Over $50M dedicated to affordable housing across Austin

"Obviously, we don’t have the resources we need to really solve the housing crisis," council member Mike Siegel said. "I continue to believe that the state and federal governments should step up and serve the people. But I’m proud of our city for continuing to invest in projects and programs like this."

Zooming in

The Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corp. received allocations for four of its housing developments around East Austin. The city is also transferring some land to the community builder for its 32-home Ada Anderson Place project on the east side. Housing there will be made available through the GNDC's Community Land Trust program, through which land is leased while homes are sold at more affordable prices.

Ada Anderson Place is situated next to a newly opened affordable rental development, Norman Commons, built by Foundation Communities. Mayor Kirk Watson noted the naming in honor of Ada Anderson, as well as the GNDC's nearby Johnny Limon Village development that also received funding, as "wonderful" tributes to two impactful Austinites.

Funding was also approved for nearly 50 houses from Austin Habitat for Humanity in Southeast Austin's master-planned Goodnight Ranch community. The three-bedroom homes are expected to each total 1,678 square feet and be sold for $230,000 to 80% MFI buyers.

On the rental side, council members signed off on funding for two new mixed-income projects from Journeyman Group and DMA Cos. Those apartment complexes in South and Southeast Austin, with 60 and 328 units each, feature a mix of sizes from studios to three-bedrooms. The Sasha, a 60-unit project from DMA, is entirely reserved as permanent supportive housing and has previously received city support.

Narrow Road Group's South First Affordable Apartments and the Preserve at Central Park on North Lamar Boulevard, partially managed through the city, are also getting more than $7 million combined to maintain their lower-income housing.

The south apartments won almost $5 million to rehabilitate properties at 714 Turtle Creek Blvd. and 5609 Cougar Lane, where rents fall within the 30%-60% MFI range. The Preserve at Central Park, recently purchased by the AHFC as part of a wider affordable housing acquisition, is getting $2.5 million for financing that'll help maintain affordable rent rates between 10%-80% MFI.

"This is a wonderful use of Project Connect anti-displacement funds along a future light rail corridor. It’s not easy to maintain deeply affordable properties like this, so I’m thankful for Austin Housing to work on that," Siegel said.