Developer proposes low-income housing complex in North Austin

"There are also sound concerns," Walnut Creek neighborhood resident Jill Knight said. "Sound travels, and a lot of folks in that section of our neighborhood are often having to call the police with complaints about sound traveling over the creek."

Perhaps more pressing for the developer, however, are the logistical obstacles of building in that area.

"One things a lot of people don't realize is that pretty much every time you develop east of Lamar, there's a lot of issues with drainage," said Mary Rudig, president of the North Austin Coalition of Neighborhoods. The Walnut Creek Neighborhood Association is one of seven associations that compose NACN.

The area of the proposed development contains no storm drains or sidewalks. Bus stops on North Lamar are located directly on the side of the street and lack any type of shelter.

But John Boyd, vice president with Realtex, said the company still has a lot of due diligence to perform on the site before it decides to move forward and seek financing.

"We are in the very early stages of a preliminary investigation as to whether that site is suitable for affordable housing," he said.

That process, he added, could take another six months.

The neighborhood coalition plans to put together a list of concerns that it will present to Realtex.

"We would like to sit down with them and listen to their concerns," Boyd said.

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that the proposed complex would be located on North Lamar Boulevard. The proposed location is accessible by Walnut Creek Crossing, between North Lamar Boulevard and I-35.