AUSTIN, Texas — As Austin keeps growing, leaders continue to look for ways to add more housing.
The Austin City Council voted Thursday to move forward with a plan that would allow developers to build more homes on smaller lots. The vote came after a great deal of pushback from residents.
The controversial agenda item led residents to take to the podium to voice their concerns and frustrations for at least five hours, hotly debating whether or not the move was the right plan to address the housing shortage in Austin.
The resolution directs the city manager to propose amendments that reduce the minimum lot size in single-family zoning districts to 2,500 square feet or less, which would allow existing lots to be subdivided. The plan could allow for more unique housing – including row houses, townhomes and triplexes – to be developed.
While dozens of residents spoke in support of the plan, a number of residents expressed concerns over what it might lead to.
"I don't want Austin to become San Francisco," Christian Tschoepe said.
"Seventy-three percent of Austinites are unable to afford the median price of an Austin home. Owning your own home is the No. 1 way to build wealth for families, and 73% of Austinites should have that opportunity," Taylor Jackson with the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin said in support of the plan.
"Density does not equal affordability – it never has and it never will. I lived on Manhattan Island. It's the densest place, [but] I got news: it's not affordable and it got worse and worse and worse," Craig Nazor with the Austin Environmental Democrats said in opposition.
Under the resolution, the city manager is also directed to amend the maximum number of housing units to at least three units per lot in single-family zoning districts.
The Austin Board of REALTORS released a statement praising the council's decision:
“The Austin Board of REALTORS® is pleased city council has taken action to decrease the minimum lot size of residential properties, intended to help increase the abundance and variety of housing. We support this resolution because it demonstrates the Council prioritizing housing of a wider variety and with more development flexibility to meet the needs of our rapidly growing community.
We appreciate Council Member Leslie Pool’s office for involving us in helping shape this resolution. We would also like to thank Council Members José Vela, Zo Qadri, Mayor Pro Tem Paige Ellis and Mayor Kirk Watson for sponsoring this resolution. ABoR will continue to address and support meaningful changes to increase our city's housing stock and we look forward to partnering as a stakeholder during this important policy discussion.”
Ultimately, the item passed Thursday afternoon, despite a pair of "no" votes from Councilmembers Alison Alter (District 10) and Mackenzie Kelly (District 6).
Boomtown is KVUE's series covering the explosive growth in Central Texas. For more Boomtown stories, head to KVUE.com/Boomtown.