How the Texas capital quickly became one of the country’s hottest—and least affordable—housing markets.
An article by Ryan Cavataro in Bloomberg CityLab analyzes the causes of Austin’s growing housing crisis, which is making it harder for longtime residents to afford housing in the city. Chief among them are outdated zoning codes and an influx of new residents and major employers.
According to Cavataro, “Austin's citywide zoning code hasn’t been updated since 1984, when the city was less than half its current population. And rules around single-family lots, which make up much of the city’s residential neighborhoods, are considered some of the more restrictive in the country.”
There is hope, however: “The city adopted a Strategic Housing Blueprint in 2017, which lays out a 10-year plan to create 60,000 affordable housing units. In 2021, the city exceeded its goal of building new housing units within a half-mile of targeted neighborhoods for the fourth year in a row.”
FULL STORY: Why Doesn't Austin Have More Affordable Housing?
Zoning Reform Proposed in Austin
Proposed changes would create more room for mid-density housing and shift away from single-family homes on large lots.
Early Returns on Austin's New Density Bonus Program: 2,337 Affordable Housing Units
Since late 2019, developers who deliver affordable housing units in Austin have received bonuses in height, density, parking, and other regulatory metrics, leading to a large number of new affordable housing units in the pipeline.
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Engineers Gave America's Roads an Almost Failing Grade — Why Aren't We Fixing Them?
With over a trillion dollars spent on roads that are still falling apart, advocates propose a new “fix it first” framework.
The European Cities That Love E-Scooters — And Those That Don’t
Where they're working, where they're banned, and where they're just as annoying the tourists that use them.
Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”
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