The purpose of this research is to better understand why undocumented immigrants do not typically participate in U.S. city planning processes, and present recommendations for improved inclusion. This report provides a brief background into the presence of undocumented immigrants in the U.S., their unique civic organization, and the need to include them in the planning of our cities and communities. The East Riverside Corridor Master Plan, (currently under the adoption process by the City of Austin, Texas) serves as a case study for the report. East Riverside is an area that is predominantly Hispanic and home to a large stock of immigrant workforce housing, yet the plan’s public participation phase saw little to no contributions from the zone’s lowincome immigrant residents. Austin city planners’ perspectives are presented in the report, as are the views and ideas of undocumented women who live in East Riverside low-income housing. Suggestions for re-conceptualizing the planning discipline are presented, as well as general tools for how city planners could better include undocumented immigrants. / text

This report looks at the system of alleys that exist in downtown Austin, Texas and proposes a way to integrate them into the open space network within the area by creating a series of alley connections. Through analysis of case studies from other cities and public space theories, alternative methods of use are suggested for implementation throughout the alley system, including “green”, activity based and pedestrian and bicycle priority throughways. The next steps needed to create a Downtown Alley Master Plan and begin alley renovations are also discussed. The renovation of spaces that typically contain unsightly uses and activities can help create attractive places for people to congregate rather than places that people generally avoid. / text

The “green jobs for all” movement aims to make “green collar” jobs – those that support families and the environment – accessible to every working man and woman. This report investigates the potential role of the green building sector in this movement in Austin, TX through a literature review and interviews with sixteen green building professionals. The findings suggest that Austin’s green building sector does appear to offer quality green collar jobs with few barriers to entry in the market. As such, it stands to play an important role in the green for all movement locally and nationally. Unlike some other sectors of the green economy, the green building sector, at least in Texas, does not appear to be limited to “eco-elites,” a.k.a., the white, wealthier Americans who tend to dominate mainstream environmental movements. Although it is not clear that the green building sector is growing the environmental movement by involving people whose demographic background is different than most mainstream environmentalists, it does appear that contractors and subcontractors who build “green” take particular pride in their work. New jobs are expanding tin the green building sector and green practices among existing trades often gives firms a competitive edge. There are many potential roles for the city to take in its support of the green building sector. Voluntary programs are the most popular on all fronts, but the case can also be made in some cases for mandates. Rating systems are essential to resolve imperfect information in the market, but rating systems using nationally standardized codes might facilitate the efficiency of real estate markets by giving appraisers and lenders a rating system they can trust. / text

This report is an exploration of the theoretical and applied aspects of green affordable housing. First, it presents an in-depth examination of the current status of green affordable housing by exploring the synergy between green rating systems which guide and certify developments and the financial and policy mechanisms which either support or curtail them. Second, this report will analyze diverse case studies from around the country in order to examine how green affordable housing is developed in various real-world contexts. Two-tiers of case studies are presented: secondary and primary. Secondary case studies receive a brief overview while the primary case study examines in-depth an ongoing development in Austin, Texas. The primary case is also an example of current innovative movements and provides a glimpse into what the future of green affordable housing might look like. And lastly, conclusions are drawn from the research that itemize best practices in green affordable housing. The report concludes that green affordable housing is not an easy development practice and thus, recommendations are provided to ease some of the existing barriers to further development. This report also concludes that while costbenefit analyses and arguments for energy-efficiency are salient, concerns for public and environmental health need equal weight in the argument and advocacy for green affordable housing. I argue that green affordable housing should be developed with an integrated design process specific to local context, with a local visioning process that cultivates community connections. And most importantly, education for housing providers and tenants regarding on-going operations and maintenance is a crucial part of that integrated design process. / text

1,000 miles marks the culmination of my course of study at the University of Texas. As an MFA student in the playwriting program, I have juggled my responsibilities to the department with my role as a professional playwright, frequently splitting time between Austin and my hometown of Chicago, where I opened four world premieres from 2010-2012. In this thesis, I discuss the ways in which my work has been influenced by the aesthetics of both artistic communities. I focus on two of my plays in particular: Kingsville, which premiered in Chicago during my first semester at UT, and Colossal, which opened in Austin just weeks before graduation. Through the lens of these two plays, I outline my artistic evolution over the past three years, highlighting the ways in which my work has drawn from the very best of Chicago’s storefront theaters and Austin’s experimental scene. / text

This is a two-part story looking at women’s professional soccer in the United States. First, it is a look at the newly formed National Women’s Soccer League. The league is the third attempt to establish a women’s professional soccer league in the U.S. Low attendance, low-ticket sales, and poor team ownership spelled the end for past leagues. The United States Soccer Federation’s involvement in the league has team owners and players overwhelming confident that the league will be a success. Challenges await them as the NWSL looks to learn from the mistakes of its predecessors. The second part looks at women’s professional soccer in Texas. The first audio story focuses on the Houston Aces and Lauren Prewitt. Prewitt plays semi-professional soccer for the Aces. At 30 years old, she still has dreams to play professionally. Aces owner William Brumbaugh is hoping his team can be the first women’s soccer team from Texas, to play in a women’s top league. The second audio story puts a focus on the Austin Nationals and the Austin Women’s Soccer League. Both are attempting to build women’s soccer in Austin but are going about it different manners. Anna Villarreal is attempting to establish a team that is not as reliant on ticket sales as most teams are. Through community outreach and partnerships with local businesses she is hoping to build a team to compete in Europe come 2014. The AWSL is a local soccer league for women that is trying to establish itself in Austin. They receive little outside support in terms of funding but president and vice president Angela Molock and Casey Gannon are hoping the changes they have brought to the league can help it grow. The “Soccer In Austin” piece focuses on the local establishments that have given soccer fans a place to go to watch their favorite clubs on television. Fadó Irish Pub and Cuatro’s have established themselves as the more popular locales when it comes to showing soccer games on television. Others have attempted to emulate Fadó’s and Cuatros’ popularity but many have struggled to attract the committed fan base that have helped Fadó and Cuatro’s become the go-to spots to watch a soccer game in Austin. Aside from showing soccer matches, these places provide people who share interests to come together and interact. For those who come from soccer loving countries such as England and Ireland, these places help to remind of home. While not quite the same in every aspect, the fans have fully embraced having a place to go where they can watch a soccer match while drinking a pint and engage in some friendly banter. / text

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This report addresses issues surrounding the current Texas system in place for sex education in public schools, looking at the particular challenges that the state of Texas faces and the contemporary school courses that are being offered to teens. The project takes into consideration the relevant statistics, current local sentiment in the Austin area concerning sex education, and the discussion over who bears the responsibility for education successive generations about sexuality. Finally, this report evaluates various shortcomings of the current system, and suggests various redefined approaches to sexuality education that seek to solve the problems at hand. / text