At its most recent meeting, the Planning Commission voted 5-3 to deny zoning changes to several undeveloped lots from 5600 to 7522 Penick Drive, off East Riverside Drive. Ron Thrower of Thrower Design spoke for landowner Bill Greif and asked the commission to rezone the area from Single Family (SF-1) to Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NMU), which […]
Housing
Posted inCity Council, Housing
Zimmerman struggles to stop subsidized housing
There are only two subsidized housing developments in City Council Member Don Zimmerman’s District 6, as compared to 47 in Council Member Ora Houston’s District 1 and 46 in Council Member Pio Renteria’s District 3, according to data compiled by the group Housing Works Austin. But Zimmerman would like to make sure there is not […]
Posted inDevelopment, Housing, Local Politics, Travis County
Travis Commissioners hear TCAD, legislative issues
Property tax relief is high on the agenda for the Texas Legislature this session, and Travis County is getting its ducks in a row to follow the issue over the next few months. Along that line, it heard updates from the Travis Central Appraisal District and the county’s legislative liaison staff Tuesday. Travis County Commissioners […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Housing
RECA calls for more housing; Austin reacts
Last week, the Real Estate Council of Austin released a paper calling for a fix to Austin’s affordable housing problem. As a solution, the group called for 100,000 new housing units in the city by 2025. The paper, which is filled with statistics about Austin’s decreasing affordability, increasing population and what lies ahead, states in […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Housing, Radio
Austin Monitor Radio: The Austin Apartment Association and Source of Income
The Austin Apartment Association’s Robbie Robinson joins Monitor Publisher Mike Kanin to discuss recent Council legislation that banned the use of source of income as a means to deny tenant occupancy and the organization’s opposition to the move. Embedded below. Austin Monitor Radio is sponsored by Kerby Lane Cafe. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/186198266″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” […]
Posted inAustin, Courts, Development, Housing
Source of income rule OK’d, lawsuit threatened
Starting in mid-January, Austin property owners will be barred from discriminating against potential renters based on their source of income. The Austin Apartment Association plans to file a lawsuit to block the new policy. City Council unanimously passed the ordinance Thursday after hearing arguments from public speakers for and against it. Proponents believe it will […]
Posted inAustin, Courts, Development, Housing, Local Politics
Council may amend source-of-income ordinance
Austin City Council members, set to finalize an ordinance that would ban housing discrimination based on one’s source of income, will consider a language change that would bring their version of the rule in line with state and federal codes. Council Member Laura Morrison raised the issue at Tuesday’s work session. “There is a state […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Housing, Resources
Consultant outlines affordable housing study data
Affordable housing advocates and residents gathered at City Hall on Monday to weigh in on the findings and recommendations of a July report that outlines Austin’s affordable housing needs and fair choice impediments. According to the 2014 Comprehensive Housing Market Study, the city has lost a significant amount of affordable housing since 2000, though it […]
Posted inDevelopment, Housing, Local Government
Affordable housing projects look to locate in Buda
Unsavory concerns and strong emotions reignited in Buda recently, as city staffers informed the city council that two prospects were looking to develop affordable housing rental units there. Previously failed affordable housing proposals earlier this year in Buda are coming back for a second look. In January, three developers interested in pursuing the Texas Department […]
Posted inCity Council, Housing, Public Safety, The Code
City looks to improve rental registration program
As part of an ongoing effort to beef up how the city addresses problem rental properties, City Council will consider whether to amend its rental registration program today. So far, the program has managed to capture only a handful of properties. Code Department director Carl Smart explained that the poor showing is a result of […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Housing
Colony Park residents want voice in development
With the debate over proposed golf courses at Decker Lake continuing this week, and approval of the Colony Park Sustainable Community Initiative PUD likely Thursday, representatives from the Colony Park Neighborhood Association sat down with the Austin Monitor to give their perspective on the changes that might be headed their way. Colony Park Neighborhood Association […]
Posted inAustin, Development, Housing, Transit
City beefs up transit portion of SMART Housing
With a swift, unanimous approval, City Council members amended the transit requirements for the city’s SMART Housing program last week. SMART stands for Safe, Mixed-income, Accessible and Reasonably-priced Transit-oriented housing. Last week, Council tweaked the “T” to require that SMART Housing be located within a half-mile walking distance of a transit route. Council members voted […]