HOME: MAY 1, 2009: NEWS

Where Did Austin's Affordable Housing Go?

Affordable Single-Family Homes, 1998: The map shows the locations of "detached single-family units" that are affordable to Austin families earning between 51% and 80% of median family income. The term "density" here does not imply density of land use but of affordable housing in a given geographical area.

Source: BBC Research & Consulting

If you make less than 50 grand a year and think you (and your kids) now have snowball-in-hell odds of ever affording a house in Central Austin, you're not imagining things. A recent comprehensive housing market study delivered by a Denver consultant to City Council and staff in March documents the dwindling supply of housing affordable for Austin's regular folk and the effects of this "housing gap" on the community.

The contrasting 1998 and 2008 maps shown here depict the sprawling outward creep of houses affordable to families living on 51% to 80% of median family income ($34,554 to $55,280 a year). Besides being bad for the environment, this middle-class migration means that Austinites least able to afford higher transportation costs are being pushed farther and farther from the jobs and services of the central city. Not good.

The study's top-line recommendations to reverse the trend: 1) Re-evaluate the zoning and development process (as part of Austin's Comprehensive Plan), 2) set affordable-housing targets, 3) examine regulatory barriers to housing development, 4) consider additional development incentives to produce affordable housing, and 5) supplement existing funding.

Among the study's other conclusions:

• Households earning $50,000 can afford 36% of the attached units (condos) on the market but only 16% of the houses.

• Those earning $75,000 and up have many more options for homes to buy – but just 13% of renters earn this much.

Affordable Single-Family Homes, 2008: The map shows the locations of "detached single-family units" that are affordable to Austin families earning between 51% and 80% of median family income. The term "density" here does not imply density of land use but of affordable housing in a given geographical area.

Source: BBC Research & Consulting

• Austin needs more homes priced between $113,000 and $240,000 to enable renters earning $35,000 to $75,000 to buy.

Citing "a disturbing picture," the nonprofit Liveable City called for incorporating the study's findings into the Comprehensive Plan process and drew special attention to these study conclusions (here pulled from Liveable City's newsletter):

• Austin housing costs increased 85% over the last 10 years.

• Austin workers – especially retail workers – are being pushed out of town by high housing prices.

• Recent UT grads and young people are leaving Austin due to high housing costs.

• Austin lacks affordable housing for 29,000 households.

• To improve the situation, Austin needs to add at least 1,000 new housing units a year affordable to households earning $20,000 or less.

• Twenty-three separate ordinances related to development in the last 18 months have increased development costs.

Read the entire study at www.cityofaustin.org/housing/apr08chms.htm. Then go blow that $2,000 you were saving toward a down payment on lottery tickets – your best shot at a nice house anywhere near Central Austin.

Share Digg Twitter Facebook Del.icio.us LinkedLn Email Print article

COMMENTS

Realism m1ek Apr 30, 2009 - 11:55 am

Once a city grows beyond a certain point, you have to be realistic that the core of the city probably isn't going to remain affordable, as long as you only define housing as single-family detached houses.

How many cities that aren't dying burgs or a sprawling hellholes have affordable single-family detached housing in their cores? I can't think of any; people grow up and realize that if you want to live central and don't have a lot of money, you live in a condo, a duplex, an apartment, a townhouse, a co-op, whatever.

At least Gregor pointed out condos here - that's a start. Mentioning that the McMansion Ordinance severely disincents existing and future duplexes and garage apartments would have been a welcome addition as well, though.

fuck that anonymous Apr 30, 2009 - 12:09 pm

Wrong again, m1ek. People not making pay will not live in a city where they can't afford to buy a home. Your grocery store clerks and maids will all move to more affordable cities like Dallas and Houston. ALL CITIES NEED A FAIR SUPPLY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, M1EK. If you won't take it from me at least look at the fucking market for once and open your eyes to the fact that people aren't buying shitty houses that are overpriced.

Nobody is saying that all the affordable housing has to be downtown EXCEPT for your dumb ass.

PS anonymous Apr 30, 2009 - 12:10 pm

Only fucking shitheads want to live in condos.

