Austin City Council to vote on HOME initiative
AUSTIN, Texas - Hundreds of speakers signed up to speak about the HOME Initiative at Austin City Council’s special meeting.
HOME, also known as Home Options For Middle-Income Empowerment, is a series of initiatives put forward to address Austin's critical housing shortage put forward by council member Leslie Pool.
A special called council meeting was held Thursday to vote on phase one of the HOME initiative. If passed, phase one will allow up to three homes on a property lot.
Before taking a vote, council was set to listen to comments made by the public. According to city officials, 519 speakers signed up to speak about HOME with 189 in support, 311 against, and 19 neutral.
Eight hours in, public comment was still occurring with no end in sight.
Those against HOME claim it has no requirements for affordability, which makes it a developer’s dream where those developers could end up selling to the highest bidder and not the intended middle class. They are also worried about displacement.
"It will further displace our working-class families. There is no requirement for affordability and the developers will target those communities, our communities, in order to maximize their profits. The HOME Initiative will increase the pressures that these families face on a daily basis," said one speaker against HOME.
AUSTIN CITY COUNCIL NEWS
- Austin City Council spends another $2.7 million to open controversial homeless shelter
- Austin City Council approves items on safety, charity auction; hears comment on housing
- City of Austin prepares for winter weather
Those in favor of the initiative say HOME is a step in the right direction towards making Austin a more affordable city for the low-to-middle-income community.
"The HOME initiative as written will not increase displacement. It can't. It doesn't work that way. There is no way to increase affordability without one of two things: government subsidies or by putting more homes on less land," said one speaker in favor of HOME.
FOX 7 Austin will provide an update once a vote is taken.