By next spring, the city is expected to have a detailed plan for how to turn its underutilized real estate assets into money-producers, in an attempt to add General Fund revenue and counteract state limits on property tax increases. Austin was recently announced as a participant with three other cities – Evanston, Illinois; Mt. Vernon, […]
Office of Real Estate Services
This city department manages acquisitions and leasing of property for the city government. They also oversee easement releases, street and alley vacations and the sale and lease of city property to others.
Posted inPlanning
Council to establish consistent practices for redeveloping city-owned land
City Council passed multiple resolutions this month aimed at guiding how the city manages the land it owns, particularly with an eye toward creating more affordable housing and other community benefits. On Dec. 1, Council passed four resolutions, all sponsored by Council Member Kathie Tovo, to establish consistent and transparent practices for the use of […]
Posted inDevelopment
Mixed-use options considered for future of police HQ site downtown
Planners see a variety of possibilities for the eventual redevelopment of the Austin Police Department headquarters site downtown, with office space, affordable housing, retail, an event space and recording studio among the possible uses. Those were some of the ideas discussed during a recent competition organized by Urban Land Institute Austin, which organizes local development […]
Posted inPolice
Downtown Commission hears plans for APD headquarters relocation
Alex Gale from the city’s Office of Real Estate Services and Darrell Alexander from the Building Services Department spoke to the Downtown Commission Wednesday on the relocation of the Austin Police Department headquarters. Gale explained that Council had given direction to the city manager to search for a suitable space – potentially an existing, underused space […]
Posted inAustin
Study weighs market impact of convention center expansion, predicts rebound from Covid-19
A new market analysis finds that the proposed expansion of the Austin Convention Center would bring more than 1,700 jobs to the city and add $306 million in annual economic impact from the local events and tourism industry. The market viability study and planning update from HVS Convention, Sports & Entertainment Facilities Consulting of Chicago looked at […]
Posted inHousing
State empowerment zones seen as wrong tool for city to preserve affordable housing
The city’s Neighborhood Housing & Community Development Department has opted not to use a state statute created to encourage infill development as a method for preserving affordable housing stock, instead choosing to enter into direct partnerships with developers using city property. In a December memo to City Council, department Director Rosie Truelove said a two-year […]
Posted inHousing
Affordable housing takes a few steps forward
Housing prices continue to climb in Austin as more people move to the music and tech mecca of Texas. According to Zillow, the median home value in Austin is $372,200, while the median list price is $399,000. In adopting its Strategic Housing Blueprint, City Council set a goal of adding 135,000 new housing units to […]
Posted inCity Hall
City moving toward greater scrutiny, and possible rent hikes, on nonprofit leases
Nonprofit organizations operating on city properties will likely be expected to put a dollar value on the services they provide to the community, and could face higher rents after years of lease agreements at far below market rate. In May, the Office of the City Auditor found that the city’s leasing practices in general lacked […]
Posted inCity Hall
Audit finds city has ‘poor’ leasing practices
An analysis of the city’s leasing practices has called for widespread changes in coordination and oversight across city departments, after pointing out a number of inefficiencies and lost revenue that could cost $75 million over the next 30 years. The city auditor’s office has found that the city “does not use a strategic approach to […]
Posted inCity Council
Alter worried about cost of city leases
Council Member Alison Alter is worried about how much money the city is spending on renting space for city offices as compared to purchasing or building those offices. At Tuesday’s work session, Alter grilled Alex Gale, the city’s interim real estate officer, about a proposed 60-month lease agreement with CCI-Burleson I for up to $38.8 […]
Posted inCity Hall
South station closure marks start of municipal court facilities shuffle
A significant shuffling of operations is in store for Austin Municipal Court in the coming months, thanks in large part to Friday’s permanent closure of the court’s south substation on Manchaca Road. The closure will leave South Austin residents with two locations – the main Municipal Court building on East Seventh Street and the north […]
Posted inPreservation
Despite higher valuation, Montopolis School property appears headed to court
The city’s purchase offer via eminent domain for the Montopolis Negro School property appears to be headed to court. On Tuesday a three-member Special Commissioners Hearing agreed on a value of $464,000 for the schoolhouse portion of the Southeast Austin property purchased in 2015 by developer Austin Stowell, who had planned to build a mix […]