VOL. 1
Around Atx
Ezine Summer 2021
Austin Spice: PG.8 Within Austin: PG. 16 Austin Housing: PG. 22 Austin in Motion: PG. 28
Table of Contents Around ATX | Summer Ezine 2021 | 4
6. A Letter from the Editors By: Designers of Around ATX
12. The Top 5 Indian restaurants in Austin By: Yogith Loganathan
16. Within Austin By: Hadeed Khan
22. Austin Housing Crisis By: Estrella C. Diaz Mendoza
28. Austin in Motion By: Yeshi Dakpa
8. Austin Spice By: Yogith Loganathan
14. Our Map of Austin By: Designers of Around ATX
20. Best Public Schools in Austin By: Hadeed Khan
26. Presenting: Austin Bergstrom By: Estrella C. Diaz Mendoza
32. Adventures in Austin By: Yeshi Dakpa
A Letter From the Editors Dear Readers, The magazine you are about to read was created by incoming LASA students and current Summer Ezine students of 2021. The main purpose of this magazine was to infom new Austinites and visitors about various things in Austin, such as, why people are moving to Austin, Indian Food in Austin, the housing situation and hot tourist spots. We recommended you to go explore Austin and try out everything it has to offer! From,
Estrella, Hadeed, Yeshi and Yogith
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Yeshi Yeshi is an incoming student to Lasa and current student of the Summer Ezine class of 2021. 2009 was the year when Yeshi moved to Austin. Currently, Yeshi enjoys reading books, and playing games with his friends.
Hadeed My name is Hadeed Khan. I am an incoming Freshman at LASA. I was born in Austin Texas, and I enjoy biking, swimming, and hanging out with friends. I hope you enjoy the magazine!
Yogith My name is Yogith Loganathan and I’m going to be a freshmen in LASA. I currently like watching Netflix and sleeping in till 11:00 a.m. I dislike most dogs, every type of milk and mustard.
Estrella My name is Estrella Diaz Mendoza and I’m an incoming 9th grader in LASA. I like to play board games and I like to draw. I enjoy taking walks in my neighborhood and spend time with my siblings.
By: Yogith Logananthan
Austin Spice The History of Indian Restaurants In Austin
I
ndian food might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of ethnic food in the U.S, or Austin, in particular, which is better known for its amazing taco trucks, Tex-Mex restaurants and barbecue. Although, Indian cuisine has been influencing what you eat for longer than you know, some staples of the American spice cabinet made their way here from India as early as the 1950’s! Since then, Indian restaurants have been slowly creeping up on their competition, and now, it’s finally their turn in the spotlight. Within the last few decades, the number of Indian restaurants in Austin has grown drastically; in the 1980’s Indian food was impossible to find, but now you can find an Indian restaurant anywhere in Austin in less than 15 minutes. Although, as more Indian restaurants open up, it gets harder to stay unique because of Americanization. Also a decade ago, it was difficult to see an Indian restaurant with a To-Go model, but now it’s everywhere; things like this are what keep Indian restaurants afloat, and for this, my sources thank the pandemic. Hariharan Gopal is the founder of Nala’s; located on Parmer Lane and Highway 290. Founded in 2018, Nala’s specifically features Indian dishes like curries (a spicy gravy combined with a variety of ingredients), biryani’s (flavorful rice layered Indian delicacy) and samosas (fried dough with potato & chickpea filling).
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Above is a photo of Hariharan Gopal, he is a founder of Nala’s. Photo by Yogith Loganathan.
“Covid-19 really did some damage in the beginning because people started worrying about dining inside the restaurant,” Gopal said. “The good part is that number one, the government-assisted [they gave restaurants loans] and number two, the To-Go model became more developed; this was helpful
for the customers and it’ll help restaurants in the future.” By providing an improved To-Go model Nala’s has expanded its customer base exponentially. The pandemic has been a wake-up call for a lot of outdated To-Go models; the pandemic forced Indian restaurants to switch from the standard buffet module, into a multimodular system. “Many old-fashioned Indian restaurants only have a buffet,” Gopal said. “That’s why it is becoming important to be innovative.” As Austin becomes more diverse, a plethora of different cuisines are becoming available for Austinites to try, and to stay ahead of the game Indian restaurants have to start innovating.
