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AUSTIN (KXAN) – “One of the largest boomtowns in America.”
This is how Lester Holt of Nightly News described Austin on Monday night when the NBC show was broadcast live from the Long Center.
Austin was featured on a national stage for Nightly News’ Across America series, which aims to take an in-depth look at how the pandemic has affected various American cities.
Lester Holt of NBC Nightly News reports from Austin tonight for “Across America”
Several aspects of Austin, including its booming tech scene, were highlighted for the special. Here is a breakdown of what has been covered.
Why families and tech companies are moving to Austin
It’s no secret that tech companies and transplants from other states are flocking to Austin. Nightly News says a national poll showed the city is the most popular place to move around during the pandemic.
A California couple who interviewed Holt say they moved this year to spend more time with the kids and so far they are happy with their decision.
The cost of living was definitely a common factor, found Nightly News. Another family who moved from another state said Holt Austin was “a lot cheaper than California”.
But it’s not just the lower prices that attract others to the area. Another family says Texas laws and the way local leaders have handled pandemic closures led them to move out of New Orleans, where they were allegedly closed for a year and a half.
Nightly News also highlighted Austin’s booming tech scene, pointing out that a new Apple campus is on the way, a potential $ 17 billion Samsung factory could be in nearby Taylor, Texas, and the icing on the cake – Tesla moves its headquarters from California to Austin.
Elon Musk announces the move of Tesla headquarters to Austin
Tahera Rahman from KXAN, who covered the tech boom in Austin, was interviewed by Holt and explained why tech companies are finding Austin attractive.
“You can see the warm climate right now, including the low taxes, which is considered very business-friendly,” she said.
Holt also asked if local officials were concerned the city was growing too fast.
“I think the city and county leaders see it more as an opportunity to manage this growth fairly,” Rahman said.
Some of these growth challenges for Austin are transportation and homelessness, according to Nightly News. Crime is another cause for concern. Murders are piling up in the city, according to Nightly News, even though the overall crime rate in Austin has declined.
As Austin murders rise, city-wide property and personal crime declines
Austin employment growth has also fueled the housing market and made it more competitive. The average home price is $ 450,000, up more than 28% year over year, according to Nightly News.
Some feel “priced out” but have no plans to leave town, reports Nightly News.
Veracruz All Natural gets a shoutout
Nightly News also highlighted an Austin staple and its rise to success.
Veracruz All Natural was founded by two sisters from Mexico, Reyna and Maritza Vazquez. They told Holt it took them about three years to get the momentum into their business.
Since then, the small business has grown from a single food truck to six locations across town, reports Nightly News.
The sisters say that during pandemic closings, it was their outdoor food truck locations that helped keep them afloat while many stores around them closed.
Veracruz All Natural even took its talent outside of Texas and expanded to Los Angeles with a food truck called Hot Tacos.
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https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/austins-booming-tech-scene-housing-market-iconic-taco-chain-showcased-on-nightly-news/
