AUSTIN, Texas — The city of Austin celebrated the groundbreaking of its first carless community Saturday morning, an affordable condominium in East Austin that will be powered completely by solar energy.

The Ivory condominiums will be named after Scottie Ivory, a longtime advocate for equal opportunity in East Austin. In an effort to be even more affordable and sustainable, this community won’t have parking lots or garages, but will instead eliminate the need for car payments and gas by providing residents with electric bikes instead.

Jame Houston Jr.’s family has lived in this East Austin home for three generations. He says it’s just not the same neighborhood anymore.

“The neighborhood changed. They did a lot of new remodels, you know, a lot of building new houses and stuff.” Houston said. “People just moved in, you know, it came from, you know, just different parts of the states and different parts of the world, and they’re just buying in.”

Gentrification has been a longstanding concern in East Austin.

“It’s hard for us to, you know, to try to keep, you know, making that payment,” Houston said.

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In fact, nearly everyone CBS Austin tried to speak to for this story was from out of town, staying in remodeled AirBNBs.

“They knew that one day this property would be the most valuable property in the city and let you pay rent for 27 years,” District One Austin city councilmember Natasha Harper-Madison said. “And didn’t fix nothing.”

But the Chestnut Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation is trying to fight back with the groundbreaking of The Ivory condominiums, a new affordable housing project on Chicon Street between 12th and 13th. 40 of its 53 units will be for low-income families.

“Austin right now, I and the city council, are dedicated to affordability first,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said. “Affordability first.”

Not only will the community be entirely solar-powered, but it will also be completely carless. Residents won’t need a vehicle but instead will be provided an electric bike. And there will be two communal electric vehicles for when public transportation won’t work.

“They get to go where they make their money, it’s easy for them to jump on the bus, walk, whatever…” Harper-Madison said.

Harper-Madison lives within walking distance of The Ivory and hopes this kind of community becomes a blueprint for the future.

“This is the kind of template for the rest of the city, rest of the nation,” Harper-Madison said. “These people don’t need parking, in which case, if they don’t need parking, it made it more affordable.”

And while James isn’t so sure about the carless situation, if it keeps people in East Austin, he’s in support of his new neighbors.

“If they’re building it and people can live, I think it’s a good arrangement. I think it would be a good place to live,” Houston said.

This project is possible because of the Affordability Housing Unlocked Ordinance Madison helped get passed in 2019, which modified certain development restrictions.

The Ivory’s website says tenants are expected to move in by the Summer of 2025.

Steve Sarkisian and his wife, Loreal, are filing for divorce after four years of marriage, with the couple announcing the news on Instagram Friday night.

The statement posted to social media highlighted the fact that they both endure busy personal schedules and that the separation will give them the opportunity to focus on their careers.

“After many heartfelt conversations, we have decided to amicably part ways and jointly file for divorce,” it read. “We aim to remain the best of friends and are incredibly grateful for the love and support we have shared throughout our journey together. Our commitments to our respective careers made it difficult to prioritize time for each other and this step will provide us with the necessary time and space professionally while continuing to support each other personally.”

The two became the Sarkisians back in 2020 when Steve was the offensive coordinator at Alabama, taking the head coaching job at Texas the year after. Loreal has since been one of Steve’s biggest supporters in Austin.

Loreal currently works as a wardrobe stylist but had her shining moment as a track star at North Carolina A&T before becoming an assistant coach at USC in 2013, just a year before Steve showed up.

On the other hand, Steve has been preparing for the football team’s fourth training camp ahead of their SEC debut season. Recent polls and media have placed an extensive amount of pressure on the Longhorns to make an immediate successful first run, projecting Texas to finish second in the league under Georgia.

The Sarkisians hope to make the process as smooth as possible, especially with the start of the football season just a month away, both looking to enter a new era while still maintaining a personal friendship.

“While we appreciate all the love and encouragement we have received, we kindly ask for your understanding and privacy during this transition as we embark on this new chapter in our lives,” they said.

On July 24, 2024, at approximately 10:29 a.m., Austin Police Department officers responded to a Shoot/Stab Hotshot call at 2101 Burton Drive. The caller reported a stabbing incident. Officers and Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene and found a subject with injuries consistent with a stab wound. Despite life-saving measures, the victim, later identified as Javier Antonio Navarro Quesada, a 23-year-old Hispanic male, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Homicide detectives and crime scene specialists processed the scene and interviewed witnesses. The investigation revealed that the altercation stemmed from a stolen vehicle. Alex Trevino, a 34-year-old Hispanic male, was arrested and booked into the Travis County Jail on a murder charge.

This case marks Austin’s 36th homicide of 2024. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Austin Police Department at 512-974-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477.