“I believe in the current situation being innovative is a pictorial representation of our restaurant, so we do promotions, distributions, holiday discounts, daily specials and normal discounts regularly,” Gopal said. On Nala’s website, it’s clear to see that they have daily specials, ranging from BOGO (Buy One Get One) to bulk family combos, such as their Ultimate Chicken Party Pack. On June 27, 2021, Nala’s offered a free $25 gift card to anyone who ordered over $50 online. Although, as much as innovation makes a good restaurant, there are multiple other qualities that a restaurant needs to make it successful. “[Qualities restaurants need] The most essential quality
is a passion for food, the restaurant industry is basically a service-oriented industry, so number one, you have to be very passionate, number two, you have to be hygienic and number three, you need to be very attentive to your customer,” Gopal said. Additionally, as much as you need the three qualities above, both my sources can agree that
“I feel happy when customers come in and enjoy our food. I feel so happy when they feel happy. ” -Pandiyan Kaliyamoorthy to have an authentic Indian restaurant you need to have
Above is Asiana Indian Cuisine’s Tandoori Chicken with a Mango Smoothie, white rice and a variety of garnishes. Photo Courtesy of Asiana Indian Cuisine.
The interior of Nala’s, a local Austin restaraunt founded by Hariharan Gopal that serves authenitc Indian food. Photo Courtesy of MapQuest.
a chef who knows how to use the native spices. Pandiyan Kaliyamoorthy co-owns Asiana Indian Cuisine with Loganathan Appavu. Founded in 2012, the predominantly South Indian restaurant is located on the corner of the Century South shopping center in Southwest Austin. “[As a chef] I love the spices used in the cooking and the method of cooking makes the food more delicious,” Kaliyamoorthy said. It’s too easy to mess up Indian dishes because of the spices, the balance is key; too much spice can result in the dish overpowering other flavors, too little spice can cause the
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dish to become bland and dull. This is why experience and passion are a must-have in a good Indian chef. “A good chef has to cook with love and passion like they’re serving food to their family or friends,” Gopal said. Although no Indian restaurants can actually serve authentic food because it might be too spicy or messy, that’s Americanization. According to the dictionary, Americanization is “a form of cultural assimilation, that stands in contrast to later ideas of multiculturalism,” in English that simply translates to, making cultures more American. “In Austin, Indian food has
changed a lot,” Kaliyamoorthy said. “It has become Americanized with fewer spices to fit the wants and needs of the people here.” Don’t get me wrong, some Americans like spicy food, but because of the impact European culture has had on America, most Americans are prone to liking creamier dishes. There are hundreds of Indian dishes, but only a trivial amount are actually being served in restaurants. “Austin’s culture has affected Authentic Indian food because the locals are mostly Americans, so they like more creamy dishes, like tikka masala, butter masala and other less spicy foods,” Gopal said.
This isn’t all that bad though because it actually helps Indian restaurants a lot when finding a chef. The hunt for a good Indian chef is hard and to find one who knows how to cook a menu full of dishes is even harder.
Furthermore, people are migrating to Austin from California; this could potentially cause restaurants to gain more customers (to see exactly why people are coming to Austin go to pg. 28, “Austin in Motion”).
Loganathan Appavu is cofounder of Asiana Indian Cuisine; he has been in the restaurant business for almost 25 years!
Additionally, as more and more people are getting vaccinated, restaurant experiences are finally starting to go back to normal. So if you’re feeling adventurous, how about you go eat at one of “The Top 5 Indian Restaurants in Austin” (located on pg.12 of Around ATX).
“I have hired Indian chefs from different cities and states to come to cook for Asiana Indian Cuisine,” Appavu said. “The demand for Indian chefs is high because of the expertise and experience needed to master certain cooking stations, one of which is the tandoor oven [very hot clay oven, powered with charcoal or gas].”
Overall, whether Indian restaurants serve authentic food or not, we should still be grateful that we can taste another culture without even leaving the country. Food was always meant to bring people together and because of diverse restaurants, we can understand one another on a whole new level. “Every single bite you take is like taking a bite out of the rich culture the food came from; every cuisine has its culture woven in the recipe, so by eating Indian food you are experiencing the beautiful culture,” Gopal said.
Nevertheless, Kaliyamoorthy said that he thinks Austin is encouraging Indian food and he thinks the future is bright for Indian Restaurants not only in Austin, but the US. Additionally, Gopal believes that Tesla’s move will benefit Indian restaurants in the long run. “The future for Indian restaurants in Austin is very bright; real estate is booming and even Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk is moving to Austin,” Gopal said. “So, all the restaurants in Austin have started making huge profits, as a result, Indian restaurants will also have a great future.”
Above is Nala’s Ultimate Chicken Family Pack that Comes with Chicken Biryani, two Chicken Appetizers, Chicken Curry, Naan and Dessert. Photo courtesy of Nala’s Cedar Park.
The Top 5 Indian Restaurants in Austin Decided by Price & Portions!
