[00:00:03]
[CALL TO ORDER]
I'M CHIEF VELA, VICE CHAIR OF THE, UH, HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.UH, OUR CHAIR IS APPEARING VIRTUALLY TODAY, CHIEF, UH, AWAY AT A CONFERENCE.
AND SO I'LL BE, UH, RUNNING THE MEETING TODAY, UH, FROM CITY HALL.
[Public Communication: General]
AHEAD AND KICK US OFF.LET ME GO AHEAD AND CALL THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN TO ORDER.
IT IS 1 0 1 AND ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT WITH THE CHAIR APPEARING, UH, VIRTUALLY.
DO WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC SPEAKERS TODAY? YES.
WE HAVE FOUR SPEAKERS AND WE'LL START WITH LARRY BREWER.
I KNOW PHILIP IS HERE AND PHILIP HAS A PRESENTATION.
UH, AND YOU MAY BE STARTING TO THINK THAT PHILIP IS ALWAYS HERE.
THE, UM, THE, I SHIFTED GEARS LATE LAST NIGHT ON WHAT I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT BECAUSE I GOT A NOTICE IN THE MAIL THAT THIS WAS COMING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THIS IS WITHIN 500 FEET OF WHERE I LIVE.
UH, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR WITH IT OR HAVE SEEN IT YET, BUT THERE'S A INSTITUTE WITH THE MUSEUM EDUCATIONAL CENTER OFFICES COMING TO 1900 SAN GABRIEL.
IT'S AT THE CORNER OF MLK IN SAN GABRIEL.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A PICTURE OF THE BUILDING.
IT'S GONNA BE LIKE REALLY COOL.
AND, UH, THEY'RE GONNA OFFER A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD, AND THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WE'RE EDUCATING PEOPLE AND DIVERSITY OF THOUGHT.
UM, YOU MIGHT WANNA MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIGGER IF IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT OTHERWISE, UM, SO I, I WANTED TO START THIS BECAUSE I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT SOME PLANNING ANOMALIES, BUT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT JUST PLANNING IN GENERAL.
PLANNERS MAKE MISTAKES AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE INSIGNIFICANCE, SOMETIMES THEY BECOME BIGGER OVER TIME.
UH, SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANT 'EM TO CHANGE.
UH, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF REASONS THAT THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE NOT PERFECT.
AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON WE HAVE PLANNERS.
AND PART OF THE REASON WE ROTATE PLANNERS IS TO GET FRESH SETS OF EYES LOOKING AT THINGS, UH, AND, AND NEW PERSPECTIVES.
UM, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S A BIG DEAL, YOU KNOW, IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER, BUT EVENTUALLY, UH, THINGS MAY CULTURALLY IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO SOLVE THINGS.
AND SOMETIMES AN AUDITOR HAS TO COME IN AND LOOK AT IT AND SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, HEY, DID YOU KNOW EVERYBODY? THIS IS GOING ON HERE.
SOMETIMES YOU EVEN HAVE TO GET CONSULTANTS TO COME IN THAT HELP YOU AND TELL YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, WHEN THINGS ARE KIND OF OFF TRACK A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE, THE REASON I WANTED TO GIVE THAT PRELUDE IS BECAUSE FROM MY OBSERVATION, THIS AREA WHERE AN, THE, AN RAND CENTER'S KIND OF AN EPICENTER FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT ANOMALIES.
UM, SOME OF THEM ARE RELATED TO AN ADJACENT RPP PROGRAM.
SOME OF 'EM ARE RELATED TO ZONING.
UM, AND IF YOU, YOU COULD KINDA, UH, MOVE DOWN MAYBE TO THE NEXT PICTURE.
AND, UM, AND ALSO SOME OF THESE ARE JUST BECAUSE OUR GOALS AS A CITY HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME.
AND, AND SO AREAS THAT USED TO BE QUOTE UNQUOTE SINGLE FAMILY ARE NO LONGER SINGLE FAMILY, AND PEOPLE HAVE ABANDONED THEM AND MOVED ON.
