AUSTIN, Texas — Late Thursday night, the Austin City Council passed Phase 1 of the Home Options for Middle-income Employment (HOME) Initiative, along with several new amendments.
The initiative would allow up to three units on one single-family lot and would remove restrictions on how many nonrelated adults can live in a home. The decision to pass Phase 1 of the initiative came after about 12 hours of public testimony on Thursday.
Some of the new amendments would also make it easier for people to install tiny homes, would incentivize preserving existing homes and would encourage building smaller "starter homes."
Supporters of the HOME Initiative say it will bring more housing options and affordability to the city.
"Most people will never be able to afford a home in San Francisco,” a community member said during public testimony on Thursday. “I support the HOME Initiatives because I believe in the American dream, and I believe it's alive here in Austin.”
But some opposed to the initiative think it might negatively impact property values and infrastructure.
"This policy deregulates a housing market that has proven its singular purpose is higher profits – not community benefits, not racial and cultural equity, not income equality, not sustainability and not affordability," another community member said Thursday.
Others opposed to the initiative are also concerned that it could negatively affect the environment and put too much stress on City systems. But Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis (District 8) said the HOME Initiative is a needed step for Austin's future.
“We need to be thinking about what 10, 20, 30, 40 years down the road looks like,” Ellis said. “Because somewhere down the line, there's going to be someone who needs to live closer to work or needs to live closer to an aging parent or has another situation and they need their housing to be more flexible.”
The amendments passed with a 9-2 supermajority. The only two council members opposed were Mackenzie Kelly (District 6) and Alison Alter (District 10).
Kelly said she thinks her constituents are most worried about the unknown consequences of the initiative, especially if it means people will lose their homes and community.
“It’s clear that the tangible concern of that risk looms large in our community, and the unknown consequences on our collective well-being raise serious reservations with me about the passage of this item,” Kelly said.
Councilmember Leslie Pool (District 7) brought the HOME Initiative resolution this past July. Phase 1 passed Thursday, and Pool’s office said the council won’t look at Phase 2 until next year. She said the council will then consider smaller lot sizes, missing middle housing choices and starter homes in the city.
The new amendments will apply to all Austin properties that are a Single-Family Residence Large Lot (SF-1), a Single-Family Resident Standard Lot (SF-2) or a Family Residence (SF-3). The City has a tool on its website to help property owners find out the zoning for their properties.
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