Former church site offers mix of affordable, permanent supportive housing in SE Austin

The Housing Department recently celebrated the opening of Parker Lane Apartments, a new affordable housing community in Southeast Austin’s District 3. The development, managed by the nonprofit organization Foundation Communities, offers 135 units designed to support individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The unit mix includes 25 one-bedroom, 68 two-bedroom and 42 three-bedroom apartments. Of those, 14 units are designated for families with children facing homelessness. Ten units are reserved for households earning at or below 30 percent of the area’s median family income, 58 units are for those at or below 50 percent MFI, and 53 are for those at or below 60 percent MFI. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs contributed $15 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credits toward the project, while the city provided approximately $9.7 million using funds from 2022 general obligation bonds and Project Connect’s anti-displacement initiatives. Additional financial support came from Wells Fargo, St. David’s Foundation, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas. Located on property from the former Parker Lane United Methodist Church site, the project saw church leaders enter into a 99-year lease agreement with Foundation Communities to bring affordable housing and community services to the neighborhood.