UM, WHICH KIND OF HELPS OR STARTS TO BRING UP.
THE QUESTION IS, SHOULD WE HAVE COMPATIBILITY IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS OR EVEN HAVE ZONING THAT TRIGGERS COMPATIBILITY? AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF WHY I'M BRINGING THIS UP.
SO IF YOU COULD MOVE FORWARD, I THINK WE'LL NEED TO GO DOWN AND THERE, THERE'S A TREE.
SO ON THE RPP SIDE, I JUST HAVE ONE SLIDE AT, AT THE END OF THE CORNER IS ANN RAND, AND THIS IS NOT.
DO YOU WANNA CALL? WE'LL CALL LARRY BREWER ONE
[00:05:01]
MORE TIME.AND CARLA COURTNEY, LAST CALL.
WELL, WE'RE JUST ROLLING THROUGH THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS HERE.
THAT'S A WRAP FOR PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
WELL THEN WE WILL GO AHEAD AND
[1. Approve the minutes of the February 6, 2025, Housing and Planning Committee meeting.]
MOVE ON TO, IF THEY SHOW UP, HAPPY TO, UH, GIVE THEM TIME IF THEY'RE, UH, UH, RUNNING A BIT LATE.UH, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE TO ITEM ONE, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE FEBRUARY 6TH, 2025 HOUSING AND PLANNING.
UH, THERE, UH, MOTION TO APPROVE.
MOTION BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS AND A SECOND BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL.
UH, WITHOUT OBJECTION, THE MINUTES ARE APPROVED.
I SEE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HAR UH, CHAIR HARPER MEDICINE, UH, ALSO IN FAVOR.
[2. Discussion on a proposed ordinance that would modify development regulations applicable to residential re-subdivisions and to multi-family residential site development of five to sixteen units. ]
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GO ON TO THE, THE STANDING ITEMS HERE.UH, LET'S, NUMBER TWO WOULD BE THE DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE STATUS AND TIMELINE OF AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
I BELIEVE THAT STEVIE GREATHOUSE WILL BE, UH, PRESENTING THIS TO US CHAIR STEVIE GREATHOUSE.
I'M A DIVISION MANAGER IN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, IN THE BACKUP FOR THIS ITEM, YOU WILL FIND A MEMO THAT INCLUDES THE APRIL, 2025 LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT SCANT CHART.
SINCE WE LAST BRIEFED THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE IN FEBRUARY, SEVERAL ITEMS HAVE MOVED FORWARD, AND STAFF HAVE MADE A FEW REFINEMENTS TO THE TIMELINE.
ON FEBRUARY 27TH, CITY COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO ADOPT CODE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO RENTALS.
ON MARCH 6TH, CITY COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO ADOPT CODE AMENDMENTS SUPPORTING PHASE TWO OF SITE PLAN LIGHT, AS WELL AS THE INFILL LOT AMENDMENTS.
ON MARCH 27TH, CITY COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO ADOPT NEW COLORADO RIVER PROTECTIONS.
AND FINALLY, LAST WEEK ON APRIL 24TH, CITY COUNCIL TOOK ACTION TO ADOPT A TARGETED AMENDMENT TO THE PRESERVATION BONUS PROVISIONS OF HOME.
SEVERAL CODE AMENDMENTS WILL POTENTIALLY BE MOVING FORWARD TO COUNCIL IN MAY AND JUNE.
ON MAY 8TH, COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO CONSIDER AMENDMENTS RELATED TO THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY, AS WELL AS CREATION OF A NEW DB UNO DENSITY BONUS.
THESE AMENDMENTS WERE POSTPONED BY PLANNING COMMISSION AT THEIR APRIL 22ND MEETING BASED ON A NEIGHBORHOOD POSTPONEMENT REQUEST, AND ARE NOW SCHEDULED TO COME BACK TO PLANNING COMMISSION FOR A HEARING ON MAY 13TH.