Glad the middle class gets mentioned here ccosart May 01, 2009 - 12:03 pm

Increasingly families making 80-120% of median income are being forced out of Austin. When you hit that point you are talking about the majority of families in Austin being excluded. m1ek is right. Groups like the ANC fighting smart growth, small lot SF, towhouses, or basically any other means of increasing supply hold much of the blame for the situation.

Uh... tthomas48 May 05, 2009 - 09:51 am

anonymous - neither Dallas nor Houston have sub-200k downtown housing. They are both working to figure out how to preserve central affordable housing just like Austin. They do have lots of affordable suburbs. Heck Austin's a bargain compared to Houston or Dallas. Check out what a house costs in Austin with a 45 minute commute vs. Dallas or Houston.

downtown vs. central anonymous May 05, 2009 - 10:40 am

You, sir, are an idiot.

There is a difference between living downtown and living in the central part of a city. Nobody is saying that living in downtown, Hyde Park, or Tarrytown will ever be cheap in the foreseeable future. The centrally located, traditionally working class and low income neighborhoods like St. Johns and Highland SHOULD NOT have $300,000 "starter homes".

And I grew up in Dallas and remember a time when low income people DID live downtown. Just because you turn a blind eye to it doesn't mean they never existed.

Go dig your own grave anonymous May 05, 2009 - 10:46 am

Keep buying shacks for $400,000 just because they're within Austin city limits. Pay $1000.00 a month for your UT freshman daughter's rent. Watch Austin fill up with old people and rich fuckers who don't have a creative nerve in their bodies. Watch the mass exodus of artists, musicians, retail workers and laborers from the comfort of the porch of your half a million dollar bungalow. Then when you go to HEB and there's nobody there to run the store, have fun slaughtering your own steaks. That's the future you're building for yourself when you ignore the needfor low income and working class labor. Either pay us more or give us land on which to live. The choice is really yours.

Last time anonymous May 05, 2009 - 10:52 am

Oaklawn. I don't know the situation today but 3 or 4 years ago I had friends that lived in the Oaklawn section of Dallas, making very little money, paying about $500.00 a month for very large apartments in a very economically depressed neighborhood bordered by the gay district.

Dallas is MUCH more affordable than Austin. Houston is too.

The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round. LouDobbs May 05, 2009 - 11:15 am

" Either pay us more or give us land on which to live."
Why not get a job that pays more money? I'll tell you why, because you don't want to make the SACRIFICES needed to EARN a higher wage.
" paying about $500.00 a month for very large apartments in a very economically depressed neighborhood."
Yes, the low prices are in economically DEPRESSED areas. Central Austin is not depressed. That is the key. Prices are low where people don't want to live. It's called supply and demand. Likewise, perform a task that is in demand and you will get paid accordingly.
The choice is really yours.

*basks in the heady intellect* Wayne Alan Brenner May 05, 2009 - 11:28 am

...

"Only fucking shitheads want to live in condos."

...

I do so admire
the sledgehammer lack of subtlety
and the unswerving certainty
implied by such a statement.

Perhaps I'll essay a few variations myself,
the better to streamline my journey
through this complex life.

"Only people who make me pot roast
with mashed potatoes and baby carrots
aren't fucking shitheads."

"Unless you bring me
a double espresso and some biscotti
in the next three minutes,
you are a total douchebag."

"Fuck you, MY word is law."

Oh yes, I'm liking this.

Ever so much.

Thanks, "anonymous,"
for your valiant leadership in this area!

who cares? smarvis May 05, 2009 - 12:50 pm

I wish we wouldn't use tax dollars on these studies that tell us what we already know. Desirable, central areas are expensive because a lot of people want to live in these areas. There is a large supply of affordable single family houses just south of Ben White. There is a large supply of affordable apartments in the East Riverside area. Both areas are well served by buses, although the bus system always has room for improvement. I have lived in both of these areas. It is beyond me why tax payers in Austin opt to pay for these studies and more 'affordable housing' in more desirable, central areas. It makes no sense to me. It seems like city council is paid for by developers and it's in the developers interests to get affordable housing kickbacks. Developers don't really need to worry about renting/selling their substandard developments because the city will guarantee they get affordable housing subsidies.

