Austin Breaks Ground on First Carless Affordable Housing Project

Scottie Ivory Condominiums Takes a Sustainable Approach to Affordable Housing

The city of Austin celebrated a significant milestone in sustainable city living on Saturday morning with the groundbreaking of its first carless community. An affordable condominium project in East Austin, the innovative venture slated for completion by Summer 2025, is entirely powered by solar energy and named after progressive East Austin advocate, Scottie Ivory.

Reimagining Urban Living

Steering clear from the traditional features such as parking lots and garages, The Ivory condominiums champion the idea of sustainable and affordable living. By eliminating the need for car payments and gas, the project instead offers residents electric bikes as the primary mode of transport.

Gentrification Concerns Addressed

The transformation of East Austin from a modest neighborhood to a hub for high-income earners due to rapid development has been a cause of concern among long-time residents like Jame Houston Jr, a three-generation inhabitant. However, the Chestnut Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation counters this issue with Ivory condominiums. Out of its 53 units, 40 are reserved for low-income families, a commitment towards ensuring affordability.

Solar-Powered, Carless Community

Councilmember Natasha Harper-Madison and Mayor Kirk Watson emphasized their dedicated commitment to “Affordability First” at the groundbreaking event. The entire community is powered by solar energy, ditching the dependence on non-renewable energy sources and significantly lowering living costs. Additionally, comprehensive public transport options and provisions for communal electric vehicles underline its carless ethos.

A Template for Future Urban Developments

Harper-Madison, a local resident herself, expressed optimism about the project’s potential as a blueprint for sustainable and affordable living in the city and beyond. In her words, “This is the kind of template for the rest of the city, the rest of the nation. These people don’t need parking, in which case, if they don’t need parking, it made it more affordable.”

Affordable Housing Unlocked

The Ivory’s exciting venture was made possible by the Affordability Housing Unlocked Ordinance passed in 2019. The ordinance, which Harper-Madison had a significant role in pushing through, adjusted development restrictions to promote the establishment of affordable housing projects in the city.

Embracing Change

While some residents like Houston are skeptical about the carless aspect of this project, the mutual agreement is clear: if these developments can help retain the demographic diversity of East Austin, they are well worth welcoming. In Houston’s perspective, “If they’re building it and people can live, I think it’s a good arrangement. I think it would be a good place to live.”

The Ivory Condominiums represent a pivotal point in the evolution of urban living, underscoring the power of community, sustainability, and affordability. The project is more than a testament to Austin’s resilience and progress; it is an example for cities worldwide.