The YIMBYs Come to Town, and City Council Joins Them

Yes in Austin’s Backyard

"...It’s possible for companies developing VMU-sized projects – which typically include hundreds of units –..."

March 1, 2024 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Breaking Down What the HOME Initiative’s Passing Means for Austin

Council approves HOME phase one, looks ahead to phase two

"...one that expanded the reach of Austin's vertical mixed-use (VMU) density bonus program, which incentivizes large multifamily housing along..."

Dec. 15, 2023 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Homeowners Kill Prior City Council’s Modest Housing Reforms

Low-income housing program to survive legal challenge

"...their requests. The challenged ordinances include vertical mixed-use 2 (VMU2), a bonus program that allows developers to build taller..."

Nov. 17, 2023 News Feature by Lina Fisher

Council Attitudes on Land-Use Change as Limits on Building Near Houses Are Eased

Council cuts compatibility with little opposition

"...last year modifying compatibility rules for Vertical Mixed Use (VMU) developments, staff found that 66% of VMU-zoned sites would..."

June 9, 2023 News Post by Austin Sanders

Public Notice: Land Use Reforms on Hold?

Whose fault is that?

"...has adopted over the last couple of years – VMU2, Affordability Unlocked, and the recent changes allowing housing in..."

March 10, 2023 News Column by Nick Barbaro

Lawsuit Threatens Council’s Modest Progress on Housing Crisis

Same group that blocked land code rewrite in 2020 is back

"...from litigation. So, they proceeded slowly and carefully; the VMU2 and compatibility reforms were envisioned as modest changes less..."

March 6, 2023 News Post by Austin Sanders

Low-Income Residents Earn Concessions From Developer

More help for Old Homesteaders

"...a number of income-restricted units on-site as required by VMU zoning, the current residents of the Old Homestead reported..."

June 24, 2022 News Feature by Kit O’Connell

Affordable Housing and How to Get More Keeps Council Busy

What happened last week and what's on this week's Council agenda

"..."you give this gift to developers if you deregulate VMU. If you get rid of compatibility, if you give..."

June 17, 2022 News Feature by Maggie Q. Thompson

Public Notice: How Much Does Height Matter?

Plus, cars off Guadalupe!

"...they could have done more. Removing front setbacks in VMU for example, would allow storefronts right up to the..."

June 17, 2022 News Column by Nick Barbaro

Inching Toward Higher Heights to Get More Housing

Advocates for low-income tenants urge a go-slow approach

"...“You give this gift to developers if you deregulate VMU. If you get rid of compatibility, if you give..."

June 13, 2022 News Post by Maggie Q. Thompson

City Council to Tweak Compatibility Rules Amid Housing Crisis

Can a change help stem rising housing and rent costs?

"...extra height (above the 60 feet allowed in current VMU zoning) to, among other things, accommodate ground-floor retail. Throughout..."

June 10, 2022 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Public Notice: The Housing Game

Council goes in search of the “lose-lose” solution

"...to fix some of the limitations in the current VMU zoning. The product of several months' work by staff..."

June 10, 2022 News Column by Nick Barbaro

Council Has Much Business to Attend to Before Its Break

A 125-item agenda stands between Council and a summer break

June 10, 2022 News Feature by Mike Clark-Madison

Negotiations Ongoing Between Developer and Low-Income Apartment Residents

Residents of the Old Homestead aren't ready to go

June 10, 2022 News Feature by Kit O’Connell

Public Notice: Setting an Agenda for Land Use

"...by various factors in the way it's written. Hence VMU2, a rewrite spearheaded by Council Member Ann Kitchen, which..."

June 3, 2022 News Column by Nick Barbaro

Council Recap: Once-Sacred Neighborhood Protections Battered by Austin's Affordability Crisis

Are taller buildings with less parking the answer?

"...property line, and a 90-foot building (allowed by the VMU overlay) has to be more than 400 feet away...."

May 21, 2022 News Post by Maggie Q. Thompson

Council Preview: More Eighth Street Cash, More VMU Talk

Beanbag rounds, babies, and buildings on the agenda

"...Council message board to point out that the city's VMU program has added hundreds of affordable units since its..."

May 20, 2022 News Feature by Maggie Q. Thompson

Public Notice: Showdown on Main Streets

Applying the kinder, gentler Land Development Code rewrite to transit corridors

"...a proposal to tweak the current program and add "VMU2," a sort of VMU on mild steroids that could..."

May 20, 2022 News Column by Nick Barbaro

Council Punts on VMU and Guaranteed Income

$1,000 checks from the city and lax parking regulations will have to wait

"...Council Member Chito Vela proposed two amendments to the VMU2 ordinance that would let developers waive parking requirements and..."

April 29, 2022 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Austin's Best Density Bonus Remains in Suspense

To V(MU) or not to V

"...income (for one person, that's about $55,400). Staff estimates VMU has produced about 5,379 housing units (540 of which..."

April 22, 2022 News Feature by Austin Sanders

Public Notice: Growing Pains

Tell us something we don’t know

"...on the Imagine Austin Speaker Series website at austintexas.gov/department/imagine-austin-speaker-series. VMU Revamp Postponed to June..."

April 22, 2022 News Column by Nick Barbaro

Council Recap: New 4 U In 2022, It’s VMU2

City Hall dives into reworking its housing bonus programs

"...advocates view as a glaring flaw in the existing VMU overlay, created in 2007. The idea behind that code..."

Nov. 19, 2021 News Post by Austin Sanders

City Council: On South Lamar, Who Can We Trust?

With new zoning, housing project developer commits to some income-restricted units

"...That VMU overlay limits the height of buildings on those tracts..."

Oct. 22, 2021 News Feature by Austin Sanders

At Council: More Apartments, North and South

Council considers two zoning cases facing opposition from surrounding neighbors

"...Association, which opposes the rezoning, agreed to the existing VMU designations but feels that this section of South Lamar..."

Oct. 15, 2021 News Feature by Austin Sanders

More From Laura Morrison

Mayoral candidate on CodeNEXT, APA, public process

"...perfect examples of getting affordable housing programs that work. VMU [vertical mixed-use development] is by no means the answer..."

Jan. 11, 2018 News Post by Michael King

Tovo and Casar Unfiltered on CodeNEXT

The Council members' full conversation with the Chronicle

"...– if you look at the success of the VMU [Vertical Mixed-Use development] program, that actually has created a..."

Sept. 14, 2017 News Post by Nick Barbaro

Bonus Points for Affordability

One council member hopes to ensure bonus program developers are building affordable housing on-site

"...that developers opt for instead of Vertical Mixed Use (VMU) zoning, which requires on-site affordability, and to bring that..."

Oct. 2, 2015 News Feature by Mary Tuma

Neighborhood Watch

Sustainable Neighborhoods group advocates 'family-friendly' north side development

"...empty nesters. The large apartment buildings and vertical mixed-use (VMU) projects sprouting along major streets offer residences that are..."

March 22, 2013 News Feature by Robyn Ross

'Completing Communities'

A conversation with Kathie Tovo

"...AC: And regarding the opt-in to VMU zoning, do you think their established neighborhoods did their..."

June 3, 2011 News Feature by Wells Dunbar

The Daily Hustle: 5/11/10

City Council highlights this Thursday

"...second and third read of Upper Boggy Creek Neighborhood's VMU zoning opt-in/opt-out process...."

May 11, 2010 News Post by Wells Dunbar

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