Real Estate Photographer in Austin, TX

Airbnb was born when two hosts inflated three airbeds and launched a website to help pay their rent. Nearly 20 years later, millions of hosts rely on Airbnb income to stay in their homes—but too many of their neighbors still struggle to find a home they can afford.

Today, Airbnb is taking its most significant step yet to be part of the solution: the launch of the Airbnb Housing Accelerator, a multi-pillar commitment to help build more housing across the country and around the world.

The Housing Accelerator combines capital deployment, policy advocacy, and innovation into a coordinated system designed to help remove the barriers that prevent homes from being built and unlock housing supply, and inspire the next generation of breakthroughs in construction technology.

Unlocking the St. John redevelopment project

Airbnb’s inaugural $6.4 million investment will support the development of 201 affordable housing units in Austin, Texas. Located at 800 E. St. John Avenue, St. John is split into two parts. Airbnb’s investment funds the construction of 201 units of affordable housing. Under an agreement with the City of Austin, this fully affordable project was necessary in order to build a companion project with 325 units of mixed-income housing which is expected to open at the same time. Combined, St. John will include more than 500 units of housing, plus retail, a park, and public art.

The site, owned by the city since 2013, has sat empty for nearly 20 years. In 2017, then-Councilmember (now US Congressman) Greg Casar passed a resolution directing city staff to work with surrounding neighborhoods on a new vision for the property. The city then partnered with Greystar to bring the community's plans for affordable housing to fruition. Despite overwhelming community support and tax incentives from a State of Texas affordable housing program, construction stalled for five years due to a lack of funding. Airbnb's investment bridges that gap and enables construction to finally begin.

Supporting smart reforms in Austin

Investment alone cannot solve the housing crisis. Durable change requires modernizing the rules that make it too expensive, too slow, and too difficult to build. Airbnb is proud to support local organizations like AURA in Austin fighting to enact pro-housing reforms.

AURA has helped mobilize Austin residents to engage City Hall in support of legislation that allows the construction of up to three homes per lot and smaller minimum lot sizes, which makes it easier to build starter-homes. Going forward, they want to legalize "missing middle" housing in Austin. Airbnb's support will enable them to hire their first-ever paid staffer to move beyond an all-volunteer operation.

Alongside support for AURA, Airbnb is also making donations to trusted nonprofit organizations that serve the St. John neighborhood, focused on economic empowerment and homeownership.

More information on the policy solutions Airbnb is backing is available in , a new report issued today highlighting reforms that make housing more available and affordable.

"Austin leads the national conversation and the actual outcomes on housing because we're doing what it takes to build. I'm glad to see Airbnb investing in housing projects like St. John's. Expanding housing takes all of us. When a company like Airbnb steps up and works alongside local organizations, community leaders, and the city, you get real outcomes."

— Kirk Watson, Mayor, City of Austin

“Austin's housing shortage demands a collaborative approach. The St. John’s project shows what’s possible when the public sector, private sector, and community partners come together to build more housing and ensure affordability. I’m proud that Austin is the first city where Airbnb is making this kind of local investment.”

— José “Chito” Vela, Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember for District 4, City of Austin

“AURA is grateful to Airbnb for their partnership and commitment to strengthening communities here in Austin. For more than a decade, we have advanced reforms to address the root cause of Austin’s housing crisis: the simple fact that we have made it too difficult to build enough homes for everyone. Airbnb has been a real partner in working with communities to address that issue head on, and we welcome their generous support for the work we do to advance pro-housing policies.”

— Zach Faddis, President, AURA

For more information on the Airbnb Housing Accelerator visit airbnb.com/housingaccelerator.

Due to continued floodgate operations by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA), the City of Austin has extended the waterways ban currently in effect until 5 p.m., Saturday, July 25.

The extension is necessary as unsafe water conditions are expected to continue. Though floodgate operations halted at Mansfield Dam on Wednesday, June 22, hydrogeneration continues, requiring the need for floodgates to remain open at Tom Miller Dam.

In coordination with LCRA, Austin Water will keep flood gates at Longhorn Dam open until flow from Tom Miller Dam slows to a point where current flood operations can be safely scaled back.