By: Yogith Loganathan
The Top 5 Indian Restaurants in Austin
Unfortunately, I was not able to personally taste all of these restaurants’ food, so instead, I meticulously developed a system to find the top 5 Indian Restaurants in Austin, Texas. I first used recommendations from six magazines (ATXGuides, AustinNot, TripAdvisor, YourAustinCommunity, TheHonestsTruths, and AustinCultureMap) to weed out most of the restaurants; the magazines covered price and the portions. Then, I ranked the restaurants by the rating they got in Google proportional to the amount of responses they got. After all that, I finally got “The Top 5 Indian Restaurants in Austin.”
Key Cyan= Number of magazines that recommended Restaurant Red = The overall rating each restaurant received from Google Reviews Black= Number of responses each restaurant received from Google Reviews Around ATX | Summer Ezine 2021 | 12 Around/Atx Summer Ezine 2021/Pg.12
1. Asiana Indian Cuisine
5/6 4.4 996
2. Tarka Indian Kitchen
5/6
4.4 878
Asiana’s Samosa’s with a variety of sauces and a Mango Lassi. Photo Courtesy of Asiana.
Tarka Indian Kitchen’s Beyond Keema Coury. Photo by Allie Justis, Photo courtesy of Tarka.
Asiana Indian Cuisine offers a large selection of dishes in a roomy setting with a lunch/brunch buffet & big dinner portions.
Tarka Indian Kitchen is as convenient as possible; whether you’re enjoying a relaxing meal on their patio with a drink, or grabbing take out using their online ordering system.
3. Saffron
5/6
4.3
645
4. Clay Pit
4/6 4.2 2451
Saffron’s Smokin Hot Tandoori Chicken. Photo by John Anderson, Photo courtesy of Saffron.
Clay Pit’s golden orange Chicken Tika Masala. Photo courtesy of Dine on Demand.
Saffron is a casual Indian storefront for a fusion menu of curries & paneer, plus chow mein & lunch-tray combos.
Clay Pit is located in a bricked setting where you can enjoy a drink and some of your favorite food.
5. Bombay Dhaba Bombay Dhaba has popular Indian dishes, lunch specials & desserts all served from a food truck! The restaurant gets great reviews probably because it is centrally located, affordable, and delicious.
4/6 4.4 335
Bombay Dhaba’s Chicken Tika Masala. Photo courtesy of TheHonestTruth.
Our Map of Austin A map showing important places mentioned in the magazine
Key The BEst Public Schools in Austin pg.20 The BEst Indian Restaraunts In austin pg.12 Around ATX | Summer Ezine 2021 | 14
Images Courtesy of AustinISD, DossPTA and Tisca West Water Polo and UTexas.
make the most of your time
Within Austin By: Hadeed Khan
C
urrently, Austin is experiencing rapid growth. The population is exponentially growing. Many businesses are moving here such as Tesla, Amazon and Google. Austin is currently the
11th largest city in the United States of America and ranked as one of the top cities to travel to in the United States of America. It is also known as the Music world capital. The range of activities to do in Austin is endless.
From the beautiful Hill Country to the historic South Congress District, to the numerous fun activities on Lady Bird Lake. This article will show you how to make the most of your time here and help you have a greater appreciation for the city.
An image of 360 Pennybacker Bridge. Image provided by jimnix
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An image of the Downtown Austin Skyline. Image courtesy of aquilacommercial
"Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teethering in the unknown." -Anthony Bourdain
Gabrielle Nicole Pharms is an entertainment and travel writer. She lived just outside Houston, before coming to Austin for an assignment. Pharms quickly fell in love with the city and knew she had to live here. “I was born in Killeen, Texas on the base at Fort Hood,” Pharms said. “Since my dad was a soldier, we were stationed in various places. Shortly after I was born, we moved to Bad Kreuznach, Germany. Then, we moved to Augusta, Georgia. I eventually ended up in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. I loved living in the Houston area because it’s home to excellent eateries, plus a cool music and art scene. My first trip to Austin was for SXSW. I was covering the event for
a couple of publications and immediately fell in love with the city’s charm and live music scene. Ultimately, I decided to move here because of my appreciation for the vibe. The energy of the city is contagious and draws you in. I love the combination of the picturesque natural scenery and the unique restaurants and shops within the city.” Jane Ko is a popular food and travel blogger in Austin. She is known for her blog, A Taste of Koko, and her bestselling book, “Koko’s Guide to Austin Texas.” She was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and moved to Austin when she was younger. he decided to stay here after attending the University of Texas (UT) because of her blog. “[UT] was the obvious choice since I was here, and It was better than Texas A&M for me,” Ko said. “ [I] decided to stay because of my blog that I started in 2010.”
So far, both Pharms and Ko love Austin. Pharms decided to stay in Austin after staying here for short-term periods. “I love it! I’ve been here for a year and a half,” Pharms said. “I can’t imagine living in any other U.S. city. My husband and I will live out of the country once we’re done with our adventure in Austin.” Something Ko loves about Austin’s growth over the years is the changing restaurants. “The restaurant scene changed a lot. I have now tried over four to five hundred restaurants,” Ko said. “I love the city’s energy, and I am very lucky to live here.” Since she has truly explored Austin, she suggested where someone should stay, what they should do, and what they should eat if someone had three days to spend in Austin.
