In Austin, the Prospect of More Housing No Longer Sends Shivers Down Spines
In Austin, Texas, the notion of higher-density housing and burdensome zoning laws that were traditionally seen as scary prospects is finally starting to feel less daunting. A few short years ago, the mere suggestion of a transformative land use change would have seemed more like an illusion than a possibility. However, last week, the Austin City Council passed a landmark housing package that could pave the way for massive reform.
Shift in Attitude
The shift in Austin’s local attitude towards housing density and zoning reform is a response to the rising housing costs that have hit even relatively high-income earners. With around 55% of the city’s inhabitants being renters, the scarcity of affordable housing has led to an increased interest in zoning regulation and land use politics, areas once considered mundane.
The “Big Three” Housing Reforms
A trilogy of important reforms lies at the heart of last week’s transformational housing policy changes. The first one to be noted in the HOME Initiative is the reduction of the city’s minimum lot size for single-family homes. The dimensions have dramatically been reduced from a huge 5,750 square feet to a more urban 1,800 square feet. This move could potentially lead to the development of higher-density neighborhoods that resemble smaller-lot settlements such as Mueller’s. It also provides existing homeowners with the opportunity to construct additional units on their land.
The second significant change is the adjustment of the city’s residential compatibility rules. Earlier, Austin city had restrictions limiting the height of apartments and other buildings within 540 feet of single-family properties, a length equivalent to 1.5 football fields. The new regulations have reduced this compatibility zone to a more management length of 75 feet.
The third landmark change is the establishment of the city’s new equitable transit-oriented development (ETOD) zoning district. This program aims to encourage residential density and affordable housing within a half-mile of the city’s future rail stations under Project Connect. The scheme offers incentives for developers to create mixed-use multifamily projects, rising up to 120 feet, granted these projects ensure a proportion of the residential units to be affordable for those earning 50-60 percent of the median family income.
The Implications of These Reforms
Attempting to predict which among these reforms will have an immediate effect only highlights the complicated nature of Austin’s housing scenario. The adjustment of residential compatibility regulations might have a pronounced immediate housing yield, but the other adjustments also play crucial roles in long-term housing solutions. It is important to understand that inaction over the years has already impacted Austin’s housing scene. The affordability and density invited by these new changes might arrive too late to prevent displacement for many residents.
The city that once vehemently fought the very notion of change has had its face unknowingly transformed by preventing a large number of people from setting up homes there. Despite the resistance from the old guard who persistently file lawsuits attempting to reverse these reforms, it’s clear that something has changed in Austin. Building more homes on less land does not seem as intimidating anymore.
