Coming Soon: Housing Development Assistance Program Updates

Thank you to all stakeholders who provided the consulting group Guidehouse with programmatic feedback this past Fall. Guidehouse has completed their recommendation of Housing Development Assistance funding program and will be supporting the implementation phase. An Executive Summary will be distributed in the Spring. The new Notice of Funds Availability process and Program Guidelines with updated application scoring will be shared this Summer.  

Austin EDI Cohort 2 - Small Developer Training

To better ensure that emerging real estate developers are able to participate in local growth and revitalization efforts, The City of Austin is excited to once again partner with Capital Impact Partners and HousingWorks Austin to launch the Equitable Development Initiative (EDI). Charting a new path toward inclusive economic opportunity, this program combines local knowledge, partnerships, and key strengths – including program design and project financing – to support community-rooted real estate developers in growing their careers and renewing communities. This will be a ten-month program, running from August 2025 through March 2026. The application will launch March 24^th, but you may sign up here to be notified when the application is available.  

New affordable housing, Parker Lane Apartments, opens in Southeast Austin

AHFC and Project Connect dollars working together to prevent homelessness, displacement

We are happy to announce the opening of Parker Lane Apartments at 2105 Parker Lane, in District 3 in Southeast Austin. The new multifamily property will offer 135 affordable units and will include housing and amenities for those who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. A small percentage of the units (14) will be set aside for families with children who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless and 10 units for families at or below 30% of the area’s MFI (median family income). Of the remaining 111 units, 58 units are reserved for those at or below 50% MFI and 53 units are reserved for those at or below 60% MFI. Additionally, 25 units have one bedroom; 68 units have two bedrooms; and 42 have three bedrooms. 

The new multi-family development is being built on the former grounds of the Parker Lane United Methodist Church (UMC). The church closed its doors, and its leaders were looking at options for the 8-acre site that would advance the mission of the church while also meeting its financial needs, and a desire to maintain a long-term presence in the neighborhood. Foundation Communities offers a number of wraparound services, such as after school programs, a no-cost healthy food pantry and job training – all important things that their churches do.

City Manager T.C. Broadnax Hosts Community Budget Conversations

Austinites are invited to “Your Budget, Your Priorities:  Community Conversations with T.C. Broadnax,” a series of town hall meetings hosted by the Austin City Manager designed to gather community input on City budget priorities. Broadnax will also discuss the process and the challenges of drafting the City’s proposed budget. This is the first full budget cycle in Austin for Broadnax, who joined the City of Austin as City Manager in May 2024. He believes engaging with Austinites early in the process to identify community priorities is important.

Town Hall dates, times and locations:

• Monday, March 24, 6:30 p.m. – Asian American Resource Center, 8401 Cameron Road
• Saturday, March 29, 10:30 a.m.– Learning and Research Center, 5202 E. Ben White Blvd., Suite 500
• Thursday, April 3 at 6:30 p.m. – Northwest Recreation Center, 2913 Northland Drive

Interpretation services for American Sign Language and Spanish will be available at the event. Services for other languages can be requested by calling 3-1-1 or 512-974-2000 no later than 72 hours before the town hall. 

Those unable to attend the community conversations can provide their feedback by visiting austintexas.gov/budget. 

Smoke-free Housing Benefits Housing Providers and Residents

Smoke-free housing polices provide numerous benefits to both housing providers and residents. Adopting a smoke-free policy for your property decreases secondhand smoke exposure, decreases the cost to clean and turn over a rental unit, decreases risks for fires related to smoking material, and may even decrease insurance premiums. Smoke-free apartment properties meet market demand since 77% of renters in Travis County would prefer to live in tobacco-free housing. Austin Public Health’s Live Tobacco Free Austin initiative is seeking to work with housing partners to expand the number of smoke-free apartment properties in Austin. Austin Public Health provides technical assistance with planning and implementing a smoke-free housing policy and financial assistance for signage is available on a first come, first serve basis. Whether opening a new development as a smoke-free property, or converting an existing property to smoke-free, Austin Public Health provides step-by-step assistance. Contact Live Tobacco Free Austin at LFTA@austintexas.gov to get started today, or to list an existing smoke-free property on our searchable map. 

Give Feedback on Preservation Bonus Code Amendments

Changes to the preservation bonus in response to City Council direction will be considered in April. This proposed amendment will increase the interior square footage allowed for two new housing units if an existing housing unit is preserved (with no increase to impervious cover). The public hearings on these proposed amendments will be held at Austin City Hall, 301 W. 2nd St., on the following dates:  

• Tuesday, April 1, 2 p.m. at the Joint Planning Commission and City Council Meeting  
• Tuesday, April 8, 6 p.m. at the Planning Commission Meeting  
• Thursday, April 24, 10 a.m. at the City Council Meeting  

Visit publicinput.com/DSDNotice for more information about these sessions.  

New! Business Rebates Available for Recycling Hard-to-Recycle Items

The Austin Resource Recovery is now accepting applications for the Zero Waste Business Rebate, which helps local businesses reduce waste. New this year, Austin businesses can use the rebate to hire a hauling service for hard-to-recycle materials such as Styrofoam, plastic film, batteries and e-waste. Reimbursements are available for up to 12 months of hauling service for these hard-to-recycle materials. Rebates are also available for the collection bins and shelves needed to start recycling programs for these materials. 

Don’t miss a chance to receive up to $3,000 in rebates to support your sustainability goals. Applications are open until July 1, or while funds last, at austintexas.gov/ZWbizrebate.

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You're receiving this communication because you have applied for funding before or worked the City of Austin Housing Department in the past.