Housing Affordability and Housing Supply

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Steve Adler
Posts: 533
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 2:12 pm

Housing Affordability and Housing Supply

Post by Steve Adler »

Colleagues,

From our discussions as a Council and among our community, it’s clear that housing affordability and housing supply are among our city’s greatest present challenges.

We look forward to our work session on these two related issues on November 30, 2021. Among the many ideas that will be part of the discussion that day, we would propose consideration of a code amendment that would allow more residential in more places. http://assets.austintexas.gov/austincou ... 134847.pdf

This amendment reflects a concept that we have all discussed. Importantly, we think it represents a chance to facilitate a material number of additional housing units while achieving broad agreement. This reflects the capacity increase numbers we saw during our prior work on the LDC. We hope the discussion at the work session focuses on ideas that meet these considerations.

This proposed code amendment would allow residential uses in our commercial zones associated with corresponding affordability requirements. This would allow residential uses In zoning districts CS, CS-1, GR, LR, GO, and LO, that currently only allow commercial uses.

We hope that our colleagues will also post ideas on the message board for consideration at the November 30, 2021, work session so that community stakeholders, council members and staff can help make the work session as constructive as possible. If this proposal has broad support, we would consider bringing it forward at our council meeting on December 9, 2021 (we’ll need co-sponsors).

Mayor Adler and Council Member Alter
Mayor
Leslie Pool
Posts: 231
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:22 pm

Re: Housing Affordability and Housing Supply

Post by Leslie Pool »

Mayor and CM Alter, thanks for bringing this proposal. I support the concept of residential uses being permitted in certain commercial zoning districts. These specific amendments should make increase the possibility of live-work spaces around the city, especially in areas of high transit opportunity, and with corresponding affordability requirements.

I would be glad to add my name as a co-sponsor for your IFC and look forward to the discussion we'll have together and with our community.

Best,

Leslie
Leslie Pool
Mayor Pro Tem
Council Member, District 7
Kathie Tovo
Posts: 128
Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2014 11:18 am

re: including residential uses within commercial zoning

Post by Kathie Tovo »

Colleagues:

I would like to co-sponsor this concept, which as the message board post notes, Council has discussed in past LDC conversations and has always had broad consensus on the dais and among the community.

Best,

Kathie Tovo
Council District 9
Greg Casar
Posts: 189
Joined: Tue Jan 20, 2015 3:20 pm

Re: Housing Affordability and Housing Supply

Post by Greg Casar »

Colleagues,

Thank you for bringing this forward. I look forward to strongly supporting this proposal which I believe will have consensus support and will help us with our housing supply and affordability challenges. We know there is much work left to do, but this is one important step.

-Greg
Gregorio "Greg" Casar
Council Member District 4
Ann Kitchen
Posts: 294
Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2015 4:04 pm

Re: Housing Affordability and Housing Supply

Post by Ann Kitchen »

Colleagues

Thank you to Mayor Adler and CM Alter for posting your proposal to allow residential in commercial zoning categories.
I support this approach and am happy to add my name as a cosponsor.

I'm pleased to see the Council's focus on housing that is affordable and look forward to a range of ideas we can knit together to significantly improve options in Austin,

Best
Ann Kitchen
City Council D5
Ann Kitchen
Council Member District 5
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