Building and Retaining an Affordable Austin
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HousingWorks Austin, in collaboration with Urban Land Institute, Real Estate Council of Austin, and Austin Area Research Organization announce a new report on policy priorities: Building and Retaining and Affordable Austin. The report was developed with the advice of community leaders from diverse real estate, neighborhood, planning, architectural, faith, legal, employer, nonprofit, demographic, and research perspectives.
One quarter (25%) of all jobs in Austin pay less than $13.50/hour, jobs that are fundamental to the life we love here in Austin. They are our neighbors who serve in health care, building maintenance, office administration, retail, and restaurants. These jobs are in all parts of town.
Home affordability is essential to the success of Austin families, businesses, schools, security and health. This collaborative researched and together identified strategic policy directions that can generate rental and for sale homes that "fill the gaps" defined by the City of Austin Comprehensive Market Study --- deeply affordable rental homes and for-sale homes under $200,000.
Recommendations address four key initiatives to support home affordability.
- Directly participating in the city's comprehensive plan and mobility plan to establish meaningful numerical housing targets for planning areas throughout town and to promote housing options near jobs and services.
- Working with the city to produce new homes and preserve what we already have through future bond efforts, public-private partnerships using city-owned land and improvements to the development review process.
- Supporting efforts to promote well-designed and appropriately integrated density so that affordable homes can be built in all parts of town.
- Streamlining development process and regulations to support affordability.