City council discusses agenda item that could make more affordable homes

Council item could make more affordable homes

Austin City Council discussed an agenda item today that would create more housing opportunities for residents of all income levels in Austin by turning single family lots into smaller, more affordable row houses and multi plexes.

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin City Council will decide whether to approve agenda item 126. An agenda item that could turn lots for single family homes into several smaller, more affordable homes.

"I'm really optimistic about the impacts that this proposal can have in the future," said Leslie Pool, Austin City Council member.

At Tuesday's council work session, council member Pool discussed her agenda item that would create more housing opportunities for residents of all income levels in Austin.

"I think it will preserve the character of our neighborhood. It will certainly make opportunities for middle class homeowners to stay in our city and, I hope, raise their families which will contribute to the health of our public school system," said Pool.

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Pool is talking about a potential idea to turn single family lots into smaller, more affordable homes like townhomes, row homes, triplexes and fourplexes. Currently, these types of homes only make up for 12% of Austin's housing market.

"We're not doing away with single family zoning and replacing it with multifamily zones. What we are doing is potentially narrowing the size of the lots so that more single family homes can be built side by side in our neighborhoods," said Pool.

City data reveals home prices in Austin went up by 55% between 2010-20 with more working class families being forced to move out because of it. This item is an effort to address the city's housing affordability crisis.

"It's been great to find a partner in creative solutions to try to make sure that, you know, the average Austinite can afford to buy a home," said Paige Ellis, Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Austin.

Many council members spoke in favor of this agenda item.

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"Smaller homes and smaller lots will help everyone better afford a home in Austin. Creating more compact neighborhoods allows us to use our existing infrastructure and resources more efficiently," said Zo Qadri, Austin City Council member.

However, council member Alison Alter brought up some questions on this item.

"I don't think that we fully understand the consequences," she said.

She brought up the concern that these homes may be turned into short-term rentals (STRs) or McMansions.

"When you consider how we are essentially at the mercy of commercial STR operators and have very little ability to enforce STR rules, you could end up having your neighborhood explode with 12 units on an existing lot and that lot could have multiple STRs. We have enough wealth in this town that more than a few savvy builders are going to build McMansions under the guise of the building being more than one unit, and you may end up with a bigger house and call it a duplex or triplex, but that bigger duplex or triplex won't house any more people. It will just be bigger buildings," said Alter.

Agenda item 126 will be voted on at Thursday’s council meeting followed by public comment.