The ban is extended in an effort to keep Austinites and visitors safe as water conditions may not be safe for recreational, commercial, and navigational use at this time. The higher, faster water flows resulting from dam operations can create hazardous conditions on the waterways for boaters, especially non-motorized vehicles on Lady Bird Lake. Boaters may have trouble paddling against the current to get back to their original destination or to stay away from dangerous areas near the dams. In addition, there may be strong and unpredictable currents due to debris beneath the water’s surface. Flows can stir up sediment making the water turbid, reducing water quality and visibility under the surface of the water. In addition, bacteria and pollutant levels tend to be high after storms.

Personal and commercial watercraft, wet bikes, motorized surfboards, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, and other similar devices are not allowed on the following waterways in Austin:

Residents and visitors also are urged to avoid riverfront trails which may be unsafe to navigate and are susceptible to flash flooding at this time due to raised water levels.

City Code Section 8-5-21 authorizes the Fire Chief to issue such prohibitions on waterways after determining that flooding is occurring or likely to occur.

Austin Museum Day *Special Sunday Hours: Open 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on 9/20/26

The Emma S. Barrientos invites the public to a public tour, exhibit, and activities for Austin Museum Day. Tour our newly renovated facility and learn about the architecture of our building. View our beautiful exhibits in the three galleries.

Participate in hands-on coloring activities, tour the exhibit and the building, and learn about the events the MACC has coming up for Latino/a Heritage month.

Additional Events as part of Austin Musuem Day on 9/20/26 include:

Joon Community Bus Tour (12:00-2:00 p.m., reservations required- free)Ballet Folklorico of Austin (2:00 & 6:00 p.m. tickets available)

More About Joon Community Bus Tour:

Gep outside, get curious, and explore the world around you!?This event is made possible by the .

Meet up at Pan American Park (exact location TBA) at 12 pm for chats and refreshments from XOCHi prebiotic Agave Soda & pastries from Comadre Panaderia. Please bring comfortable shoes, water, and anything else to help cool off (fans, hats, etc.)

?The first part of our Latine history tour will be led by Claudia Zapata (they/them), who is a specialist in Latine & Chicanx art at the park. ?Then we will head to Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center for a 1-on-1 private tour led by Olivia Tamzarian from around 1- 2 PM. Free ?CapMetro digital metro passes will be sent via email/text before the event.

https://luma.com/c4j7u6c0

More About Ballet Folklorico de Austin:Visitors to the MACC on 9/20/26 may purchase tickets to attend the Ballet Folklorico of Austin performances "Mexico de Colores" at 2:00pm and 6:00pm in the MACC Auditorium.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mexico-de-colores-hasta-que-la-diversidad-se-haga-costumbre-tickets-1994974821394

Austin Emergency Management (AEM) is hosting the 5th Annual Get Ready Central Texas Emergency Preparedness Fair on Friday, September 18 at Austin Community College Eastview Campus. The event is free, family-friendly and open to the public. AEM hosts this event in September as part of National Preparedness Month.

Event: Get Ready Central Texas Emergency Preparedness Fair Time: September 18, 2026, 2-6 p.m.

Location: ACC Eastview Campus, 3101 Webberville Rd., Building 8000, Austin, TX 78701

“Austin experiences a lot of weather events and it’s best to be prepared early for any situation,” said AEM Director Jim Redick. “We invite the community to visit the Get Ready Central Texas Emergency Preparedness Fair and meet with preparedness partners and first responders to learn how to make an emergency plan and kit for your family. Being ready before disaster hits can lessen its impact on you and make our community more resilient.”

AEM will teach attendees how to make a plan, build a kit, stay informed, and help meet neighbors. Copies of the City of Austin Basic Emergency Operations Plan will be available for review and public comment. Additionally, attendees will learn tips to prepare their home, family, workplace, and community for emergencies. A basic emergency kit will be available to those who attend, while supplies last, with a limit of one per household. The Neighborhood Preparedness Guide will also be available in six languages so attendees can make a personalized emergency plan. Child-friendly activities, sips and snacks will be provided.

