Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations unveiled its first-ever strategic plan in February, detailing how the city plans to invest and coordinate across the local homelessness response system in the coming year-plus.

The details: The full plan, available to view online, was developed last year and is meant to serve as a blueprint for AHSO from Austin's current fiscal year 2025-26 through FY 2026-27. The city's homelessness office spent months engaging with more than 30 local groups and polling its own team to build out the plan that addresses five high-level objectives, with dozens of specific benchmarks that will be further outlined or completed over the year ahead.

Those include improving how the city tracks its spending and contracts, outcomes for homeless clients, resident and stakeholder engagement, and internal training. New shelter beds and other homelessness facilities are also called for.

Travis County has extended a burn ban that went into effect on Feb. 10 for unincorporated areas of the county due to continued dry condition, according to a news release. The ban now remains in effect through March 24 unless the county judge or fire marshal lifts it earlier.

The details: The ban applies to outdoor burning in unincorporated areas—areas outside of any specific city—of Travis County. It does not apply to prescribed burns, outdoor welding, cutting, grinding or other hot work operations, according to the release.

The Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office urges residents to use caution when grilling or barbecuing outdoors and to keep a water source or fire extinguisher nearby. Anyone who sees a fire that may be out of control should call 911 immediately.

The initial burn ban was put into effect after Travis County officials responded to 20-25 fires Feb. 7, Travis County Chief Fire Marshal Gary Howell said Feb. 10.

Stay tuned: Residents can receive burn ban status updates by texting TCBURNBAN to 888777.

From a commercial retail center to a gas station 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. Courtside in Austin: Quantum 71 will build a 26,331-square-foot restaurant and a 4,128-square-foot pickleball building.

2. Base Power in Austin: The Austin-based energy supplier will finish out a shell building for manufacturing and warehouse uses.

3. Winding Oak Commercial Development in Leander: Zoomers Investment Group will construct a commercial retail center, which will feature a 4,000-square-foot quick-serve restaurant, 19,543 square feet of retail space and a two-story 16,400-square-foot office and retail building.

4. AAA Storage and Business Park in Austin: The self-storage business will construct an 85,000-square-foot facility and business park.

5. Smart Stop in Georgetown: Central Texas-based Smart Stop will open a convenience store and fuel station that spans 6,000 square feet.

Throughout March and April, community members can engage in volunteer opportunities, special admission days at museums and experience various presentations and activities at film and TV festival SXSW. This list is not comprehensive.

Texas Wildlife Day
Attendees will participate in hands-on activities let by local nature groups and the museum’s education team.

• March 7, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Free with purchase of museum admission, free-$10 (general admission pricing)
• Texas Science & Natural History Museum, 2400 Trinity Street, Austin

• March 12-18
• $745 (music badge); $1,095 (film and TV badge); $1,270 (innovation badge); $1,865 (platinum badge)
• Venues vary based on specific festival event