BASED ON THIS TIMING, STAFF WILL BE REQUESTING A POSTPONEMENT FOR THIS ITEM TO THE JUNE 5TH COUNCIL MEETING.
AS WE DESCRIBED IN FEBRUARY, CONCURRENTLY WITH CONSIDERATION OF STATIONARY PLANS FOR THE NORTH LAMAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATION AREAS, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS ALSO BRINGING FORWARD A CODE AMENDMENT TO ESTABLISH AN AMENDMENT PROCESS FOR THESE NEW TYPES OF PLAN.
PLANNING COMMISSION TOOK ACTION TO RECOMMEND THIS CODE AMENDMENT ON APRIL 22ND, AND IT IS NOW SCHEDULED TO COME FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 22ND.
FINALLY, HOUSING DEPARTMENT STAFF ARE BRINGING FORWARD UPDATES TO OUR SMART HOUSING PROVISIONS TO PLANNING COMMISSION THAT I BELIEVE ARE SCHEDULED TO COME TO PLANNING COMMISSION TONIGHT.
UM, AND CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO MOVE FORWARD TO CITY COUNCIL ON MAY 22ND.
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE REMAINDER OF 2025 AND INTO 2026, WE ANTICIPATE ANOTHER ROBUST YEAR OF CODE REFORM ACTIVITIES WORK TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PHASE TWO OF THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT OVERLAY IS UNDERWAY, BUT THIS WORK WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO THE APPROACH TO CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUSES THAT IS ANTICIPATED FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION CONSIDERATION BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, 2025.
WE HAVE ALSO ONBOARDED A CONSULTANT TEAM TO HELP SUPPORT AN UPDATE OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR PLAN AND ANTICIPATE CONDUCTING INITIAL OUTREACH ACTIVITIES IN THE FALL WITH POTENTIAL REVIEW AND ADOPTION OCCURRING IN 2026.
AND FINALLY, AN UPDATE OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS.
WE'LL MOVE FORWARD IN TANDEM WITH A POTENTIAL UPDATE TO THE DOWNTOWN AUSTIN PLAN.
AND OUR CURRENT GOAL IS TO BRING THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS UPDATES FORWARD FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION BY THE END OF 2026.
THIS IS THE DETAILED SCHEDULE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE MEMO THAT IS INCLUDED IN BACKUP AND THE SCHEDULE REFLECTS AN AMBITIOUS WORK PROGRAM.
AS PROCESSES MOVE FORWARD, STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS WHILE WORKING TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC REVIEW AND ADOPTION DATES FOR ALL OF THE PROPOSED TIMELINES THAT ARE SHOWN ON THE CHART.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE DIOCESE OR, UM, A QUICK FIRST, I JUST THANK YOU TO STAFF THE, THERE ARE A LOT LESS, UH, ITEMS ON THE CHART THAN THERE, UH, USED TO BE.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS, UH, VERY GOOD TO SEE, UM, THE NEW ZONING DISTRICT STUDY AND THE NEW ZONING DISTRICTS.
COULD YOU JUST ELABORATE ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? SURE.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS COME FORWARD FROM, UM, PLANNING COMMISSION AND OTHERS, UM, AND RECOMMENDATIONS, FRANKLY, THAT CAME OUT OF THE, THE WORK OF THE HOME PROCESS THAT WE DIDN'T MOVE END UP BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD THAT WAS IN THAT ORIGINAL INITIATION RESOLUTION,
[00:10:01]
UM, THAT WOULD RECOMMEND CREATION OF NEW, UM, KIND OF MISSING MIDDLE ZONES AND NEW TRANSIT, TRANSIT-ORIENTED MIXED USE BASED ZONES.UM, AND THAT, THAT NEW ZONING DISTRICT STUDY, UM, IS REALLY DESIGNED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE, UM, A STRONG RECOMMENDATION THAT COUNCIL COULD CHOOSE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ON THE CREATION OF NEW ZONES.
UM, BUT THE WORK RELATED TO ENGAGEMENT AND DEVELOPING THE VERY SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE ZONES, UM, WOULD HAPPEN AFTER COUNCIL KIND OF INITIATED THAT WORK.
