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A Safe Place to Call Home: Housing Department's Fiscal Year 2024 Annual Report

The City of Austin Housing Department has published its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Annual Report, providing a look at the year’s efforts to expand affordable housing opportunities for low-income households, create income-restricted housing, bring more permanent supportive housing (PSH) units online, and connect the community to housing resources.  

📰 Read the full Housing Department FY24 Annual Report online.

Executive Summary of Housing Development Assistance (HDA) Recommendations

For those interested in the consulting group Guidehouse's work to improve the HDA process, please review the Executive Summary of HDA Program Recommendations. This document outlines the stakeholder engagement process, recommendation themes, and provides an overview of expected changes and schedule. Look for additional information in future Developer Newsletter articles as we prepare for the Notice of Funds Availability release this summer.

HDA Quarter IV Application Submission

The Housing Department provides gap financing for the acquisition, rehabilitation, and new construction of affordable housing. Quarter IV Housing Development Assistance funding applications are due by May 7th at 3 PM. Due to limited funding, only developments with an active 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit application are eligible to apply. 

Applications for RHDA and OHDA assistance for affordable housing support are available on the Application Listing Webpage. Visitors to the site can review the submitted developer applications and provide comments and ask questions about the applications and the review process.

New permanent supportive housing community, Cady Lofts, opens in Central Austin

We are pleased to announce the opening of a new permanent supportive housing community located at 1004 E. 39th Street, in the Central Austin Hancock neighborhood in District 9. Dubbed Cady Lofts, the new four-story, elevator served community offers 100 fully furnished studio units to persons exiting homelessness. Cady Lofts is the result of a collaboration between SGI Ventures Inc. and the Austin Affordable Housing Corporation, the non-profit subsidiary of the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA). 

A variety of funding sources contributed to the construction of this development, including $13.84 million in tax credit equity and a $1.08 million loan from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) under the 9% Housing Tax Credit (HTC) program. Additional funding sources for the development included a $7.2 million loan from the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) through the Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) program, financed by General Obligation (GO) Bonds. The Austin Community Foundation (ACF), through its Housing Accelerator Fund, provided a $2 million construction loan with favorable terms to support the project. Other contributors included the Austin Affordable Housing Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) Dallas, and the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC). The developer also leveraged the City of Austin’s Affordability Unlocked program.  

In addition, project-based vouchers have been secured for every unit: 75 Housing Choice Vouchers from the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) and 25 Local Housing Vouchers from the City of Austin to ensure that no resident will be required to pay more than 30% of their income on rent. 

New affordable 55+ community, Arbor Park, opening in Northwest Austin

We are happy to announce the opening of a new senior housing community called Arbor Park. The affordable multi-family development is for active seniors 55 years and up and is comprised of 1- and 2-bedroom units. It is located on the city’s northwest side at 6306 McNeil Drive in District 6. The community is the result of a collaboration between developer, DMA Development Company, LLC, and the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC).  

The four-story, elevator served multi-family development has 147 units, the majority of which will be reserved for households at or below the 80% median family income (MFI). The income breakdown for the units are as follows: 12 units reserved for households at or below 30% MFI; 48 units reserved for households at or below 50% MFI; 60 units reserved for households at or below 60% MFI; and 27 units with no income restrictions/at market value.  

City of Austin Partners with Housing Connector and Zillow to Expand Housing Access for Residents Facing Housing Instability

Housing Connector, a nonprofit that uses Zillow-powered technology to remove barriers to housing and match people with vacant units, has officially launched in Austin. In partnership with the City of Austin’s Homeless Strategy Office, Housing Connector will connect property owners and managers with local nonprofit service providers to increase housing access for individuals and families in need and help them sustain it long-term. The majority of those targeted for support through the Housing Barrier Reduction Fund from the City of Austin earn less than $21,000 a year, while the typical rental in Austin costs $20,112, according to Zillow data. Housing Connector has already housed more than 9,000 residents across its existing markets and is committed to replicating that success in Austin. For more information about Housing Connector, visit www.housingconnector.com or contact Shayna Dunitz at ShaynaD@housingconnector.com.

Land Development Academy Learning Series to Begin in May

The City’s new Land Development Academy will begin next month, offering members of our community a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of the site plan review process in Austin. Participants will learn about the regulations, processes, and people who do this work through a combination of virtual and in-person classes. The first virtual class on May 6, Understanding Technical Criteria Manuals & the Rulemaking Process, will be taught by Brydan Summers, the Land Development Rules Administrator with DSD. Visit the Land Development Academy website to learn more about, and register for, this and other upcoming classes. If you have questions or need help, please email dsdcommunications@austintexas.gov.  For more information on this project, visit publicinput.com/site-plan.

City of Austin celebrates start of construction on the Colony Park Development

After much anticipation, the City of Austin officially broke ground on the Colony Park Development on Thursday, April 3. A ceremony and community celebration brought together community members, city officials, and business leaders to celebrate the launch of this transformative project. 

Colony Park is a community-led effort to develop 208 acres of City-owned property in Austin. When complete, the development is projected to deliver as many as 3,000 residential units comprised of single-family homes, attached row/town homes, mixed-use multi-family apartments, approximately 230,000 square feet of mixed-use office, civic, and institutional space, and approximately 130,000 square feet of mixed-use retail space. Additionally, the project will improve access to health care services, parks and open spaces, healthy food options, economic vitality, educational opportunities, workforce housing, and will improve quality of life and access to City resources. 

For updates, a project timeline, and more information about the Colony Park Development, visit austintexas.gov/colonypark. 

Austin City Council Adopts Preservation Bonus Code Amendment

On April 24, the Austin City Council adopted changes to the Land Development Code that update the preservation bonus established as part of the HOME amendments. The updated preservation bonus increases the interior square footage allowed for two new housing units if an existing housing unit is preserved (with no increase to impervious cover). The current maximum floor-to-area ratio/square footage is 0.55 or 3,200 square feet, and this code amendment updates that to 0.65 or 4,350 square feet.  

These changes will go into effect on Monday, May 5. For information on proposed changes to the City’s Land Development Code, visit austintexas.gov/LDC. 

Technical Codes Go into Effect July 10

The Austin City Council voted on April 10 to adopt the amended 2024 Technical Codes. The new requirements go into effect July 10, 2025. Amendments affect the International Building, Energy Conservation, Existing Building, Fire, Property Maintenance, Residential and Swimming Pool and Spa codes, as well as the Uniform Mechanical and Plumbing codes and the Wildland Urban-Interface Code. During the coming months, teams from DSD and our partner departments will work to incorporate the new requirements into our checklists, review processes, and inspections. 

Austin Independent School District (AISD) Board of Trustees Approve the formation of the Austin ISD Public Facility Corporation (PFC)

The Board of Trustees are seeking applications from qualified individuals in order to appoint two (2) individuals to serve alongside three (3) Board Trustees on the PFC Board of Directors.

The District is seeking community members with “lived” experiences in addition to those with career related knowledge and skills to partner in the work the Board provides. The Board aims to diversify its membership in ways that better mirror the community it serves by adding the voices and perspectives of the folks who have experience with housing development.

To apply to be considered, please complete and submit the application form by June 30, 2025. Application forms will be kept on file for two years. Please note that submitting an application does not guarantee selection for service, but the application will be considered.

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