“Stay at South Congress Hotel,” Ko said, “Do: SUP [Stand Up Paddling] on Lake Bird Lake, and Eat: ATX Cocina, Suerte, La Barbecue, and Kome.” South Congress is one of the best places to stay in Austin. You can easily walk to Lady Bird Lake and do all of the activities there; additionally you can walk to Congress Bridge during sunset to see the bats fly. “Stay: The Wayback, Proper Austin, Sonesta Bee Cave (beautiful Hill Country views), Eat: Aba, Stiles Switch (best brisket ever), the outdoors garden restaurant, Nightingale Bistro in Georgetown.” Pharms said, “Attractions: Austin has a burgeoning art scene that would be beneficial to take in. Places such as Wonderspace, The Contemporary Austin, and West Chelsea Contemporary showcase amazing artistry. Also, Austin is home to
breweries such as Still Austin, Jester King, and more.” Sonesta Bee Cave is a great place to stay if you are more into the Nature scene rather than the city life. Even though you will have to do a bit more driving to get around, the scenic drive makes it completely worth it. Pharms also shared what someone should do in Austin if they are just driving by. “Hamilton Pool Preserve,” Pharms said. “It’s one of the most beautiful natural pools in the world and merely 22 miles outside of the city. Even if you’re not a ‘nature person,’ you can’t help but feel in awe of the preserve.” Ko also suggested what someone should do if someone was just passing through Austin.
“La Barbecue for some
An image from Jane Ko’s visit to ATX Cocina. Image provided by atasteofkoko
Ko said, “they have the best brisket, beef ribs, and sausage.” The Domain is a big popular outdoor mall in Austin. It has some of the best hotels, restaurants, and shops. Ko seems pretty satisfied with it. “ [The Domain] It’s done so much for North Austin,” Ko said. “It has created a lot of jobs, and the shops and restaurants are nice. I’m pretty happy with it.” Just outside the Domain is the new Austin Q2 Soccer Stadium, Home of the Austin Legends. Pharms is thrilled about it and hopes to visit it sometime soon. “I’m thrilled we have a soccer team,” Pharms said. “Although I haven’t hit the stadium yet, I look forward to experiencing a game soon.”
An image of Hamilton Pool Reserve. Image provided by jimnix
many brilliant distilleries and
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good ol’ Texas barbecue,”
Next, Pharms shared one big piece of advice she would give to visitors and people who are looking to move here, or who have recently moved here.
For visitors, “Don’t be afraid to hit the quaint towns outside of downtown Austin. There are so many places to explore,” Pharms said. For new citizens or future citizens, “My biggest piece of advice for newbies is to get outside of your bubble physically and mentally. Be open to meeting new people from all walks of life, Pharms said. “That’s what makes Austin distinct.”
to land in such a cool city!”
Both Ko and Pharms also mentioned that public
One thing that makes
An image of The Domain mall. Image provided by Austintexas
An image of Georgetown Texas. Image courtesy of aquilacommercial
Austin what it is is the small towns on the outskirts of Austin. Some of these towns that you should visit include Round Rock, Georgetown, and Pflugerville. Lastly, both Pharms and Ko shared their least favorite thing about Austin. “As with any relationship, there are things I both like and dislike about Austin,” Pharms said, “I am not a fan of all the major corporations moving into town, but it’s the allure of the city that drew them here. So, I can’t blame them for wanting
transportation here in Austin is very messy and that the city needs to do something about it. Especially since private transportation is just going to get worse as Austin’s population continues
to rapidly increase. Luckily the city does have something planned out. There is a passed plan to add five new rails, three of which are light rails, to help with faster communication, especially in more populated tourist spots such as The University of Texas Campus, The Airport, South Congress, The Domain and the Austin Q2 Soccer stadium. Overall, Austin is a fun place to visit and you will never forget your adventure. It will be very interesting to see how Austin grows over time and how the tourism scene continues to increase in the future.
An image of The Q2 Soccer Stadium for the Austin Legends. Rendering: Jimena Panduro/Austin FC
The Best Public Schools in Austin What schools you need to check out before moving here By: Hadeed Khan
Doss Elementary School With an 8/10 in student progress and a 10/10 in test scores, this school has promising results. The school is located on Far West Blvd and Northledge Drive. The school has a brand new, large campus that opened in 2021. The school overlooks Murchison Middle school which provides stunning views when the sun is setting. The school has an impressive discipline rate. The exam scores for math, science, and reading are all much higher than the state average. Another top Elementary school is Kiker Elementary.
