City of Austin and Austin Housing Finance Corp. officials recently celebrated the opening of two new affordable housing options in North and Northwest Austin.

Red Oaks Apartments: Officials held a ribbon-cutting for Red Oaks Apartments on March 18, an affordable multifamily development in Northwest Austin developed in partnership with the Housing Trust Group. The 70-unit community is available for households at or below 30%, 50% and 60% of the local median family income. The property includes studios, one-, two- and three-bedroom units and features amenities such as energy-efficient appliances, in-unit laundry and high-speed internet access. 

Juniper Creek Apartments: City and AHFC officials also celebrated the ribbon-cutting for Juniper Creek Apartments on Feb. 12, a North Austin multifamily community that is part of Foundation Communities. The community has 110 one-, two-, or three-bedroom units available for households earning 30% to 60% of the MFI, as well as units for families at-risk or experiencing homelessness. Residents have access to a food pantry, learning center and on-site services for families, veterans, seniors and people with disabilities.

Texas Council for International Studies will begin operating Burnet, Dobie and Webb middle schools this fall.

At a March 26 meeting, the AISD board of trustees voted on a three-school year contract with the education nonprofit, which specializes in the International Baccalaureate, or IB, program.

The backstory: Burnet, Dobie and Webb middle schools each received their fourth consecutive F rating from the Texas Education Agency in 2025. If a Texas public school receives five or more consecutive failed ratings, the TEA commissioner is required to close the campus or takeover the district.

Through Senate Bill 1882, school districts can receive additional funding and a two-year exemption from state accountability interventions by partnering with a charter school, higher education institution, government entities or nonprofits, according to TEA information.

The update: TCIS is required to help Burnet, Dobie and Webb receive D or C ratings in the 2026-27 school year, according to the contract. The schools are expected to receive an acceptable rating of C or higher for the 2027-28 and 2028-29 school years.

From a new commercial building at The Domain shopping center to private school improvements and more, here are five of the most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Baer Manufacturing Crosspoint Tenant Improvement in Georgetown ($15.7 million): A 605,873-square-foot office, manufacturing and warehouse space will be built.

2. Domain 9.5 in Austin ($7 million): Austin-based Cousins Properties will construct a two-story, four-tenant commercial building with a parking garage at The Domain shopping center, totaling 31,410 square feet.

3. Veritas Academy in Austin ($7 million): The private school campus will add a gym, field house and community hall.

4. Gerber Collision and Glass in Liberty Hill ($2 million): The Illinois-based automotive repair company will build its fourth location in Williamson County. 

5. Driftwood Business Center in Austin ($600,000): The Driftwood Business Center will add a 6,648-square-foot warehouse with space for multiple tenants.

In the nine months until Texas’ 90th legislative session begins in January, state lawmakers are expected to hold information-gathering hearings on hundreds of topics that will lay the groundwork for next year’s policymaking.

During a March 27 legislative summit in New Braunfels, four longtime lawmakers shared some of their top priorities for next year.

What they're saying: The legislators said they were focused on furthering some projects from previous legislative cycles, including water preservation initiatives and a new education savings account program.

More details: They said they also intend to study data center operations and how the large facilities impact local water supplies, noting that the legislature will work with local officials to determine how much data center regulation should happen locally and when the state should step in. 

“Does the state need to be involved? Yes,” Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, said. “Does local government need to have a say? Yes. But we’ve also got to remember, so does the private taxpayer. So we need to get a combination of all three.”