Lewd, anonymous May 05, 2009 - 01:13 pm

Lewd, I was writing to Thomas who seems to think that all downtowns are wonderlands of golden toilets and emerald urinals where plebs serve no purpose but to lick the asses of the massas clean.

DRI masters of the thirty second song. LouDobbs May 05, 2009 - 06:38 pm

Thomas wasn't saying that, and was being polite to boot. Central/Downtown ares are expensive because people want to live there. Why is everyone repeating this to you?
Smarvis you are not alone in wishing that we wouldn't spend tax dollars to study "what we already know." This is just another example of Govt wasting our money. Govt does not value money because it merely takes it.
What is sad is the public's growing approval of Govt sticking their greedy inefficient mitts into all areas of the economy. What can you say, stupid people vote.
It won't be long before some new young punk pens "Obamanomics" ..what the fuck I'll do it myself:
Obamanomics killing me
Obamanomics killing me
Obamanomics killing me
Obamanomics killing you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmiYCh1jjWU&feature=related

DoppelGinty May 05, 2009 - 09:28 pm

Lou don't take it personally, Scat just doesn't like DRI, he's more of a DK sort of guy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wafg6agSiM&feature=related

let's try this again. LouDobbs May 06, 2009 - 08:36 pm

Awww Scats and my last post was cut. Like I was saying DG the only Kennedy Scats a fan of is the bozo with the big red head that drives off bridges. Scat wouldn't know Jello Biafra from tapioca pudding.
His posts are a reflection of his intellect. ( now here's where I have to make sure not to use big people words, or Uncle Chron will cut me again) Scats posts are worthless, he can't support a single position. If he doesn't like what you have to say he'll start talking about poo-poo, wieners and nuts.

As obnoxious as you find me... anonymous May 07, 2009 - 09:53 am

I find it equally obnoxious that you won't see the difference between downtown and central Austin.

Riverside is not downtown but it's still central Austin. Montopolis is not downtown, but it's located in central Austin. Northloop is not downtown, but it's pretty centrally located in Austin.

I am not saying working class, blue collar people should or all want to live downtown. I am saying that if housing costs have increased 85% and wages have declined 10% in the past 10 years, then We do Have a Bigger Problem Now and it is tied to stupid Reaganomics and the backwards idea that the rich will feed the poor if you fatten their pockets with blood money.

We just need a workers strike. anonymous May 07, 2009 - 10:00 am

Everybody that's renting and renting and will never own a home ever needs to take a week off of work and let their bosses know firsthand how much their labor is worth. I know people that act like they could not survive without their yoga lessons and hair appointments - let them clean up after themselves and have to walk everywhere and cook their own food for a week, give them a little taste of what it's like to be a real adult with real adult problems.

LouDobbs May 12, 2009 - 10:07 pm

"As obnoxious as you find me...I find it equally obnoxious that you won't see the difference between downtown and central Austin."
Why, and what do differences between Downtown and Central Aus have to do with anything? Ok I'll concede your point that the two are by definition different.
" The centrally located, traditionally working class and low income neighborhoods like St. Johns and Highland SHOULD NOT have $300,000 "starter homes"."
Why not? People want to live in these areas and are willing to pay top dollar to do just that. It really just sounds like you are upset that you can't afford to live where you want to.
"Everybody that's renting and renting and will never own a home ever needs to take a week off of work and let their bosses know firsthand how much their labor is worth."
Labor is worth what people are willing to pay. Anony, don't take a job if you don't like what it pays.
What is obnoxious, is that you want free land or artificially priced housing in desirable neighborhoods and high wages for unskilled work. Some people make poor decisions in life and then are upset when, later on down the road, they are faced with the consequences of their actions.
I'll give you some advice Anony. Divorce yourself from arbitrary societal time lines. Don't be afraid to change the direction of your life and retool through education. You can develop a marketable skill. I watched my mother, at the age of 50, get an accounting degree. She took classes at night and loaded up during summer semesters, all the while, working 40 plus hours a week.
Good luck, it can be done. Nobody owes you anything.

Lewd, anonymous May 13, 2009 - 10:32 am

A crackhouse on Montopolis should not be valued at $300,000 under any circumstances! Where there are existing low income and working class neighborhoods, the prices should reflect the values of the homes! It's fucking common sense, Lewd! Just because you think it's ok to lie, cheat and steal doesn't mean that those actions are not morally objectionable to others!

