The city may soon take steps to promote the creation of “agrihood” developments in Northeast Austin, which would combine small community farms with housing. Proponents of the movement see the still-rare projects as an answer to Austin’s housing needs and development pressures as well as a way to bring more stability to the local food […]
Austin Housing and Planning Department
A division of the city that includes Neighborhood Housing & Community Development (NHCD) and Planning & Zoning (PAZ). As the name suggests, the department oversees city planning, zoning as well as things like displacement prevention.
Posted inHousing
City seeing mixed results halfway through Strategic Housing Blueprint
The city is seeing mixed results halfway through the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint adopted by City Council in 2017. After five years, the city is on track to meet goals aimed at preserving affordable housing and building new housing in some areas of town. However, the city continues to be far behind on its district-based […]
Posted inHousing
City planning revision of density bonus programs
Members of the city’s Housing and Planning Department say they will be hiring a consultant with expertise in creating and using incentives known as density bonuses to help them untangle the city’s myriad, often competing, development programs. Most of those programs aim to increase affordable housing in the city but have had mixed results. The […]
Posted inPublic Health
What Austin and Travis County learned about rental assistance during the pandemic
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Austin and Travis County had no overarching infrastructure in place for distributing rental assistance or otherwise supporting low-income families at risk of eviction. Then, millions of people across industries lost their sources of income overnight. In an effort to stem a tide of evictions, the city and county […]
Posted inLand Development Code
City code amendments moving slowly, including change to parking requirements
Remember all those amendments to Austin’s land use regulations that City Council directed city staff to write – ideas that seem particularly important in light of the housing shortage? They’re moving slowly. Those amendments include eliminating parking requirements from the land use regulations outside the central business district. Parking requirements have already been eliminated downtown, […]
Posted inDevelopment
City set to prioritize Colony Park planned unit development application
The Colony Park Sustainable Community planned unit development application process is underway. On Tuesday, City Council’s Housing and Planning Committee unanimously recommended the full Council initiate a streamlined application and rezoning process. “Colony Park represents one of our greatest opportunities to leverage public land to develop affordable housing and improve the lives of both current […]
Posted inHousing
City looks to train, grow new developers to target affordable housing
Smaller developers without years of experience in the Austin market are invited to participate in a new city housing program designed with the goal of creating more affordable housing throughout the city. Applications are open for the Austin Small Developer Training Program, which is being funded by the Austin Housing Finance Corporation using $352,770 from […]
Posted inHousing
Austin’s program to sell homes to people affected by gentrification off to slow start
The city of Austin has not yet sold one of the two dozen homes it began marketing six months ago to low-income families affected by displacement and the influx of wealth into neighborhoods. This is the city’s first attempt at using its long-touted “preference policy,” approved by City Council members in 2018. Policies like these – […]
Posted inDevelopment
Council considers Colony Park TIRZ ahead of expected approval
City Council appears ready to move forward next week with the creation of a property tax mechanism that will bring more than $80 million over 20 years to the Colony Park development in East Austin. At Tuesday’s work session, staff from the Economic Development and Housing and Planning departments presented their proposal for using a […]
Posted inPlanning
Creative spaces, affordable homes possible for two city-owned East Austin sites
The city’s Housing and Planning Department has identified parts of city-owned parcels that could incorporate creative spaces and affordable housing for artists, with development plans likely to be handled by the Austin Economic Development Corporation. Mandy De Mayo, deputy director of the housing department, shared some basic details of the two projects at Monday’s Arts […]
Posted inZoning
ZAP unable to support South Austin townhomes
The Zoning and Platting Commission failed to recommend a rezoning for seven townhomes in South Austin. The zoning case concerns a 1.3-acre vacant lot at 7311 and 7313 Bluff Springs Road, which the applicant hopes to rezone from Single Family-Small Lot (SF-4A) to Townhouse & Condominium (SF-6). The triangular parcel is constrained on one side […]
Posted inDevelopment
City seeks developer to partner on transformation of two historic blocks
Over the next three months, the city’s quasi-governmental development entity will perform the early work that will result in a development plan next year for two long-discussed blocks in East Austin. This week’s Community Development Commission meeting featured a presentation from the Austin Economic Development Corporation on its plan to create a request for proposals […]