Breaking it down
Officials said the review began in June and shows a widening housing affordability crisis in Kyle. It is being conducted by HousingWorks Austin, an affordable-housing nonprofit.
Early findings point to growing pressure on lower-income workers across the community and higher costs for rent and housing. The assessment will continue through April.
Why it matters
According to Awais Azhar, executive director of HousingWorks Austin, nearly 25% of homeowners and 55% of renters were cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30%-50% of their income on housing. Essential workers, including paramedics, firefighters and teachers, are increasingly struggling to keep up with rising housing costs.
“We want households to not be spending an inordinate amount of their [income] on housing-related expenses because that essentially means that they will be impacting education, health access, elder care ... all the things that are critical for a family in a household to thrive,” Azhar said.
Kyle has 1,512 affordable units—about 8% of all housing—even though more than 40% of households earn less than 60% of the city’s $100,705 median family income, a common threshold used in affordable housing programs.
Sorting out the details
With the median home cost being $328,353 and average rent at $1,242 a month—nearly $200 more than nearby Austin—affordability pressures on low-income residents continue to grow, Azhar said.
“I do want to just highlight that this is not something that is unique to Kyle,” Azhar said. “This is something faced by the entire region and regions throughout the nation. “
The city of Austin, which is in the same federal housing statistical region as Kyle, voted to expand a housing finance tool to reach more lower-income residents as part of its effort to address rising affordability needs.
Looking ahead
According to Azhar, HousingWorks Austin will soon meet with residents, city leaders and local organizations, such as Habitat for Humanity, Council on Aging and other community stakeholders, to gauge community feedback and shape the next phase of the housing review.