Young artists can stop by the children’s activity to draw and submit artwork for Austin Emergency Management’s annual Emergency Preparedness Calendar Artwork Contest. The calendar features artwork from children aged kindergarten through eighth grade as well as tips each month to prepare for disasters.

Interpreters will be available on site in Spanish and American Sign Language. Other languages can be requested by contacting Austin 3-1-1 no later than five business days before the event.

Attendees can also learn about emergency preparedness resources from the following partners:

For more information on the Get Ready Central Texas Emergency Preparedness Fair, and other ways to get ready during National Preparedness Month, visit www.ReadyCentralTexas.org.

Austin Arts, Culture, Music and Entertainment (ACME) has launched $23 million in grants, supported by the City’s Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) revenue, continuing a multi?year commitment to sustain a thriving and equitable creative ecosystem. This announcement follows $24 million in grants awarded in March, $3.8 million to Year Two FY ’25 Thrive recipients, $500K awarded in June, and precedes a final $500K launch in September, closing the calendar year with an historic $51 million dollars invested.

“Today’s launch reflects how deeply the City values both the creative community and the voices that continue to help shape these programs,” said Angela Means, ACME Director. “These HOT-funded grants are not just awards, they are a reinvestment of visitor dollars back into the artists, musicians, cultural organizations and heritage stewards who make Austin a sought-out destination.”

The Creative Reset, a multi-phase community engagement initiative launched in 2025, was an opportunity for City staff to gather feedback from community and translate the programs’ strengths and opportunities into themes that would directly shape future grant cycles.

“Our team listened closely to community members’ feedback and the enhancements we have rolled out this year are a direct response to what we heard,” said Means. “By simplifying access, strengthening support and expanding language and community?based assistance, we are ensuring that these funds reach more people, in more places, and with greater impact than ever before.”

This year’s previous $24 million award cycle saw record efforts that strengthened applicant success. ACME staff delivered nearly 500 hours of direct assistance, including multilingual workshops, office hours, 1:1 meetings and community events reaching more than 2,500 individuals; more than 17,000 direct messages helped applicants navigate eligibility and technical questions. Historically underrepresented groups saw record increase and support. Black artists, who represented 12.5% of the applicant pool, and Asian artists, who represented 6.2%, received grants at higher rates than their representation within the applicant pool. LGBTQIA creatives also experienced consistently strong acceptance rates, highlighting the impact of a continuous inclusive evaluation process and greater access to technical assistance.

A FY26 Awardee Highlights and Demographic Snapshot is available on ACME's Funding Programs webpage.

ACME has also added a Spanish language Community Navigator, expanded technical assistance and partnered with more than 10 culturally competent community ambassadors to help share the opportunity more widely. These enhancements build on applicants’ direct input and reflect the ongoing commitment to transparency, predictable timelines and award structures and access across all programs. Artists and applicants can also participate in the process by serving as paid community reviewers.

ACME’s current $23 million funding launch is made up of four distinct grant programs: the Austin Live Music Fund, Elevate, Heritage Preservation Grant, and Thrive. These programs support a wide range of creative and cultural work, offering grants from $5,000 to $250,000 for individual artists, musicians, nonprofit arts organizations, creative businesses, cultural producers and heritage practitioners. Funding may be used for creative production, public programming, operational and administrative needs, cultural events, media and digital arts projects, dance and movement?based work, literary arts, and more, ensuring that both emerging and established creatives across disciplines can participate. All funded projects through this launch will begin contracting in January 2027, with awards issued as either one? or two?year agreements, depending on the specific program. These multi?year options ensure organizations and individual creatives have the stability and runway needed to plan, produce and sustain public?facing cultural work throughout the contract period.

Applications open Tuesday, July 7 at 10 a.m. and close Tuesday, August 18 at 6:59 p.m. and can be found by visiting austintexas.gov/acme.

Applicants can receive additional application support by:

About Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment Austin Arts, Culture, Music, and Entertainment (ACME) is committed to fostering a vibrant, creative ecosystem that celebrates and supports Austin's artists, musicians, entertainment venues, and cultural institutions. ACME is a centralized hub offering resources, funding opportunities, and strategic programs that promote local talent and drive economic growth.