Affordable Senior Housing Planned in Downtown Church Parking Lot
Austin, Texas, home to more than a dozen large church properties within the downtown area alone, is witnessing an innovative approach to tackling its affordable housing crisis. Facing a decline in attendance, coupled with rising property values, local congregations have started working towards maximizing land use in alignment with their faith-based missions – developing affordable housing in underutilized church properties.
This concept, known as “Yes In God’s Backyard” or YIGBY, has gained considerable popularity in housing-constrained regions like California. In Austin, a prime example is the ongoing redevelopment at St. Austin Catholic Parish in the progressive West Campus neighborhood. Church leaders teamed up with private developers to construct a 29-story residential building, bringing 200 beds of affordable student housing, alongside new amenities for both the ministry and its school.
St. Martin’s Lutheran Church Joins the Trend
Now, another local congregation, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church, is joining the YIGBY wave. Situated in a striking modernist building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in downtown Austin, the church has partnered with the local developer DMA Companies to develop an affordable senior housing project at its half-acre property at 1500 Rio Grande Street.
The site, currently used as an overflow parking lot, is slated for the construction of a five-story building offering 83 one- and two-bedroom units. Pending its approval, this structure, known as 1500 Rio, will replace the existing parking lot. It is designed by local architects Nelsen Partners and could potentially be the first income-restricted senior housing development in downtown Austin since 1967.
About 72 of the 83 total units will be made available to seniors earning no more than 60 percent of the Austin area’s Median Family Income. The city’s Planning Commission approved a rezoning of the area last month, allowing the tract to transition from office and single-family residential use to downtown mixed-use zoning. This crucial step enables the building’s construction with a maximum height of 60 feet.
Impact on the Community
This new development will not only give St. Martin’s Church an avenue to reinforce its faith-driven mission but will also offer a significant contribution to downtown Austin’s housing ecosystem. Urban areas such as these offer various amenities that are easily accessible without the use of a car. This makes them particularly suitable for seniors – especially those who no longer drive.
Typically, high downtown land values inhibit the construction of affordable housing. Most projects rely on cheaper land located in remote areas, leading to increased dependency on cars for the elderly, thus elevating their sense of isolation. The 1500 Rio project, if successful, can work as a case study to further the advocacy of replacing underused urban spaces, like surface parking lots, with affordable housing units.
The project holds significant potential in creating a benchmark for other churches with sizeable real estate holdings in urban areas. By leveraging underutilized properties for social good, local communities can perhaps look forward to more such initiatives that not only cater to housing needs but also contribute to the vibrancy and inclusivity of urban living.