AND THAT'S REALLY, UM, A DESIRE TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE PIECEMEAL PIECES OF DIRECTION THAT WE'VE RECEIVED IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT RESOLUTIONS AND COUNCIL INITIATION ACTIONS AND PULL THEM TOGETHER AND TO ONE, UM, COHERENT PACKAGE OF NEW ZONES, NEW ZONING TOOLS, UM, THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH IF COUNCIL, UH, DESIRES US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE TOOLS.
MM, THAT, THAT GREAT, UH, APPRECIATE THE, UH, INFORMATION.
AND THEN I WOULD ALSO, I KNOW WE RECENTLY PASSED THAT, THE SINGLE STARE, I KNOW THAT'S NOT A ZONING CATEGORY, THAT'S A, A CODE, UH, UH, ISSUE, BUT, UM, ANY, I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT NOW THAT IT'S PASSED, WHERE DOES IT GO? UH, IT, IT WAS, WAS, UH, ANY THOUGHTS FROM, FROM STAFF ON THAT OR, OR ANY KIND OF JUST KIND OF QUICK REACTIONS ON, ON, AND I'LL, I'LL GIVE YOU MY FIRST THING WE THOUGHT ABOUT WITH THE EOD, UH, AREA, BECAUSE THAT WOULD HAVE THE HEIGHT ALLOWANCES, UH, SUFFICIENT TO, UH, AND POTENTIALLY SOME LOTS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SINGLE STAIR.
ANOTHER, AGAIN, THESE ARE JUST KIND OF DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING JUST KIND OF OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, UH, UH, WOULD BE AGAIN, KIND OF THE UNIVERSITY.
I KNOW WE'RE DOING THE UNO, UH, UH, STUDY, BUT AGAIN, POTENTIALLY, UH, CLOSE TO THE UNIVERSITY AREA.
I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT COLLEGE CAMPUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CHICAGO WHERE, WHERE MY SON'S GOING TO SCHOOL AND, YOU KNOW, GO TO BOSTON.
YOU SEE A LOT OF THESE KINDS OF SINGLE STAIR WALK UP BUILDINGS THAT ARE JUST FULL OF, UH, STUDENTS AND OTHERS.
BUT, UM, ANY, ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT WHERE, YOU KNOW, SINGLE STAIR WOULD FIT OR WOULD WE NEED A A, A NEW ZONING DISTRICT TO, TO ACCOMMODATE IT OR? WELL, I THINK THERE ARE, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE EXISTING ZONES ACROSS THE CITY THAT ALLOW MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT AND ALLOW, UM, KIND OF MODERATE DENSITY MULTIFAMILY ZONES THAT THE SINGLE STAIR PROVISIONS COULD POTENTIALLY APPLY TO THE BUILDINGS BEING BUILT UNDER THOSE ZONES.
I THINK AS WE TALK ABOUT SORT OF THE NEW ZONES THAT WE NEED, WHAT WE DON'T HAVE IN OUR CODE NOW, UM, ARE ZONES THAT REALLY ENCOURAGE THAT MISSING MIDDLE.
UM, SF SIX KIND OF GETS AS CLOSE AS IT GETS TO ENCOURAGING IT, AND IT, IT HAS SOME LIMITATIONS.
UM, AND WE ALSO ARE, ARE MISSING ZONES THAT ALLOW A TRUE MIX OF USES.
UM, EO IS GREAT IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON BUILDING A MAJORITY RESIDENTIAL PROJECT.
IF THE PROJECT IS INTENDED TO BE MORE OF A 50% COMMERCIAL, UM, THE EO UH, IS PROBABLY NOT GONNA WORK AS WELL FOR YOU.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE NEW, UM, ZONES.
BUT I THINK THE SINGLE STA UM, PROVISIONS ABSOLUTELY COULD APPLY IN THOSE IN DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LOWER HEIGHTS WITHIN SOME OF OUR EXISTING MIXED USE AND MULTIFAMILY ZONES.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, UH, AGAIN, JUST DOUBLE CHECK.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? WE'RE GOOD.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR THE UPDATE.
