City Council is set to take up a measure Thursday to encourage development of affordable housing to be more evenly dispersed throughout the city. Low-income housing tends to be built in higher-poverty areas on the outer edges of the city. Rental housing that’s affordable to people earning $25,000 or less a year is scarce or […]
affordable housing
This general term refers to housing that is affordable to Austinites, with or without subsidy.
Posted inLand Development Code
Commissioners spar on definition of family-friendly housing
With a school district facing cases of severe under-enrollment, it has become clear that the city needs to do more to cater to younger families and especially to provide housing that suits their needs. CodeNEXT, currently being mulled over by the land use commissions, offers a unique opportunity to change direction and ensure that Austin […]
Posted inHousing
Austin real estate exec shifts focus to preserving middle-class housing
Looking to address the problem of Austin’s diminishing supply of middle-class housing, the head of the area’s lead real estate trade group is rounding up investors more interested in social good than eye-popping returns. David Steinwedell plans to leave his position as executive director of Urban Land Institute-Austin in September so he can lead Affordable […]
Posted inHousing
Housing bonds may be put to work early
Proponents of three proposed low-income housing projects are looking forward to Thursday when the board of the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs will announce which projects have been selected to receive housing tax credits. Two of the three projects ranked most highly on the TDHCA’s list of local projects that might receive funding will […]
Posted inLand Development Code
The many balancing acts in Austin’s quest for affordable housing
When it comes to providing housing that is affordable to Austin’s poor and working-class residents, city leaders have very few tools at their disposal. The city is barred by state law from implementing the types of regulations that other major cities have used to create cheaper housing, notably rent control and inclusionary zoning. This spring […]
Posted inHousing
UT study, proposed task force would tackle residential displacement
With the issue of residents being priced out of their longtime neighborhoods becoming a topic of discussion in most city initiatives, Mayor Steve Adler said the time has come to tackle the issue directly. That was what prompted Adler to announce earlier this month his hope to form a task force on displacement and gentrification […]
Posted inHousing
Labor shortages, construction costs make it tough to build affordable homes in Austin
The rising cost of construction has made it harder to build affordable homes in Central Austin, housing analysts said after the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin released its midyear housing forecast Thursday. Researchers expressed general optimism about the growth Austin has seen for years but said labor shortages, increased construction costs and permitting regulations have […]
Posted inLand Development Code
CodeNEXT likely to ditch transect zones
One of the key concepts underpinning the proposed revamp of the city’s land development code will likely not be included in the next draft of the proposal, city staff informed City Council members Wednesday. The team responsible for drafting the new code is considering getting rid of transect zones, Jerry Rusthoven of the Planning and […]
Posted inPlanning
Commission pushes for more affordable large apartments to increase school enrollment
Problems are rarely solved by doing what’s typical. That was the motto steering the Planning Commission at its most recent meeting, when members chose not to accept a proposal for a multifamily development with the usual shortage of three-bedroom apartments. Commissioners ultimately postponed the item to give the applicant time to rework the numbers with […]
Posted inHousing
Study could shed more light on housing discrimination in Central Texas
The federal Fair Housing Act aims to protect people from discrimination when renting, buying or financing a home. Despite those protections, the reality is that housing discrimination persists in many cities, and today City Council will consider a review of how fair housing practices measure up in Austin – and across Central Texas. If approved, […]
Posted inHousing
City code enforcement suit may eliminate affordable units
For weeks, tenants at Orchard Plaza apartments in Windsor Park have been evacuating the premises following a contempt order against the owners for substandard housing conditions. Meanwhile, the question of whether the property will continue to provide affordable housing is still up in the air. Owners Walter Olenick and Rae Nadler-Olenick declined to comment, but […]
Posted inHousing
Council to consider tool that would bring permanently affordable housing to East Austin
Today, City Council is set to consider implementing a tool that would bring more affordable housing units to the east side. It’s called a community land trust, and it could create homes that remain affordable for decades to come. If approved, the measure would designate two local nonprofits, the Chestnut Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation and the […]