Austin will soon allow more small-scale business operations out of residents' homes under a new commerce plan advanced by City Council this spring.

What residents should know: Labeled the “Strong Local Commerce” initiative, the proposal from council member Natasha Harper-Madison opens the door to what her office called “micro-scale” neighborhood storefronts. The city's move comes months after state legislation loosened some regulations on home-based business and food operations. It also follows council action last year to encourage cafe operations in communities.

Going forward: Small home-based businesses would still be subject to some adjusted city development standards. To start, Austin will run a one-year evaluation to monitor how the commercial program impacts certain neighborhoods before it potentially widens to more locations. A city task force will also be formed to support streamlined business permitting and track program outcomes.

From Fifth to 15th Street, locals and visitors alike can find an array of venues, live music, restaurants and entertainment at Austin’s Red River Cultural District. The district released its first ever economic impact report with AngelouEconomics on April 2, detailing more than $2.3 billion in economic impact over the last five years from over 12 live music venues.

By the numbers: Between 2021 and 2025, the cultural district’s annual impact surged from an estimated $380 million to nearly $530 million, pointing to a post-pandemic resilience, the release details. 

Zooming in: The report outlined the district’s output in 2025, revealing an estimated $529.9 million in total economic impact. 

The district also supported around 3,715 full-time equivalent jobs in the Austin area, with an approximate $174 million in labor income paid to workers, according to AngelouEconomics. 

Check it out: Following the economic report, the Red River Cultural District will release a five-year strategic plan April 14, detailing upcoming enhancements and vision for the space.

The Texas power grid is undergoing “generational” growth, experts said during the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ annual summit March 31 in Round Rock. Much of that growth is due to data centers—an industry under scrutiny from state lawmakers as some Texas communities push back against proposed developments.

The big picture: Over 2,000 projects totaling 453,000 megawatts are currently looking to connect to the state grid, ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas said April 1. About 357,000 megawatts of those connection requests are potential data centers, ERCOT documents show.

Looking ahead: Communities should take the lead on discussions about individual data center projects, Vegas told reporters. He said that when “communities that are ready to support those investments,” ERCOT is prepared to help data centers connect to the grid.

During a March 31 discussion on data centers, panelists noted that the projects have an “increasingly high” negative reputation in communities across the state. Austin consultant Eric Goff said developers often need to make commitments to local residents to earn their support for data center proposals.