The Planning Commission unanimously supported a rezoning Tuesday for a mixed-use project that includes affordable housing for survivors of domestic violence. The project, developed by Capital A Housing, is slated for several lots at 5107-5115 Lancaster Court, near Mueller. Plans include two buildings, each about 65 feet tall. One of the buildings will have 60 […]
Jonathan Lee
Posted inHousing
Majority of Austin’s short-term rentals operating illegally
As the city struggles to enforce short-term rental regulations, a large majority of Austin’s STRs continue to operate illegally, according to a Sept. 6. presentation from the Code Department to the City Council Housing and Planning Committee. There are anywhere between 9,000 and 11,000 STR listings in Austin, depending on the day, according to José Roig, […]
Posted inHousing
City finally funds tenant relocation assistance, though program’s future remains uncertain
After leaving the Tenant Relocation Assistance Program without funds for six years, the city has found money in next year’s budget to help tenants displaced because of redevelopment. But without a dedicated funding source, the program’s longevity remains uncertain. On Tuesday, city staffers told the Housing and Planning Committee that the $700,000 earmarked in the […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP supports zoning change that would allow school to reopen
A visual arts school that shut down after running afoul of zoning laws received support Tuesday from the Zoning and Platting Commission to open back up. Colette Barcilon, president of Gemini School of Visual Arts, explained that the Texas Workforce Commission shut the school down because it did not have a fire safety certificate. The […]
Posted inPlanning
City prepares to announce community-led anti-displacement projects
The details are coming into focus on proposed partnerships between the city and community organizations to prevent displacement along Project Connect transit lines. Nefertitti Jackmon, the city’s community displacement prevention officer, described the efforts during a joint meeting of the Planning and Zoning and Platting commissions on Tuesday. “Community-based organizations and people who are closest to the […]
Posted inHousing
Public workers are being priced out of the city. Affordable housing can’t help many of them.
As wages for public sector workers fail to keep pace with housing prices, some city employees have turned to income-restricted housing for relief. But because finding an affordable home and meeting the qualifications isn’t always easy, many workers are forced to pay unaffordable market-rate rents or leave the city entirely. Jessica Simmons has been a […]
Posted inLand Development Code
Planning Commission worries new environmental regulations could make housing more expensive
After expressing concerns over the impact of new water quality and drainage regulations on housing affordability, members of the Planning Commission voted Tuesday to form a working group to tackle the code changes before giving a final recommendation to City Council. The rules, which were part of the failed Land Development Code rewrite, would help […]
Posted inPreservation
Historic zoning for Westgate Tower delayed amid concern over tax breaks
The Planning Commission postponed a decision Tuesday on whether the Westgate Tower should be zoned historic due to concern about a tax break for condo owners. Preservationists deem the tower at 1122 Colorado Street historic for its architecture and its association with historical figures. The 26-story, 261-foot-tall building, built in 1966, is an “excellent example […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP votes to support Albert Road rezoning
The Zoning and Platting Commission supported a rezoning last Tuesday to bring several single-family homes to a 1-acre lot in South Austin. Applicant Juan Pablo Mondragon requests Family Residence (SF-3) zoning for the property at 7415 Albert Road, which is zoned Development Reserve (DR). “We’re not asking for anything extraordinary. There is precedent of several […]
Posted inZoning
Despite concerns about roadway capacity, ZAP endorses District 5 rezoning
The Zoning and Platting Commission recommended a rezoning last Tuesday that would allow additional homes on three single-family lots in South Austin. But not everyone was on board, with some commissioners siding with neighbors who wanted to prohibit vehicle access to a traffic-clogged street. The case concerns three adjacent properties at 9608, 9700, and 9702 […]
Posted inBudget
Record $5B budget includes pay increase for city workers – and for Council members
City Council’s $5 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2022-’23 includes a pay raise for city workers, including Council members themselves. Council voted to adopt the budget, which includes increasing the minimum wage for city workers to $20 per hour, in a 10-1 vote late Thursday, with only Council Member Mackenzie Kelly voting “no.” Originally, the minimum wage was set […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP unable to support South Austin townhomes
The Zoning and Platting Commission failed to recommend a rezoning for seven townhomes in South Austin. The zoning case concerns a 1.3-acre vacant lot at 7311 and 7313 Bluff Springs Road, which the applicant hopes to rezone from Single Family-Small Lot (SF-4A) to Townhouse & Condominium (SF-6). The triangular parcel is constrained on one side […]