Austin Community Foundation is encouraging local philanthropic organizations to get more involved in addressing the housing affordability crisis in Central Texas, considered the root cause of the area’s growing homeless population. A recently released report, “Housing Affordability in Central Texas,” looks at the data surrounding affordability and offers 13 steps that foundations and other well-endowed […]
Housing
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Council approves rezoning for Foundation Communities project, quashing valid petition
A 100 percent affordable apartment project is coming soon to Southeast Austin. City Council has approved a rezoning for the Parker Apartments, a project by affordable housing developer Foundation Communities with 135 income-restricted units catering to families. Council members voted 10-0 on Thursday, with Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison off the dais, to grant Multifamily-Medium […]
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Working-class housing fund eyes more acquisitions as demand, cost pressures grow
An investment fund focused on preserving working-class housing in Austin is nearing its first property acquisition of 2021, and moving ahead with its reactivation after the slowdown in 2020 caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Austin Housing Conservancy Fund is expected to close on the purchase of another multifamily property in June or July, with […]
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As housing prices soar, corporations exploit legal paths to challenge appraisals
The Travis County Commissioners Court fielded a discussion Tuesday from the Travis Central Appraisal District that touched on a number of issues, from legislative outlook related to property appraisal reform to Austin’s meteoric growth and its effects on the state of the Austin housing market. Chief appraiser Marya Crigler presented TCAD’s findings to commissioners, starting with a […]
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On the heels of Prop B, housing committee supports rehousing 3,000 people in 3 years
The Housing and Planning Committee on Monday supported the main goal of Austin’s recent homelessness summit – rehousing 3,000 people experiencing homelessness within three years. The committee voted unanimously to recommend City Council approve a resolution turning the goal, created by community groups attending the summit, into official city policy. Council will vote on the resolution […]
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After yearlong ban, Austin and Travis County will let some landlords file evictions starting in June
Lee esta historia en español. Austin-area renters who have not paid rent for five months or more and have exhausted all rent assistance will once again be subject to eviction beginning June 1. Most other residential tenants and some commercial tenants will be safe from eviction until at least Aug. 1. On Friday, Austin and […]
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Foundation Communities gets $1.5M, seeks more to fund affordable housing projects
A pair of affordable housing apartment complexes from Foundation Communities have received $1.5 million in subsidies to help pay for their construction costs and cover part of a remaining fundraising gap. Wells Fargo and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas have given two $750,000 Affordable Housing Program subsidies to the under-construction Zilker Studios on […]
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County prepares to launch emergency rental assistance program
County Executive Sherri Fleming spoke to the Commissioners Court on Tuesday to provide an update on the county’s emergency rental assistance program. She said Health and Human Services intends to begin outreach for the program on April 15. “We have several outreach materials which will be usable via social media,” Fleming said, describing a flyer […]
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Council OKs $22 million in low-income housing bonds
After hearing complaints Thursday from several of her constituents, District 2 City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes announced during Council’s meeting as the board of the Austin Housing Finance Corporation that she would vote against bond funding for a 179-unit, low-income, multifamily housing complex. Back in November 2019, before Fuentes joined City Council, Council acting as […]
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Austin Transit Partnership OKs anti-displacement funding
The Austin Transit Partnership Board of Directors unanimously approved a grant agreement Wednesday to finance anti-displacement efforts using money from Project Connect’s tax revenue. The funds, totaling $300 million, will be dispersed over Project Connect’s 13-year timeline, according to ATP’s resolution. The express purpose of the money is to buy property for affordable housing along […]
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City launches revamped version of rental assistance program
Today the Housing and Planning Department, in partnership with the city housing authority, will launch a revamped version of RENT, the Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants Assistance Program. Nefertitti Jackmon, the city’s housing and policy planning manager, presented to City Council’s Housing and Planning Committee on March 11, giving performance overviews of the older […]
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Project Connect, anti-displacement funding made available
The Housing and Planning Committee convened on March 11, fielding discussion about anti-displacement funding, including $300 million from Project Connect tax revenue. The anti-displacement strategies discussed mostly involved using the money to acquire and preserve property in key locations for affordable housing. In order for the city to use the funds, it needs an interlocal […]