Council approves review of historic preservation incentives, with eye on equity

City Council wants incentives connected to historic preservation to be used more equitably, and has directed the city manager to review and suggest changes to city policies that could result in more historic designations in East Austin.

Last week Council passed the resolution as part of its consent agenda, opening the door for discussions with Travis County, Central Health and other taxing entities that would have a stake in holding or reducing taxes on properties that are deemed historic. The resolution is informed in large part by the city’s Equity-Based Preservation Plan, which is replacing the last update to the city’s preservation strategy that was completed in 1981.

Council Member Zo Qadri, who sponsored the resolution, said historic zoning can play an important role in promoting housing and neighborhood cultural preservation in portions of East Austin that are facing intense redevelopment pressures.

He said he wants to find ways to encourage wider use of programs such as tax abatements for property rehabilitation without causing substantial impact to local tax rolls.

“Preservation is undoubtedly important to Austinites and vital to protecting the cultural heritage and history of our city,” he said via email.

“There’s no doubt our city is facing a housing shortage that is driving up rents and sales prices. We definitely need more housing in all parts of our city to meet demand. At the same time, historic preservation has a role to play in a more affordable Austin by encouraging rehabilitation of older homes, which can cost less than scraping a lot and replacing it with a brand-new mansion.”

Analysis in recent years has found that the majority of the city’s historic landmark designations have come in its western portion, where racial minorities were discouraged from living for decades. That imbalance has resulted in fewer properties in East Austin being given protections against demolition and redevelopment, which results in long-established neighborhoods being transformed or wiped out.

A 2016 survey of the portion of East Austin bounded by Interstate 35, Manor Road to the north, Pleasant Valley Road and Lady Bird Lake evaluated 6,600 parcels and found hundreds constructed before 1945, with many dating to 1918 or before. The survey also noted that the communities of freed slaves and Mexican immigrants who settled in East Austin more than 100 years ago continue to have a substantial impact on that region’s character and culture.

Lindsey Derrington, executive director of Preservation Austin, said the resolution will direct important city resources toward the goals and recommendations of the equity plan.

“I would love to see the (preservation) program expanded, to give access to people who historically have not benefited from it. Providing historic zoning and designation to more properties for people in East Austin can help preserve their own heritage, which is extremely threatened because of the development patterns taking place in the city today,” she said.

“Looking at property owners in local historic districts, it’s really hard for them to access any sort of financial help from the city, even though they are zoned historic.”

A recent report from Urban Land Institute Austin identified tax relief, expanded repair and improvement programs, and an easier approval process for building accessory dwelling units as some of the city’s best tools for encouraging historic preservation in all parts of the city.

Witt Featherston, a member of the city’s Historic Landmark Commission, said the policies that could result from the resolution would help to fill in the deficit in historic preservation that has accumulated over decades of city decision-makers applying the wrong standards when considering historic status for properties in East Austin.

“Ever since historic zoning has been a thing in Austin, we’ve probably gradually dug ourselves a hole of creating this inequity between the East and the West,” he said.

“The real problem we’ve created over many years is not acknowledging the history of other people who we don’t relate to directly. If the Historic Landmark Commission is just all old white people and don’t relate to the people with whom the property is historically associated, we’re less likely to acknowledge that criteria.”

The Austin Monitor’s work is made possible by donations from the community. Though our reporting covers donors from time to time, we are careful to keep business and editorial efforts separate while maintaining transparency. A complete list of donors is available here, and our code of ethics is explained here.