AND I'M SEEING A QUESTION ON SCREEN.
I'M SORRY IF THE CHAIR HAS A QUESTION CHAIR.
UM, YEAH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ACTUALLY.
UH, UH, STEVIE, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE MISSING ZONES, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE SEEN A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF THE ZONES THAT SPECIFICALLY THE ZONES THAT ARE MISSING FOR US TO PRODUCE MORE MISSING MIDDLE.
DO WE HAVE THAT SOMEWHERE? THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE STUDY IS GOING TO BE PROVIDING.
OH, I SEE WHAT YOU'RE, THIS BODY WITH.
SO THE, THE STAFF IS DEVELOPING KIND OF A TECHNICAL STUDY NOW, LOOKING AT GAPS IN OUR EXISTING CODE AND ITS ABILITY TO DELIVER, UM, BOTH MISSING MIDDLE PROJECTS AS WELL AS TRANSIT ORIENTED MIXED USE PROJECTS.
AND THAT IT WON'T BE, THE, THE RESULTS OF THAT STUDY WILL BE MOVING FORWARD TO LET, UM, LET THE COUNCIL KNOW WHAT THOSE MISSING ZONES COULD BE.
WELL, JUST OUTTA CURIOSITY, IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT WE HAVE A GENERAL IDEA OF WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE AND THE STUDY IS FOR VALIDATION OR THE STUDY IS TO DETERMINE AND UNCOVER? UM, WE HAVE A VARIED GENERAL IDEA WITHOUT THE WORK OF THE STUDY, BUT THE STUDY IS REALLY, UM, DESIGNED TO KIND OF DIG DEEPER INTO OUR GENERAL UNDERSTANDING, UM, AND, AND MAKE SOME, UM, SOME MORE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS THAT COULD TURN INTO ACTUAL AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, ONE OF THE REASONS I'M ASKING IS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU HOW LONG THINGS TAKE AND I'M REALLY FRAMING EVERYTHING MOVING FORWARD, LIKE IN THE CONSIDERATION OF I'M ON MY WAY OUT, YOU KNOW, OUT.
SO FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, ALL I HAVE LEFT IS WHAT'S LEFT AT 25 AND 26.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING SUBSTANTIVE TOWARDS COMPREHENSIVE
[00:15:01]
LAND USE REFORM IN AUSTIN, UM, IS SOMETHING THAT I GOT TO TOUCH WHILE I WAS HERE, IN WHICH CASE, UM, GIVEN THAT THINGS TAKE SO LONG, IF WE HAVE THAT GENERAL SORT OF BROAD IDEA, I WONDER WHAT WE COULD PREEMPTIVELY START WORKING ON PRIOR TO THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY.AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, NOT TODAY, BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY TO SORT OF GET, YOU KNOW, A REAL WISHLIST, SO TO SPEAK, AND WE COULD DO SOME PREEMPTIVE WORK.
AND I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO LOOK AT SORT OF EARLY OUT IMPLEMENTATION IDEAS, UM, AS THAT STUDY MOVES FORWARD.
I DO THINK THAT SOME OF THE REFORMS THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TAKEN, FRANKLY, OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE SEEN HEADLINES THAT HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED, UM, THIS COUNCIL FOR MAKING MORE REFORMS TO AUSTIN'S LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE THAT HAS HAPPENED AT ANY TIME SINCE WORLD WAR II OR SOMETHING, I THINK WAS ONE OF THE, THE QUOTES THAT I SAW ON A PAPER.
SO, UM, I THINK WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK, AND PART OF THE REASON WHY THIS CHART WAS AS FULL OF ITEMS AS IT WAS A YEAR AGO WHEN I WAS STANDING HERE, IS REFLECTS THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THE CITY HAS DONE TO REFORM OUR LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE.
UM, BUT CERTAINLY AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STUDY, I THINK LOOKING FOR EARLY OUT, UM, IMPLEMENTATION IDEAS IS A GREAT IDEA.