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Photos Courtesy of AISD 2017 Bond and DossPTA
Gorzycki Middle School
Photos Courtesy of GSC Architects and AISD
With an 8/10 in student progress and a 10/10 in test scores, this school also has good results. The school is located off of Slaughter Lane and FM 1826. The discipline rates are high, and The exam scores for math, science, writing, social studies, and reading are all much higher than the state average. The 8th-grade Algebra I participation rate is above average at 33% and the algebra pass rate is at a stunning 100%. Some other middle schools to consider are Kealing MS and Murchison MS.
Liberal Arts And Science Acedemy (LASA)
Photos Courtesy of AISD and LASA High School
LASA is ranked as #41 nationwide and #5 in Texas. It has a 10/10 in college readiness, and the test scores show a 100% average for English 2, English, Biology, and US History, and an 82% average in Algebra I, which is above the state average. It has an intensive cirriculum and hands on learning. Other schools to consider include Anderson High, Westlake High and Westwood High.
University of Texas at Austin With over 12 thousand courses, 156 undergrad degree programs, and 237 graduate degree programs The University of Texas at Austin is ranked as the second best university in Texas and #42 in the nation. The acceptence rate is 32% and the Graduation rate is 81%. It is recognized for research, higher education, business and arts. It is one of the largest universies in the nation. It is home to about 51, 000 and has the 7th largest college library in the country.
Photos Courtesy of University of Texas, dszc/Getty Image and UniversityCoop.
Austin’s
Housing Crisis How it has impacted Austin and its residents By Estrella C. Diaz Mendoza A neighborhood at East Austin. Courtesy of East Austin Real Estate
Austin. A growing city. An exponentially increasing population with Silicon Valley businesses are moving in the area. You are a long-term resident of Austin who has seen the changes, especially the increase in taxes. As many big businesses move to Austin, causing many more people to move here, there are many concerns about rising home prices and taxes due to a sudden increase of demands for housing. Austin’s population has risen by 3%, the highest increase of all metro areas with a population higher than one million. Brad Pauly is a homeowner, broker, real estate agent and owner of Pauly Presley Realty. He explains how he sees the housing shortage. “It was kind of a perfect storm when you look at the reasons why people aren’t selling and the reasons why they can’t
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construct homes as quickly as they used to in the past,” Pauly said. “Then you couple that with all the new Austin residents, you see that it created this big issue with supply and demand. There are a lot more buyers and tenants than there are properties available to lease and to be purchased. And there are no signs of that slowing down as more companies just continue to choose Austin as their new home.” Working in the real estate industry for a while, Pauly talked about how his business was before the housing shortage. “It was easier for buyers and tenants to shop for real estate,”
There were also negative effects in Pauly’s realty business as Pauly describes. “With the multiple offer situations that we’re seeing on a lot of these homes that come up for sale, it’s quite often that we’ll be doing a lot of work without making any kind of income. If you continue to lose on deals if you can’t get one of your offers accepted? Well, that’s a lot of work that you’ve put in with no compensation. So that can be frustrating, but that’s part of the business”
“If I sold the house today, I think I could sell it for $500,000,” Karydas said. “ And I paid $180,000 for it.” Around 2013, she started to notice her home value change. “It started to change a little bit by a little bit,” Karydas said. “I would say between 2012 and 2014 is when I really started to notice the change.”
With negative effects, he also faces housing shortages in his With property values business. increasing, homeowners have “Well there’s a very limited to pay more and more taxes. supply of inventory,” Pauly The worst part is that there is no way to lower them.
“It was kind of a perfect storm when you look at the reasons why people aren’t selling and the reasons why they can’t construct homes as quickly as they used to in the past” - Brad Pauly
Pauley said. ”I guess it was easier on real estate agents as well. Just not having to scramble to try and get offers in and showings done in such a quick time. But it was just a little bit slower of a pace, even though it wasn’t slow by any means. But slower than the way things are moving right now.”
living in Austin for 13 years and has been a homeowner for 12 of them. She is surprised by the amount a buyer would buy for a house and the increase in her home value.
said. “At any given time, there are about seven to 800 total properties that you can buy in Austin which is very, very low inventory. So that’s why you’re seeing so much demand. You know there are 20 buyers for every home that comes available.” Jennifer Karydas has been
“Taxes have been really expensive,” Karydas said. “I have to do this thing called protesting them every year and in the beginning, it was easy. I could protest and they would sometimes lower them. And sometimes they stayed the same. But last year and the year before there was nothing I could do about it. They were just like ‘No, your taxes are just increasing’.” Pauly had a similar opinion to Karydas regarding taxes. “As a homeowner, my taxes have increased significantly,” Pauly said. Carolina Perez, had rented and
or do things that look good. You may maintain a value but regularly of every passing year and using it loses its value a lot.” Perez said an estimate of how much a mobile home value decreased. Brad Pauly, owner of Pauly Presly Realty. Courtesy of Pauly Presly Realty.