I'm upset because I work full time and on the weekends and I can't even afford to rent a fucking apartment on my own. My work is undervalued and it's because shortsighted neo-cons like you and charity-happy liberals want to keep me and a growing population of millions of other people like me in our place.

I don't know if you're aware of this, Gramps, but wages have been stagnant for about 10 years and before that, for 20 or 30 years, wages were not increasing to meet inflation.

It's like you are living in this fantasy world of the fucking NINETEEN FIFTIES when people were paid well enough to live in goddamn houses if they worked a full time job and had white skin. That shit is not true anymore! You don't even have a choice of where you work - you just fuckign take what you can get! You have bosses making $100,000 a year to sit on their ass and come in one day a week while people that come in every day and work full time and take a part time job have to live with roommates!

And then... then, you have the fucking AUDACITY to tell me to quit my fucking joba and learn a marketable skill?

continued anonymous May 13, 2009 - 10:36 am

You may think the garbageman only should be paid $15,000 a year because you don't value his service to you. I may think the garbageman's work is worth $85,000 a year. But if you're paying the garbageman and the garbageman can't keep a roof over his head and he doesn't pick up your garbage for a month, what the fuck are you going to do about it? I know what you'd do - you'd hire Jose who works for $10,000 a year.

YOU are the problem with society. This whole town is like a field full of fire ants with all the worker ants scurrying around to keep the Queen happy. You are the Queen, Lewd, and if you are not the Queen, you have no business spewing this utter shit in support of this VERY REAL situation.

If all the worker ants say, "Fuck this shit" and stop moving the dirt around, stop making sure all the ant shit is in the right corner and stop feeding the Queen, what's going to happen? The whole fucking colony will die. Same thing here - if you make all the worker ants live on the far north side of the field and let all the Queens live on the far west side of the field, the workers may survive, maybe thrive, but the Queens will all die and so will their ant pile.

You can't force all the poor people and working class people to move from a city unless you want to pay someone $50,000.00 a year to bag your groceries. If you don't provide housing for working class people, nobody will be there when you want to fix your car or call the babysitter. Like I said, it's common fucking sense, Lewd, though I doubt your interested in anything affecting real people, right now.

anonymous May 13, 2009 - 11:21 am

Oh, and educations, training and marketable skills DON'T MEAN SHIT and I don't give a fuck about what your mother did or didn't do 20 years ago - they don't mean shit today. What matters today is how cruel and ruthless you are behind a soft and cuddly exterior. EVERYONE has upper level college degrees and they still can't find a full time job at Target. You are obviously completely unaware of what's happening to millions of people all over this country. Please, before you go running your mother off and embarrassing yourself any further, educate yourself by talking to younger working people or at least reading the comments section of any major newspaper that is running a story about the sorry state of Capitalism in this country.

the world owes me a livin'... LouDobbs May 13, 2009 - 02:25 pm

oh my. Anonybus, you are truly a sad, sad, deluded soul.

Sure anonymous May 13, 2009 - 03:58 pm

According to you. And you have the intelligence of a pineapple so I'm not too concerned about your personal feelings regarding my soul.

LouDobbs May 13, 2009 - 04:58 pm

Think of me as a pineapple that only needs to work one job, has a house, and a wife that gets to stay home.
Now you and your roomate go figure out how to stick it to the man.
Lou's inda house! Beotch!

As I said, anonymous May 13, 2009 - 05:20 pm

You are a Queen. That much is obvious. You are also in the minority and I wouldn't want to be in your cake eating shoes when We The People drag out the guillotine.

LouDobbs May 13, 2009 - 06:48 pm

One problem with finding me during your revolution. The number one bus doesn't go anywhere near my estate.
Beoootchh!!!

Scat May 13, 2009 - 07:39 pm

Lou how man Mexicans have you castrated?

LouDobbs May 13, 2009 - 08:06 pm

One dunce tags out and another jumps into the ring. Scat brother, where've you been? I waited for a follow up from you after you asked me if I liked Mexicans. I thought for sure you'd have something clever or biting to say, but you ran away. ..not even a poo poo and wiener comment. coward.
Anonybus does'nt seem to like Mexicans, he's mad that they have a solid work ethic and have undercut his sad-sack lazy wants-everything-free self.

