Luz Moreno-Lozano
City Hall ReporterWhat I cover
The City of Austin is home to nearly 1 million people. The city is represented by 10 council member districts and a mayor. My work is focused on highlighting the decisions the 11-member City Council makes and how that affects the people of Austin. That can include decisions about housing, child care, homelessness and public safety. I am interested in covering affordability in Austin more closely and how the decisions being made by the Austin City Council are impacting working people and people of color.
My background
Before joining KUT, I spent five years covering communities for the Austin American-Statesman. I focused on Austin’s wealthy suburbs to the west before moving to covering growth and equity issues in East Austin and Hays County. I was also a National Press Foundation Widening the Pipeline fellow from 2022-2023, during which I learned from field experts on a variety of topics from data journalism to career guidance.
I have spent most of my career covering communities and local politics. I began in 2013 working as a general assignment reporter for a small paper just outside San Antonio. I covered everything from city and county politics to high school sports and community events.
I was born and raised in San Antonio (where the good tacos are). I graduated from Texas A&M University (WHOOP!) with a degree in communication and a minor in Journalism.
Journalistic ethics
Like my colleagues, I am committed to upholding the standards of integrity. While on assignment, I identify myself as a reporter for KUT and do my best to get as many voices as I can so we get a full picture of what’s happening. I always ask permission when recording interviews over the phone and make sure to ask for full name and pronunciation.
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Some City Council members said they would support the sale of beer and wine at the cafe, especially if it encourages more local businesses to bid on a contract to run it. -
The alleged shooter now faces eight total charges, including aggravated robbery and attempted murder. -
Compared to this time last year, eviction filings in the Austin area are up about 16%. That could be happening for a number of reasons, including fewer protections for renters. -
The budget City Council passed last week relies on revenue from increased property taxes, which must be approved by voters this fall. A lawsuit alleges ballot language for the tax rate election intentionally misleads voters. -
City Council will ask voters to approve a higher tax rate to help pay for homelessness services, parks and public safety. -
City leaders anticipated Austin would have $105 million in federal funding for the project rescinded after the Trump administration began reviewing a grant program established under President Biden. -
Recycled Reads was created as a way to raise money for the Austin Library system while also helping to divert books away from landfills. The store may close, but the program will not end entirely. There are plans to expand the program across the library system. -
The city took ownership of the land in Southeast Austin, which will allow it to collect hotel occupancy taxes once the project is complete. City Council approved the land acquisition on Thursday. -
Reducing the minimum number of firefighters per truck from four to three would save the city about $8.3 million in overtime pay. But the firefighters union said the reduction would put people and firefighters at risk. -
Seventy-two police officers would be reassigned to patrol shifts, reducing the reliance on overtime. Under the city manager's budget proposal, the city would save about $9 million by cutting back OT for officers.
