Travis County Seeking $329M For Civil and Family Courts Facility

Travis County will spend an estimated $344 million on its future civil and family courts facility, according to a recent report by the county’s budget staff. Though county voters rejected a bond to build a similar courts facility, the county is planning to seek a maximum $328.5 million in certificates of obligation, which is debt that doesn’t require voter approval. The 430,000-square-foot facility will be built on land in downtown Austin.

The certificates of obligation will be paid back over 20 years, with the revenue coming from a property tax increase. Additional revenue will come from lease of a county building at 308 Guadalupe St. in Austin. Approximately $16.1 million will come from county funds.

The project was triggered by a 2009 county assessment, which found that Travis County lacked adequate facilities for current and future needs. The Herman Mario Sweatt Courthouse, in use since 1931, is too small and cramped for the expanding county.

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