lived in her rented property and mobile home for about six years. The housing shortage and increase in property values have caused rent increases in her area. “A lot of the time we know that for every contract renovation there is an increase but there are times that we expect a minimum while on other occasions it increases more than we expected,” Perez said. “There are times that we didn’t expect an increase. In the last 6 years I have lived here, they were increasing $20 or $25. For example, in this contract renovation, it doubled. It was $50 that we had to pay more.” Being a mobile home owner isn’t the same as being a homeowner. Perez has seen the value of her mobile home’s value change.
less for yourself.” Karydas also shared how it affected her. “I think that homes should be much more affordable,” Karydas said. “Like we should be looking at a different way to collect taxes. So home people who own homes or want to own homes can stay in them for a long term.”
“In the conditions it is, I think about 15% to 20% because I have tried to maintain my home the same way as I bought it,” Perez said. “But if I decided Karydas also has concerns to sell it, they would give me about how it might affect her less than I bought for it.” in the future. Along with the decreasing value of her mobile home, paying taxes isn’t a challenge for Perez. “It’s not that much,” Perez said. “I think there is a greater difference between paying taxes in a mobile home than a house in the established land property. I think paying taxes is way different. And for example, here everything depends on the year, value, and if you are in debt or aren’t in debt. Well, it’s not that much I have to pay.” Some citizens are wondering if Austin is making changes for citizens to adapt to the increasing taxes and rent. Perez shared how it had affected her.
“I think it’s negative because “As for mobile homes, I think there are increments their values are decreasing,” everywhere and being paid Perez said. “Every year, it with the same salaries,” Perez loses its value because it’s not said. “in the same standard and something fixed, or stable that you have to pay more with the someone is able to maintain salary you make and you have
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“It makes me worried if I can stay here for a long time,”
“It makes me worried if I can stay here for a long time” - Jennifer Karydas
Karydas said. They also had opinions on how low-income people are dealing with the increasing prices of homes and rent. “I’ve seen a lot of people move out and move away,” Karydas said. “So I think in some ways, it can be harmful because some people I know are moving out to Del Valle or Manor, or like going out to land, which is great. We need people who are low income to be able to afford
to be in the city because there are hospitals, there is childcare and there are grocery stores. So I worry that people have communities and people will be displaced. They’ll have to move away from friends and family that makes them feel that they know. And they’ll have to move away.” Perez also had a similar opinion. “I think there should be more support and more accessibility to get things,” Perez said. “Because most of the time, because you don’t earn enough money to pay for things, or insufficient credit you cannot obtain things.” Pauly said how he felt for low-income people trying to purchase a home. “It’s incredibly frustrating,” Pauly said. “It’s incredibly frustrating to be trying to lease or purchase in the Austin and surrounding market right now, with a limited budget. I feel bad for anyone who’s trying to purchase or lease that in this current situation. It’s very frustrating.” Citizens wonder what we would see in the future of the housing market. Pauly made a prediction about the housing shortage. “I predict that we’re gonna have this current supply and demand issue for at least another year to two years,” Pauly said. “That’s my
prediction.”
shared her opinion.
Pauly went into further detail
“To be honest, I don’t really know,” Karydas said. “From my current experience, I think prices are going to continue to increase. I think homes are going to continue to become more expensive.”
“I think there should be more support and more accessibility to get things” - Carolina Perez
about what we would see in the real estate market in the future. “I think Austin will book any negative trends that you may see in the country,” Pauly said. “I think when things finally slow down, you won’t necessarily see a recession here. But you may see, prices start to level off in the next year and a half, I hope.”
Perez also shared her opinion. “I think from the high demands from people it would get worse because they have to make houses faster because of the high demands,” Perez said. “A lot of new people that are coming into the city are looking for a place to live and they are taking advantage of all of the construction companies and having space for those people. I think that it’s going to be more delicate for the future.” With impacts and concerns, many hope that the situation will calm down, and hope that they can stay in Austin for a long time.
Karydas is unsure but still A mobile home park in Northeast Austin. Carolina Perez has to pay rent to keep her mobile home in a property. Courtesy of Apartments.com
presenting
Austin Bergstrom international airport
Fun Fact
By Estrella Diaz Mendoza
A guide to know your way around the airport when you travel.
Austin’s Airport was a connecting fligth airport to and from the Dallas and Houston area but now you can make international flights.
