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Housing
Housing department seeks to move unused home repair funds toward homelessness
The city will likely redirect a $2.6 million unused Community Development Block Grant intended for home repairs to create more housing for the homeless in the next budget year. Last week the Community Development Commission voted 9-2 to approve the…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Jul 20, 2020
City evaluates rental assistance program, prepares for round two
Back in May, the city’s Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants program disbursed $1.2 million in emergency rental assistance to 1,680 families across the city. This week, the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department, in conjunction with the Housing Authority of…
Housing • By Nina Hernandez • Jul 10, 2020
Travis County $10M mortgage and rental assistance program to go live June 29
After spending a month working through the details of a proposed rent and mortgage assistance program for Travis County residents impacted by the economic fallout from Covid-19, the Commissioners Court unanimously voted to allocate $10 million of the county’s $61…
Housing • By Jessi Devenyns • Jun 18, 2020
Residents of North Austin mobile home park now own the land they live on
A parade of cars, horns honking, rolled slowly through a mobile home park in North Austin Saturday evening. The drivers, the majority of whom live in the neighborhood, had written words and phrases in Spanish on their windows: “Felicidades, “Sí…
Housing • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Jun 1, 2020
Housing committee talks scaling rental assistance program
The city’s Relief of Emergency Needs for Tenants, or RENT program, which was announced last month, will be distributing $1.26 million in direct payments to landlords by Friday, May 15. The one-time relief will cover rent payments for at least…
Housing • By Ryan Thornton • May 13, 2020
Travis County approves $10M for direct rental and mortgage assistance
On Tuesday, the Travis County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the allocation of $10 million for direct rent, mortgage and utility assistance. The rental assistance will be available to Travis County residents. This one-time cash assistance was complemented by a $2.4…
Housing • By Jessi Devenyns • May 13, 2020
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Govalle neighborhood looks for compromise in affordable housing project
The city of Austin owns 5 acres of land on three adjacent properties at 1127-1131 Tillery St. Two of those acres are home to a grove of pecan trees that some in the neighborhood worry are in danger of being…
Housing • By Jessi Devenyns • Apr 29, 2020
Council pushes for financing, streamlined planning to encourage accessory dwellings
A resolution passed by City Council earlier this month may make it easier and less expensive for homeowners to construct accessory dwelling units on their property. City staff has been instructed to look for funding to provide low-cost loans to…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 20, 2020
City aims to fast-track displacement prevention program as Covid-19 destabilizes residents
The Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department is attempting to accelerate progress on the first effort of its Displacement Prevention programs as more households find themselves unable to pay monthly rent or home mortgages due to Covid-19. Erica Leak, policy…
Housing • By Ryan Thornton • Apr 14, 2020
Workforce housing group raising funds to assist residents in need
The nonprofit group Affordable Central Texas is looking to raise $125,000 to assist residents in the three apartment complexes owned by the Austin Housing Conservancy Fund, which was created to preserve workforce housing in the Austin area. The ACT Together…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Apr 6, 2020
Rent deferred. Full amount due. What landlords are telling tenants during the COVID-19 crisis.
It’s a hell of a time to try to open a restaurant. That’s what Steven Kresena was thinking last week as he watched Austin Mayor Steve Adler order all restaurants and bars closed to diners in an attempt to stall…
Housing • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Mar 26, 2020
Commissioners Court to facilitate talks in disagreement between ABoR and TCAD
TCAD Chief Appraiser Marya Crigler told the Travis County Commissioners Court on March 10 that despite receiving a cease-and-desist order to stop collecting third-party sales data, her office is still working to acquire the necessary data to accurately appraise home…