Scat May 13, 2009 - 09:18 pm

If your estate is so championed and wonderful why do you waste time hawking online? Are you lying?

it entertains me while I'm at my one job. LouDobbs May 13, 2009 - 10:25 pm

Well Scat it's not really an "estate" I just used that word for the comedic value.
But the pre 1920 historic house is pretty cool with woodwork that you just don't find these days, and it does sit on an acre of land. ..not really that large unless you're trying to mow it by hand. I tried that once and quickly decided to buy a riding mower.
I actually like your posts Scat. You don't try to be witty or insightful. Your posts are what they are. Frankly a little chaff doesn't hurt every now and then.

lou loafs at work razorboy May 13, 2009 - 11:14 pm

He just admitted it here. What a freeloader. Typical conservative. I'd fire his lazy ass.

LouDobbs May 13, 2009 - 11:20 pm

Razor checking in. RazorBaby, It's good to be the King.

Scat May 14, 2009 - 12:34 am

Lou are you sad McCain and his whore lost the election?

I'm tellin' you, he's gonna raise your taxes. LouDobbs May 14, 2009 - 05:49 am

Obama Bush McCain, just another politcian.
Scat amigo, how do you feel about Obama not ending the war, filling his cabinet with lobbyists and insiders and running up the largest debt ever?
Come on Scat, can you just admit Obama lied to all you dupes. Messiah! Messiah! Here comes the Messiah!!
..more like mishugina if you ask me.

Shoot Lewd, anonymous May 14, 2009 - 09:08 am

I won't have to go anywhere near your "estate". I'm sure your poor neighbors (as in I'm so sorry they have to live near you, not low income) will be happy to kick the stool out from under your feet when the time comes.

..how many roads LouDobbs May 14, 2009 - 02:22 pm

Anonymous, let's quit this bickering. The real issue is affordable housing. Your heart is in the right place, but your head isn't. Allow me to help you understand that a crackhouse is worth 300,000 if someone is willing to pay that much for it.
I know, that goes against your gut feelings, but look where your gut feelings have gotten you in life so far. All grown up and living with a roommate, riding the bus, having to work multiple jobs. Your perspective is obviously not leading you down the path to riches. Frankly I'd also be bitter if I was in your shoes.
So Anonymous, let met help you. Think of me as friendly Uncle Lou. I offer you my hand, an invisible hand, that will lead you to economic prosperity.
The first step on the road to recovery is to admit your failings. Admit you have lived a lifetime of poor choices, and that you are a sad soul that needs help. Seek and you shall receive.
...wouldn't it be nice to have a real woman in your life? Let me help you. Peace, brother.

You must be smoking crack anonymous May 14, 2009 - 02:28 pm

Bitching and moaning about Obama before telling me that I've gotten too far off track?

That says more about how delusional you are than I ever could.

..a real woman. too funny. DoppelGinty May 14, 2009 - 05:04 pm

Calling Dr.Howard, Dr.Fine, Dr.Howard. Is there a doctor in the house? Lou just disemboweled Anonymous.

WTF ever anonymous May 14, 2009 - 05:21 pm

If by "disembowled" you mean "stuck a sabre into his own stomach, ripped the hilt from side to side, and emptied his own useless guts (of which there were reportedly few) onto the floor of his "estate"."

LouDobbs May 14, 2009 - 06:36 pm

I don't know what you're talking about DG. And Anony, this is how you treat me after I extend an olive loaf to you? After I offer you my tutelage?
What's that you say, you like to get high? Well that helps explain your lot in life. Truth is, it sounds like you are paid just exactly what you're worth. Face it, some people are simply better and smarter than others, and they get paid accordingly.
Smoke up chief!

(Head exploding) undrum1 May 15, 2009 - 11:09 am

"EVERYONE has upper level college degrees and they still can't find a full time job at Target. "

Hey anonymous coward -my 20 year old daughter's still in college and just found a full time summer job paying $10.50 working the front desk for a national insurance company's Austin office.

Get off your lazy ass and get to work, you little crybaby.