South Terminal
The South Terminal is the secondary terminal and smaller than the Barbara Jordan Terminal. It has a total of 4 gates. The terminal is not accesible from the main terminal or SH - 71. It can be accessed by taking the U.S. 183 South to Burlesson Rd.
Fun Fact Austin Bergstrom International Airport was built where the Bergstrom Air Base used to be after it closed in 1991.
Fun Fact Austin Bergstrom International Airport is also reffered as ABIA or AUS.
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The address of ABIA is 3600 Presidential Blvd, Austin, TX 78719.
South Terminal Parking Lot The South Terminal Parking Lot is a parking lot for those who are going to use the South Terminal. There are the Premium Lot, Close-In/Spot Hero Lot and the Economy Lot. The price to use these parking lots depends how close they are to the South Terminal
Blue Garage
Barbara Jordan Terminal The Barabara Jordan Terminal is the main terminal and has 34 gates in total. There are restaurants, concessions stands and music to enjoy your time. It can be accessed by SH - 71.
The Blue Garage is another parking lot and second closest to the Barbara Jordan Terminal. The garage consist of 6 floor levels with stairs and elevators. Charges are $3 hourly and $10 per day. Maximum stay is 1 month. Reservations can be made.
Economy Parking
Red Garage The Red Garage is the closest parking lot to Baraba Jordan Terminal. Consist of 2 floors with stairs and elevators. Charges are $3 hourly and $20 per day. Maximum stay is 1 month. Reservations can be made
Information provided from The City of Austin, Abia Parking and Austin Bergstrom International Airport
Car Rentals Here you can rent cars from different companies at different prices.
The Economy Parking is just a surface parking lot near Barbara Jordan Terminal. Consists of 6 parking areas refered as Parking lot B to G. Prices consist of $3 hourly and $8 per day.
Austin IN Motion Exploring the reason and effects for Austin’s Rapid Population Growth By: Yeshi Dakpa
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n 2010 the current population of Austin, Texas was 780,000. In only 10 years the population almost tripled leaving Austin with a
An image of Tenzin Gyaltzen taken June 14, 2021. Photo Provided by Tenzin Dakpa
population of 2,100,000 in 2019. Population growth like this doesn’t just happen. There is always a reason for everything. Austin has recently been experiencing massive growth over the recent years. The effects of this growth have been rippling through Austin’s new and old residents. With all these changes Austin has become a different city from what it was 10 years ago. The reason for this growth can be attributed to a butterfly effect whereas as the population grows, more companies come into the city thus making more people come to Austin causing more companies to move in Austin. As the cycle continues it will cause further growth of the Austin area both economically and population wise. Tenzin Gyaltzen is an
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immigrant who has been living in Austin for 11 years. Gyaltzen is one of many affected by Austin’s increase in population. He works for the JW Marriott Hotel building in downtown Austin. “Austin now is a high energy, tourist destination, event destination,” Gyaltzen said. “People host a lot of events here. Hotels are huge right. It is an event city.” Gyaltzen also expressed his thoughts on his experience in Austin when he first arrived in the city. “Well my experience of Austin was great,” Gyaltzen said. “Since 2010 the city hasn’t been as commercialized and was nice and calm.” The growth of Austin has changed how Austin feels to its residents whether that be in a positive way or negative way depends on the person. Vanitha Kannusamy another
An image of the Hotel JW Marriott mentioned by Tenzin. This image was provided by marriott
immigrant who has been living in Austin for 8 years. She is married to the owner of Asiana Indian Cuisine. She is also another Austin resident that was affected by Austin’s growth in population. “A person might want to come to Austin because of the rapidly inflating home situation or because of Tesla’s big move,” Kannusamy said. “A person might not want to come to Austin because it could be too expensive, so the home inflation is a double edged sword.” The cost of living in Austin increasing is one of the effects of Austin’s population increasing and creates a strain on the older. Kannusamy isn’t the only person to think that the high living cost of Austin deters
away potential residents. Gyaltzen also expressed his thoughts on how the high cost of Austin would deter potential residents. “If you are ending a career I wouldn’t pick Austin because it is really expensive,” Gyaltzen said. Avyonna Thomas moved to Austin from Oklahoma due to complications with her family and came to Austin to take a break and currently works as a nurse at the Veterans Affairs. “Austin’s beautiful,” Thomas said “There’s a lot of potential. I like Austin. And I don’t think where I am working at the pay matches [from my previous workplace]. I took a huge pay cut to move, but I wouldn’t change it. I’m still happy.” Austin contains massive amounts of potential and a
Lady Bird Lake is a lake that goes through Austin. Image provided by the Austin Texas Government
beautiful environment.It is the perfect place for those trying to make a name for themselves. “ [Austin is] growing right before my eyes,” Thomas said. “It is a lot of money that can be made. Anything you want to
An image of Vanitha taken around May 26, 2021. Photo provided by Vanitha Kannusamy
