Background

Students play a vital role in Austin's community, economy, and character yet often struggle to find affordable and accessible housing. Tuition costs, limited income, and the need for proximity to campus can make traditional housing options financially inaccessible. View resolution 20230223-043

 

Purpose

By ensuring affordable and accessible housing for students, the city fosters a diverse, and vibrant community that benefits all of Austin. The Student Housing Study helped to create a better understanding of:

  • The specific challenges that students face in finding housing
  • The partnerships and strategies needed to encourage the creation of student housing near campuses
  • Policies that could support these partnerships and strategies

 

Project Milestones

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Stakeholder Engagement

Throughout the Student Housing Study, City staff collaborated with representatives from educational institutions, met with the College Student Commision and conducted a housing poll with students.
Read more: Stakeholder Engagement

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Data Analysis

To study Austin’s stock of affordable student housing and student housing needs, staff requested data from each institution to analyze the characteristics of the student population and the student housing options in Austin. Staff then compiled the data from the institutions into an interactive dashboard. 
Read more: Data Analysis

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Case Study Analysis

To supplement stakeholder engagement and data analysis, staff also identified and examined efforts locally and in other cities to increase the affordability and capacity of student housing. Staff selected three different case studies to cover a variety of strategies, including:

  • Boston, Massachusetts: A Best Practice Example
  • Portland, Oregon: A Peer City Example
  • Austin, Texas, University Neighborhood Overlay: A Local Case Study

Read More: Case Study Analysis

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Recommendations for Action

Housing Department staff used student and institution feeback as well as research of student housing strategies to inform recommendations. In June 2024, staff submitted these recommendations for action to City Council. 
Read More: Recommendations for Action

Frequently Asked Questions

No, the resolution does not specifically call for changes to existing affordable housing programs. Instead, its primary focus is to formulate policy recommendations and explore opportunities for partnerships that address the unique housing challenges faced by students in Austin.

No, the resolution does not call for any changes to UNO. Its main goal is to provide policy recommendations and explore collaboration opportunities to address student housing needs in Austin.