The NRP Group and the Housing Authority of Travis County have broken ground on Catalina, a 336-unit affordable housing community rising on a 15-acre site along Cameron Road in Travis County near Austin. The development will reserve apartments for households earning between 30% and 70% of the Area Median Income, targeting families and working professionals. The first residents are projected to move in around September 2027, with full buildout expected by April 2028.
In a press release via Business Wire, NRP outlined Catalina as a cluster of 12 three-story buildings with a mix of one- to four-bedroom units. Residents are slated to get a resort-style pool, a 24-hour fitness center, business and community rooms, and a shuttle connecting them to nearby services. Inside the units, the company says finishes will include stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops and Energy Star fixtures, along with on-site supportive services such as after-school care, ESL classes and financial literacy programs.
How the deal is financed
The project leans on Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and other subsidies to bring rents down. Partner disclosures state that tax-credit equity is being provided by Huntington Community Development Corporation, with financing arranged by Berkadia. Safehold is serving as the ground lessor in a long-term ground-lease structure the firm says helps close land-cost gaps, and the Housing Authority of Travis County has committed $2 million to support the units targeted at the lowest-income households.
Where Catalina fits in Austin's pipeline
Catalina joins a string of large income-restricted developments in the Austin area as public officials and private developers try to chip away at a stubborn shortage of below-market rentals. Local outlets, including those that have documented multiple NRP-led and Safehold-backed projects in the region, point to public-private partnerships as the engine behind most new affordable units in the pipeline.
“There’s a concerted effort among Travis County leaders to address growing housing demand and affordability challenges,” NRP Vice President Max Whipple said in the company announcement. Housing Authority of Travis County CEO Patrick Howard called Catalina “a model of long-term collaboration,” according to the release via Business Wire.
Next steps and timeline
With financing closed and the ceremonial shovels already in the ground, the development team now turns to permitting, LIHTC compliance and a long list of construction milestones ahead of the planned September 2027 first move-ins. The Housing Authority of Travis County, which oversees the Travis County Facilities Corporation that partners on projects like Catalina, says it will continue to coordinate resident services and long-term affordability protections; see the Housing Authority of Travis County for background on its role and programs.
Catalina alone will not fix Austin’s affordability crunch, but a 336-unit community that prioritizes households at 30% of Area Median Income still marks a meaningful addition to Travis County’s deeply affordable housing stock. Local advocates argue that developments like this are crucial pieces of the puzzle, while also stressing that strong oversight and reliable subsidy streams will be key to keeping those units affordable over the long haul.
