College Station City Council discussed July 9 starting a pilot program offering incentives for more affordable townhome developments and increased density throughout the city.

The overview: With the cost of single-family homes high due to inflation and limited supply, the city has been looking to increase the number of affordable townhomes available.

A closer look: Council member Melissa McIlhaney led the discussion after the presentation, herself an advocate for affordable homeownership. Describing it as a stepping stone to building equity and wealth, she said she believes the way to increase ownership in the city is to increase housing density.

“The actual dirt here in College Station is incredibly expensive and is only going to appreciate and become more expensive over time,” McIlhaney said.

The takeaway: Mayor John Nichols complimented the presentation, saying he believes housing density is the future for developments in the city.

The council did not take any action, but presentations on housing density and developments are expected at council meetings in the near future.

Mobile golf simulator equipment rental service Tee Time College Station is now available in Aggieland for parties and events.

What Tee Time offers: Founded by College Station locals and Aggie grads, Tee Time brings mobile golf simulator games to gatherings all around Bryan-College Station.

The business offers an assortment of packages, along with custom packages for customers looking for something bigger or who have different needs.

“We’re normal, faith-based Aggies who want to provide a service to everyone,” Co-founder Matt Loupe said.

Since April, Loupe said he has been able to set up at events all over Aggieland, and one of his favorite things so far has been the ability to bring everyone at an event together.

Before you go: Tee Time is open to any event. All interested users need to do is fill out an inquiry form and pay a small deposit, then Tee Time will do the rest of the setup for the event.

• Opened in April
• Mobile service

Need to catch up on news from the past week in the Bryan-College Station area? Check out these five stories.

1. Mr. G’s Pizzeria marks 30 years as friendship preserves legacy

2. College Station proposes $576.3M FY27 budget with major capital investments, no utility rate hikes

3. Core Spaces breaks ground on company's 'largest amenity package' in Northgate district

4. Brazos County approves $1.8M purchase for future elections facility

5. College Station 'cowgirl chic' boutique expands to 2nd location

In Texas, 246 of the state’s 254 counties are designated by the federal government as “mental health professional shortage areas,” meaning local law enforcement are often tasked with responding to mental health crisis calls.

The situation: All Texas peace officers are required to complete crisis intervention and deescalation trainings, according to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement.

What's happening: Across Community Impact’s coverage areas, some city and county law enforcement agencies are partnering with local mental health professionals to respond to crisis calls. However, law enforcement and criminal justice leaders from smaller communities told state legislators July 7 that they have “limited tools” to effectively respond to mental health calls and help people in crisis.

“We do not have any inpatient mental health facilities in my county—we've never had that, and we've needed them for decades,” Comal County Criminal District Attorney Jennifer Tharp said July 7. “We originally started out sending individuals to the San Antonio area, and right now we are transporting individuals for inpatient treatment to North Austin.”