Last November, Austin voters were asked to approve almost $80 million for affordable housing.
They chose not to.
As the city considers putting the question to voters again this fall, KUT News asks: just how does affordable housing work in Austin?
This week, KUT News explores the nuts and bolts of affordable housing in a four-part series – "Under One Roof: Affordable Housing 101." Here’s a closer look:
- Part One: The Users. Affordable housing wait lists can last upwards of five years. That’s because the demand for affordable units far outstrips their number. Who are the users of affordable housing in Austin? Meet one family that’s waited years for an affordable home.
- Part Two: The Developers. Building more housing sounds like a focused, achievable goal. But it’s a challenge filled with many moving parts. Learn about their biggest challenges facing the developers and providers of affordable housing.
- Part Three: The Money. Bond elections have the most visibility – but bonds are just one source of money for affordable housing projects. While public finding sources are scarce, some projects can assemble a dozen or more sources of funding – and putting the money together is no easy feat.
- Part Four: The Politics. There are a lot of differences – even within the affordable housing community – about just how the city should be approaching this from a policy perspective. Hear from some of the different sides.
In the player above, listen to KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Matt Largey preview “Under One Roof,” and hear from HousingWorks Austin’s Mandy DeMayo.
Curious where affordable housing is located in Austin? This interactive map, created with City of Austin data, displays the location and availability of affordable housing units. Click on the dots to view more details. (Map created by Ning Sun and Emily Donahue for KUT News.)
Let KUT News know your feelings on Austin and affordability. This is a conversation that needs to keep going beyond this week:
- Email news@kut.org;
- Discuss these stories on our Facebook page, and share them with your friends;
- Talk to KUT News on Twitter; or
- Leave a comment on this or any one of the “Under One Roof” blog posts.
