The City of Austin is on a roll with affordable housing initiatives, snagging a cool $6.7 million in a federal PRO Housing Grant, in a competitive race that saw more than 200 applications fly in from across the nation, with only 18 cities crossing the finish line with funding in hand as per the official City of Austin announcement.
Housing affordability is a tough nut to crack, but Mayor Kirk Watson is all in, declaring a priority to welcome all Austinites into the fold of affordable housing, and this grant, they sure are getting the ammo they need, Mandy DeMayo, the city's Interim Director of the Housing Department, shared the plan to strategically approach policy updates, including zoning overhauls to introduce so-called 'missing middle’ housing opportunities, all while making use of the Community Development Block Grant framework.
According to the City of Austin's celebratory proclamation, part of the HUD booty will beef up the Ryan Drive development and set sights on future property buys in prime South Congress territory, all the while crafting zoning tools that open doors to a wider variety of affordable spaces, and also give the Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint a much-needed facelift – and let's not forget the Opportunity Mapping that's all about pinpointing where this cash can make the biggest splash in bridging the housing gap.
This isn't just about sprucing up neighborhoods or sprouting new buildings—this PRO Housing Grant is a powerhouse move to tear down the barriers that price folks out of the market or worse push them onto the streets, and let's be real, it's communities of color and low-income families who feel this squeeze the hardest, and in the grander scheme of things it's about throwing a lifeline to save them from being crushed under the weight of housing woes as the City of Austin gears up to pump these new funds into an equitable housing future.
For the concerned and civic-minded Austinites itching to weigh in on how the city rolls out this plan, the digital floor is yours over at SpeakUpAustin.org – part of the city's effort to loop the community into decision-making, with resources for those grappling with housing instability or the threat of displacement on tap at the city's housing website.
