The city of Austin has been working to tackle gentrification head-on through stabilizing mobile home parks throughout the city. This is one avenue to ensure that residents are able to stay, but there are other ways besides incongruent zonings and that make it difficult for residents to remain in their homes. When Frank Rolfe and […]
affordable housing
This general term refers to housing that is affordable to Austinites, with or without subsidy.
Posted inHousing
City tightens standards for housing development assistance loans
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation plans to be more selective with loan applications and partnerships for its Rental Housing Development Assistance and Ownership Housing Development Assistance programs in the coming years. The programs offer loans to developers promising housing units for a range of economically disadvantaged individuals, from those living in poverty to those who […]
Posted inHousing
Disability committee pushes city to help address evictions
Advocates for the disabled community are pushing the city’s departments in charge of housing services to find ways to decrease the number of evictions their community experiences while also adding housing supply designed for accessibility. At this month’s meeting of the Mayor’s Committee for People With Disabilities, a presentation from the city’s Innovation Office and […]
Posted inHousing
Families with noncitizens could lose federal housing benefits if HUD proposal moves forward
Tuesday is the last day for public comment on a proposal that could evict or even separate thousands of families with mixed-citizenship status who receive housing assistance in Texas. Since 1980, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has allowed households that include noncitizens to receive benefits for public or subsidized housing. The proposed […]
Posted inHousing
Area builders warn of worker shortage impacts on affordable housing
As robust and active as the Austin building and development world appears to be, professionals in the construction industry say an ongoing labor shortage is stifling building activity and could present problems for the city’s push to add affordable housing in the coming years. The city’s affordability issues were among the discussion points Wednesday at […]
Posted inCity Council
Council passes affordable housing density bonus program
In keeping with its previous support of Council Member Greg Casar’s proposed density bonus program, City Council unanimously approved the Affordability Unlocked bonus program Thursday evening, an ordinance amending city code by loosening site restrictions and promoting construction of more units in affordable and mixed-income housing developments. The program applies to developments without more than […]
Posted inPlanning
Streamlined housing plan comes to Council
In keeping with its commitment to increase Austin’s affordable housing stock, Council will consider an ordinance Thursday which will eliminate certain requirements that currently apply to all new housing, affordable as well as market rate. Under a new program called Affordability Unlocked, affordable housing developments would be able to add more units by eliminating requirements […]
Posted inPlanning
BoA grants variance to keep heritage trees and affordable housing
In North Central Austin, developers are working with Central Health and the Housing Authority of the City of Austin to combine nine lots to create an affordable housing complex. The 258-unit complex, located at 411 and 601 E. Powell Lane and seven addresses on East Wonsley Drive, will offer 90 percent of the units to […]
Posted inPlanning
Commissioners Court punts on affordable housing project
The Travis County Commissioners Court declined to take action on a proposed affordable housing project in eastern Travis County Tuesday. County Judge Sarah Eckhardt said the court would take up the matter at next week’s meeting, without hinting at how the court would act. The proposed 262-unit project at 9000 Decker Lane, called Decker Lofts, […]
Posted inHousing
Housing committee hears about district goals
Two years ago this month, Austin City Council adopted its first strategic housing blueprint, with the goal of developing metrics to define how the city should allocate its resources to produce affordable housing for residents earning less than 80 percent of the median family income. Over the next 10 years, the city is aiming to […]
Posted inHousing
With affordability funding looming, housing proponents have questions
With housing project applicants angling for portions of the city’s coming $250 million in general obligation bonds for affordable housing, city leaders charged with finding the right mix of new units are starting to wrestle with questions of how much new affordable housing should cost and where those units need to go. A recent meeting […]
Posted inHousing
A big problem for low-income homeowners: septic tanks
For the most part, living in rural Travis County is cheaper than living in the city of Austin. Land values, property taxes and rents are all significantly lower. Sewage, however, often costs significantly more. The problems and costs associated with aging septic tanks is such a common problem that in recent years Travis County has […]