeding Texas, the statewide network of food banks.

“People are at risk of going hungry if the government doesn't reopen and SNAP benefits are delayed. … These are already vulnerable Texans,” Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole said in an Oct. 27 interview.

Food banks across the state Texas food banks previously expanded their operations to meet increased demand as thousands of federal workers go without paychecks during the shutdown.

Election Day is Nov. 4. Polling places across Texas will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., according to the secretary of state’s office.

The overview: Voters in the following counties can vote at any polling place within their county of residence through the countywide voting program: Bastrop, Bexar, Brazoria, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Fort Bend, Galveston, Guadalupe, Harris, Hays, Tarrant, Travis and Williamson. Registered voters in other counties are required to visit a polling place specific to their voting precinct.

On the ballot: Texas voters will decide on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution during the Nov. 4 election. Each proposition was approved by at least two-thirds of state lawmakers this spring before being placed on the ballot.

Voters in various communities across the state may also see local propositions and races on their ballots, including a 20% tax rate increase in Austin, a congressional race in Harris County and a state Senate race in Tarrant County.

Learn more: To get to know the propositions and candidates on your local ballot, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.