Airbnb is launching a $250 million fund to support housing development nationwide. It's part of the rental company's newly announced housing accelerator initiative, including:

• The $250 million for housing project financing

• "Pro-housing" policy advocacy like zoning and permitting reform

• A $5 million housing innovation award program

• A public database ranking cities' housing policies and their affordability impacts

The details: The accelerator's first U.S. investment will direct $6.4 million to the Austin Housing Authority and Greystar's redevelopment of the city-owned St. John Site off I-35. The long-awaited project will bring more than 500 apartments, including more than 200 affordable units, alongside commercial space and a new public park.

Austin City Council pushed back a decision on rezoning the former Rosedale School site to Sept. 24, marking the third delay since May.

What's happening: Austin ISD officials agreed to sell the closed campus as the district works to close a budget shortfall, but it hinges on the city approving a rezoning to high-density multifamily and on AISD winning a lawsuit against more than 100 Rosedale-area homeowners over a 1938 deed restriction.

Council was set to vote on the zoning change, which would clear the way for a 435-unit, six-story apartment complex.

What they're saying: Neighbors, organized as Play Fair With Rosedale, argue the project is too dense for the surrounding single-family streets and have proposed a smaller "missing middle" alternative instead.

District 7 Council Member Mike Siegel has said he'd rather wait on the rezoning to avoid wasting city resources on a project a court could still block.

Council is now scheduled to vote Sept. 24, and because a valid petition was filed, the rezoning will need a supermajority to pass.

The first public air taxi test in Texas debuted in Fort Worth Sept. 10 with an audience that included U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, Sen. Ted Cruz and numerous federal, state and regional leaders.

The takeaway: The Texas Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration, officially launched Project Nexus at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. The project is a pilot program for electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOLs.

The initiative will bring together federal, state and regional transportation leaders with aviation manufacturers and operators to begin testing how advanced air mobility can be safely integrated into the nation’s transportation system, according to a news release.

“For those of y'all who are old enough to remember 'The Jetsons,' I remember flying cars and we’re at the verge of seeing flying cars,” Cruz said. “We’re at the verge of air taxis and drones and transportation being transformed.”

Check out the latest transportation project updates across the Austin metro.

Georgetown to reduce speed limit on Ronald Reagan Boulevard: Georgetown City Council gave preliminary approval Aug. 25 to adjust speed limits on Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Westinghouse Road, as well as in school zones on Hwy. 195 and Woodlake Drive.

Planning continues for Hwy. 46 expansion project in New Braunfels: The Texas Department of Transportation is continuing to work on a $1.4 billion project geared toward improving traffic flows on Hwy. 46 in Comal and Guadalupe counties. For Comal County, the project looks to construct elevated main lanes over the existing Hwy. 46 roadway and two direct connecting flyover ramps between Hwy. 46 and I-35. In Guadalupe County, TxDOT officials are proposing to expand Hwy. 46 to a four-lane controlled-access highway with two-lane, one-way frontage roads.

Southwest Airlines to open lounge at Austin airport: Southwest Airlines will open a lounge at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, set to welcome guests in late 2027. The lounges are already under construction.