do, you could do it in Austin. I mean, You can pretty much [do] anything you want to do and you can do it in Austin.” Austin’s potential has piqued the interest of many companies and is one of the main reasons for the influx of companies moving to Austin. “It would be easy for anyone else coming here[Austin] to kind of make their way,” Thomas said. “ The only thing is the cost of living is pretty high. So they would definitely have to have a game plan.” Juli Laurence is an immigrant who came to Austin after living in South Korea for 45 years. She
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moved to Austin a year and a half ago. She came to Austin because her Husband got a job here. “The outdoor activities are great, and again Austin is pretty green,” Laurence said. “And I think it is a pretty good place to raise your kids. There are alot things to do and it is a pretty safe environment.” Austin has a big outdoor environment promoting more active activities and it has a suitable environment for raising a family which could also might be a reason Austin seems so enticing for new residents. “It is hot [and]some of my friends had to leave Austin because of their allergies [acting up].” Laurence said. “If you don’t mind the hot temperature I don’t see any reasons why someone doesn’t want to live in Austin.” For Thomas, Gyaltzen and Kannusamy the thing that they think might cause some people to not come to Austin is the high price. The common consensus between all of the interviewees was that Austin Texas was an amazing environment for people who were trying to start their career or people who were raising a family. “It [Austin] is basically a small silicon city,” Gyaltzen said. “So if you’re a career driven person it is a perfect city [for you]”.
Thomas and Kannusamy both have said things similar to how Austin’s potential to make money might entice someone to live here as a resident. “A person might want to come to Austin because of
“I just needed to leave Oklahoma to get a fresh start” -Ayonna Thomas the rapidly inflating home situation,” Kannusamy said. “Or because of Tesla’s big move.” The high cost of living is also a common problem Austonians share. . Kannusamy, Thomas and Gyaltzen all mention how the high living cost of Austin would deter future residents from coming to Austin. Kannusamy mentioned that the high cost of Austin is a double edged sword where the old residents would be able to sell their properties at a much higher price than what they originally paid for. Unlike the others Laurence saw the drastically hot climate and the high amount of allergies would deter someone from coming to Austin. What is the common consensus on the cause and effects of Austin’s boom? The cause of Austin’s massive growth can be attributed to Austin’s welcoming
environment, its booming economical potential, great outdoors activities and Austin’s just getting started with major companies moving to Austin like Tesla. The effects of the massive population growth of Austin on its residents included increasing the cost of living, making Austin more commercialized, and turning Austin into an “event” city. “Before I came over to Austin, I had no idea about Austin at all, and I was really impressed by how green Austin was,” Laurence said. “And the Austin spirit was a little more liberal than the rest of Texas, and a little bit of a weird city.” “I came to Austin for a better education for my children,” Kannnusamy said. “It is a neat little place where people here are really nice and welcoming,” Thomas said. “ I was welcomed here and I made a lot of friends and I’ve made a good little support group.” The cause of Austin’s growth was caused by Austin’s beautiful environment, Austin’s high potential, big tech companies moving to Austin and Austin’s welcoming community. The massive growth has also left an impact on the residents, not only the city itself. From causing Austin to be more commercialized, increasing the cost of living and turning Austin into more of an “event” city.
Adventures in Austin A list of the top 5 trails in Austin for new and old Austinites By:Yeshi Dakpa t
Trail’s End trail is considered to be the Barton Creek Greenbelt’s end. Also, this trail will lead you to the wonderful home of the Hill of Life, a steep uphill and downhill section of the trail that is loved by mountain bikers. It is the steepest section in Barton Creek Greenbelt with 300-foot ascent or descent in half a mile. While Scripture falls can be easily accessed through this trail too. It is definitely a challenge to try and explore these access points if you are in for a lot of adrenaline and adventure!
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Barton Hills Access to Barton Creek Greenbelt is an entrance that leads to Barton Creek Greenbelt. This can be accessed at Barton Hills Elementary School to where you will be able to reach Campbell’s hole. This is one of the best spots near the Barton Creek Hike Trail that can be found on the east side of Vvvthe creek. Although when parking within the area, be cautious and considerate since it is within a residential neighborhood in Barton Hills.In about 1.2 miles, you will reach the next access point.
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In the heart of Austin, this is the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake, a lush, urban path that meanders along the water’s edge and passes by skyscrapers, neighborhoods, ball fields and cultural attractions.
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Lady Bird Lake Trail is a 10 mile loop that is primarily used for biking and running. This trail features the Lady Bird Lake a popular lake with Austin and can also be used for dogs but must be kept on a leash
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Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail is a Popular, riverside hiking & biking area boasting a 12.68mile trail, with scenic waterfalls & wildlife.
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