Candace Hunter applied to live at the Reserve at Springdale as soon as she could. When the nearly 300-unit property was completed last year, it brought much-needed affordable housing to East Austin. Within the year, the complex – which houses Austinites earning 60 percent or less of median family income ($51,600 annually for a family […]
affordable housing
This general term refers to housing that is affordable to Austinites, with or without subsidy.
Posted inHousing
County commissioners see SH-45 development as key to more affordable housing
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court received an update on Turner’s Crossing, a proposed mixed-use subdivision that would be located about 15 miles south of downtown Austin. The project will make use of a public improvement district to fund more services and infrastructure for itself. It is also expected to provide benefits to Travis […]
Posted inHousing
Affordability on the minds of housing experts gathered in Austin
Business leaders from throughout the real estate industry spent most of this week in Austin focused on solving the affordable housing shortage that is reaching crisis levels in Austin and most other major cities around the country. The draw for the roughly 1,000 visitors was the annual Texas Housing Conference, organized by the Texas Affiliation […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Five Council members signal support for major housing bond
Mayor Steve Adler and four other members of City Council announced their support Thursday for putting a major housing bond on the ballot in November. Standing in front of scores of activists on the front steps of City Hall Thursday morning, Adler said that funds from previous housing bonds approved by voters in 2013 and […]
Posted inHousing
City wants to put the word out about affordable housing
What is an “affordable unit”? Who qualifies for one? And above all else, where are these units, and how do you get one? A resolution approved unanimously on Thursday by the City Council Housing and Planning Committee asks city staff to develop a program to connect low-income tenants to available income-restricted units. The resolution suggests […]
Posted inHousing
Advocates say HUD proposal to raise rents could hurt struggling families in Austin
Watchdog groups in Austin say a plan to raise rents for millions of people who get federal housing assistance would hurt the area’s most vulnerable residents. “What this will do is increase housing costs, force more families to choose between food and the rent, medical care and the rent, utilities and the rent,” Maddie Sloan, […]
Posted inHousing
Real estate leaders tackle equity, housing affordability at ULI breakfast
Austin’s ability to continue its rapid economic and population growth while trying to keep longtime residents from being forced out due to affordability issues was the topic of the day at Wednesday’s breakfast meeting for the Urban Land Institute. The professional trade group focused around property developers, brokers and other professionals in the real estate […]
Posted inHousing
Fund to preserve workforce housing begins the hunt for first 1,000 units
A group of real estate investors focused on preserving housing for Austin’s middle-class workforce is on the hunt for properties, with the goal of purchasing up to 1,000 apartment units within the next year. The Austin Housing Conservancy announced last week that it has received commitments from its first 20 investors and can begin negotiating […]
Posted inHousing
Garza, Renteria, Casar unveil Housing Justice Agenda
Three City Council members say they are united to push for a series of aggressive affordable housing measures, including a major increase in housing subsidies and reforms of the land development code. At a panel at the Austin Convention Center Tuesday afternoon, Council members Delia Garza, Pio Renteria and Greg Casar described seven parts of […]
Posted inUncategorized
Council members push for $300M bond to meet Austin’s affordable housing needs
City leaders are weighing the possibility of putting an affordable housing bond on the ballot this November. A city task force is recommending a $161 million bond, but some Austin City Council members want to almost double that amount. Council Members Pio Renteria, Delia Garza and Greg Casar are promoting what they call the Housing […]
Posted inDevelopment
Alamo’s new HQ will include affordable housing, won’t just be a ‘development project’
After confusion about whether property the Alamo Drafthouse bought from the Austin Independent School District would include affordable housing, the project’s architect confirmed Wednesday it’s in the plans. Richard Weiss said Alamo will use the historic school in Hyde Park for its headquarters and build a new building on the back part of the lot. […]
Posted inBonds & Propositions
Council members push for $300M affordable housing bond
If Austin is going to do something about its affordability crisis, many on City Council believe that it will take a massive infusion of public funds to build housing that is affordable to low-income and working-class residents. To that end, at least two Council members have said they want to put a bond measure on […]