Multifamily developer JPI is planning to break ground on 342 new apartments in Northwest Austin this month.

The overview: JPI closed on 9.3 acres at the northwest corner of Pearson Market Circle and Spectrum Drive in June, making way for a $90 million multifamily housing project known as Jefferson Pearson Ranch, according to a news release. The housing will go into the larger, 156-acre Pearson Ranch.

The 342 apartments will be built across three four-story buildings, with a two-level parking deck. The complex will feature a mix of 25 studio, 211 one-bedroom, 90 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom homes. The site will also include a standalone fitness center, resort-style pool, resident lounge, private conference rooms, dog park and more.

JPI is expected to break ground on the project this month, with completion anticipated in 2028.

Some Austin residents and elected officials are calling for new community-driven accountability and transparency standards in the city's growing adoption of artificial intelligence.

The details: Austin leaders have already pressed for oversight of city government's use of AI as the technology became more widely used. Some of that work stemmed from a 2024 resolution asking to convene a community AI advisory committee to consider issues related to privacy and data security, system transparency and reliability, public information and harm reduction. City Council also moved to establish AI ethics standards and an annual auditing program.

After a recent public feedback period, hundreds of Austinites provided feedback on the city's adoption of AI and related policies. Recommendations forwarded to city leaders this summer centered around transparency, privacy protections, public participation, human oversight, environmental justice, and equitable education about the technology.

Free Youth Mental Health First Aid training in Travis County teaches any adult who works with kids to recognize when a young person is struggling and step in.

County mental health authority Integral Care offers upcoming virtual sessions scheduled for Aug. 19, Sept. 9, Oct. 16 and Nov. 12, each running from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Who it’s for: Trainer Emily Hammer calls it a "gatekeeper training," designed for whoever a young person already feels comfortable with, not just mental health professionals.

How it works: The roughly four-and-a-half-hour course, capped at 30 people, walks through video scenarios and role-plays built around a five-step action plan. Certification meets Texas school-staff requirements under House Bill 3.

A housing development in Pflugerville, an apartment complex in Austin and pool expansions at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Cedar Park are among the five most expensive projects filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation in the Austin metro this week.

1. Carmel East Phase 4 ($529.9 million): Carmel East Phase 4 is part of the final 954-homesite expansion of the Carmel Master-planned community in Pflugerville, Texas.

2. Aluna ($75 million): This project involves the construction of 7,305 square feet of leasing office and clubhouse space for a 372-unit apartment community.

3. Veterans Memorial Pool Expansion ($10.5 million): This project includes a proposed 8,000 square-foot wave pool building, a 1,250 square-foot event building and a 3,000 square-foot splash area at Veterans Memorial Park.

4. AA AUS Lounge ($10 million): This project includes interior renovation of the American Airlines lounge in the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

5. Westlake Dermatology ($5 million): This project involves the construction of a 4,262-square-foot building that will be the site of a new Westlake Dermatology location.