My name is Undumb... and I am illiterate. anonymous May 15, 2009 - 04:25 pm

I work two jobs, you red assed baboon.

LouDobbs May 16, 2009 - 12:13 am

"EVERYONE has upper level college degrees and they still can't find a full time job at Target. "
undrum1, that lie jumped out at me also, I just never got around to dissecting it. It's really such an absurd spouting of nonsense that I shouldn't bother. But it does open the door for some observations on college degrees and financial success.
If someone with an upper level degree can't find work, my first thought is, "What is the degree in?" Rest assured it won't be in chemical engineering. It invariably will be a throw away degree like English or History, or Education. Sure any degree will get your foot in the door, but once in, you still need to have a skill that someone values. That's why I use the term "throw away", because you really don't learn a skill by majoring in Eg/Hist/Edu and so forth.
Yet, foolish people think just because they are lettered they deserve a certain rate of pay, even if they can actually do Nothing. When they realize the sorry financial state they are in, they can choose to learn a new skill that society values, or piss and moan that they should be paid more for the crap degree they posses.
Usually, undrum1, they are indeed as you pointed out, Lazy. The irony is that their own laziness can cause them to have to work more the one shit paying job. Funnier still, they then think the bosses at the shit jobs are fucking them by "taking" all the profits and not paying them more.
And the cycle continues. It doesn't have to be that way, but most of those cowards are afraid of mirrors and bootstraps.

Scat May 16, 2009 - 02:07 am

If someone with an upper level degree can't find work, my first thought is, "What is the degree in?" Rest assured it won't be in chemical engineering. It invariably will be a throw away degree like English or History, or Education. Sure any degree will get your foot in the door, but once in, you still need to have a skill that someone values. That's why I use the term "throw away", because you really don't learn a skill by majoring in Eg/Hist/Edu and so forth.

Exactly the reason why your thinking is at such a base level Dobbs. You can rearrange furniture and consider it 'thinking'. Must be the reason why you hang out here hoping to beat up a kid.

hidden treasure. LouDobbs May 16, 2009 - 09:02 am

Hi Scat, is this your "At long last, have you left no sense of decency" speech? Or is it that you and your band of picadors grow tired of watching your handsome matadors' slow bleed out. (actually it wasn't too slow)
So what ruffles your feathers about my degree comments? Is your degree in Hist/Eng or Education, is that what bothers you? Oh alright, I'll add a qualifier, they're only "throw away" if you counting on them to earn money.
"Must be the reason why you hang out here hoping to beat up a kid."
Look, if you step outside and start cursing at people and screaming nonsense, don't be surprised if someone boxes your ears. Scat friend, why do you hang out here? To examine ideas and beliefs? Please, I've yet to see you champion a single notion. You fling urine and poo at everyone you don't agree with and then you play those stupid Tito Puente albums until 2:00 in the morning!

Scat May 16, 2009 - 06:33 pm

Thanks Lou could you council me on Capitalism?

you must pebble the snatch from my hand LouDobbs May 16, 2009 - 06:57 pm

Scathopper do you see my hand. Now look were did it go? Yes it is invisible.

Lewd anonymous May 19, 2009 - 01:34 pm

Unemployment and underemployment of doctoral graduates has been a cause for concern in this country since the 1990s. It's much worse today as American schools fail to provide a good, basic education all around but especially in the maths and sciences.

I could provide links but I can't even hyperlink here so why don't you just go to google and type in "unemployed doctorates" or go to google news and search for "unemployment among college grads" or "unemployment upper level college" for pages and pages of actual news stories regarding how abyssmal a situaion you'll be in if you happen to get laid off or fired for being a creep on the internet while at work.

I know it's pretty much impossible for you to understand, but I don't think only about myself when I consider issues. My concerns are with the people being ignored or who don't have a voice. Assholes who don't realize how greedy they are or who think it's ok to compensate those who work 40 hours a week with wages far below the poverty level have PLENTY of representation on the internet.

Scat May 19, 2009 - 02:43 pm

Scathopper do you see my hand. Now look were did it go? Yes it is invisible.

Lewd now that is funny but lazy faire capitalism is a joke and guess what? It is lazy.

Where Did Austin's Affordable Housing Go?

Ads of the Day