AND I, WE AS ALWAYS WILL DEFER TO STAFF.
SO IF THERE'S A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS, AN OUTLINE, A SUMMARY, SO TO SPEAK, THAT MY COLLEAGUES AND I CAN REVIEW AND MAYBE EVEN PRESENT FOR THE, UH, THE BODY AT LARGE, UH, TO CONSIDER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE COLLECTIVELY AND INDEPENDENTLY CAN DO TO HELP THE PROCESS ALONG.
I KNOW THAT TO YOUR POINT ABOUT THAT BIG LIST, THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO DO THAT I JUST, I OFTEN AM JUST AMAZED AT HOW Y'ALL SOMEHOW FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIND THE CAPACITY.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK SO FAR AND, AND ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO MOVE FORWARD SOME OF THESE ITEMS AND PREEMPT SOME OF THE WORK? UM, I, I THINK I SPEAK FOR US ALL WHEN I SAY WE'RE, WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN TO, TO YOUR DIRECTION.
[3. Discussion and possible action on the timeline for Planning Department planning initiatives]
UH, WITH THAT, LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE DISCUSSION, POSSIBLE, POSSIBLE ACTION ON THE TIMELINE FOR PLANNING DEPARTMENT PLANNING INITIATIVES.AND WE'LL CALL UP, UH, MS. ERICA LEAK.
ERIC LEAK, OFFICER OF THE, UM, UH, LEADING LONG RANGE PLANNING FOR THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
SO WE WANTED TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO YOU ON THE STATUS OF PLANNING DEPARTMENT PLANNING INITIATIVES.
AND THIS DOES INCLUDE, UM, INITIATIVES THAT ARE ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT.
SO, UM, IN MAY WE EXPECT POTENTIAL ADOPTION OF THE NORTH LAMAR AND SOUTH CONGRESS TRANSIT CENTER STATION AREA VISION PLANS.
SO THEY'LL BE COMING TO YOU IN MAY.
UH, ALSO COMPLETION OF THE AGRICULTURALLY FOCUSED NEIGHBORHOODS RESOLUTION RESPONSE IN JULY, WE EXPECT COMPLETION OF THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC RES RESOURCES SURVEY AND THE EQUITY OVERLAY STUDY.
UM, BY SEPTEMBER, WE EXPECT THE INDUSTRIAL STUDY TO BE COMPLETE.
AND THEN BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'RE HOPING THAT THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES WILL BE UPDATED AND THE GREAT STREETS PLAN AND STANDARDS WILL BE UPDATED.
UM, AND THEN A COUPLE OF PLANNING PROJECTS THAT WE EXPECT TO BE ACTIVE FOR THE NEXT YEAR OR SO INCLUDE THE NORTHEAST DISTRICT PLAN AND ALSO THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR VISION PLAN UPDATE THAT IS, THAT GOES ALONG WITH, UM, CODE AMENDMENTS THAT STEVIE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY.
UH, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHART, YOU'LL SEE A NUMBER OF ITEMS FOR WHICH COST ESTIMATES ARE NEEDED, AND, UM, THE TIMELINES ARE STILL YET TO BE DETERMINED.
UM, SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? I DON'T HAVE QUESTIONS.
UM, I'M ALSO GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS LIST IS A BIT SHORTER THAN IT HAS BEEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
IT SHOWS THAT EVERYONE'S DOING A LOT OF GOOD WORK TO MOVE THESE THINGS ALONG.
UM, A LOT OF THE PLANNING AROUND, YOU KNOW, HOUSING OR TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE OPPORTUNITIES IS VERY MUCH CENTRAL AND EAST.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, I WANNA FLAG, BECAUSE I KNOW OUR, OUR NEW COLLEAGUE FROM DISTRICT SIX, CRYSTAL LANE HAS TALKED A LOT ABOUT KIND OF THE REGIONAL PLANNING THAT IS HAPPENING OR NOT HAPPENING IN THE NORTHWEST CORNERS OF TOWN.
AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE SEEING THAT A LOT WEST OF MOPAC, AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT AS THESE GREAT TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE OPPORTUNITIES HAPPEN, THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HOW TO MAKE SURE FOLKS HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSIT IN ALL PARTS OF TOWN.
UM, WHEN WE PUT PROJECT CONNECT ON THE BALLOT IN 2020, THERE WAS A LOT OF CONVERSATION AROUND THE ANTI DISPLACEMENT DOLLARS.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHERE THE FOCUS OF THIS WORK IS HAPPENING.
UM, BUT WE'RE ALSO GONNA END UP WITH THE TYPES OF HOUSING WHERE MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE GRAVITATING TOWARDS PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GET
[00:20:01]
RAPID TRANSIT AND LIGHT RAIL OPTIONS.AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE PORTIONS OF THE CITY THAT DON'T HAVE GREAT ACCESS TO THAT ARE ALSO THINKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE FOLKS DESERVE TO LIVE IN ALL PARTS OF TOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'VE GOT OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR NURSES, UM, IN THOSE COMMUNITIES.
AND SO I'LL BE THINKING A BIT ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP MAKE SURE THAT PARTS WEST OF MOPAC ARE ALSO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN, IN THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, BUT I JUST WANTED TO PINPOINT, YOU KNOW, THIS FOCUS OF MORE HOUSING IS COMING, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA GRAVITATE TOWARDS THESE AREAS BECAUSE THEY PROVIDE A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT WITH THAT COMES DISPLACEMENT AND TRYING TO BALANCE THAT AND LET FOLKS KNOW THAT, HEY, IN CENTRAL AND WEST, WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE WE HAVE TRANSIT SUPPORTIVE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, AND WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF THAT AS WELL.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? UH, I HAVE A QUICK ONE.
URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS, URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES UPDATE AND THE GREAT STREET PLAN AND STANDARDS UPDATE.
COULD YOU AGAIN JUST KIND OF UNPACK THAT FOR US A LITTLE BIT? WHAT, WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, WELL, UH, ABSOLUTELY TO A SMALL EX EXTENT.
UM, I, I WAS, I WAS ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, UH, DURING THEIR, THEIR LAST ITERATION.
UM, SO I'M SURE THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING UPDATED, UH, TO BE EVEN GREATER.
UM, BUT IN GENERAL, UM, AS YOU PROBABLY PROBABLY KNOW, BOTH THE GREAT STREET STANDARDS AND THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINE GUIDELINES ARE ELEMENTS OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM.
AND, UM, DEVELOPMENTS THAT ARE, ARE REQUESTING TO BE PART OF THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM MUST COMPLY WITH THEM TO, UH, TO SOME EXTENT.
UM, SO, SO IN TERMS OF THE GREAT STREET STANDARDS, IT'S LOOKING AT WHETHER ANY MODIFICATIONS NEED TO BE MADE SPECIFICALLY TO THE GREAT STREETS VISION PLAN AND ALSO THE STANDARDS.
SO, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE IN TERMS OF TREE SPACING OR SIDEWALK WIDTH OR, OR WHATEVER THOSE THINGS ARE.
SO THAT'S THE, THE GREAT STREET STANDARDS UPDATE.
AND THEN THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, UM, FOCUS ON, UH, A WHOLE VARIETY OF THINGS, UM, INCLUDING THE BUILDING DESIGN AND, UM, HOW, HOW PARKING GARAGES ARE OR AREN'T SCREENED AND, YOU KNOW, WHERE PEDESTRIAN ORIENTED SPACES SHOULD BE LOCATED.
SO, UM, SO THEY ARE A RELATED SET OF THINGS, BUT NOT EXACTLY THE SAME.
AND THE URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES, THAT'S, IT'S STRICTLY A DOWNTOWN.
UH, OH, THAT MAY BE A QUESTION THAT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO.
UH, AND THEN, BUT THE, THE GREAT STREETS GO BEYOND THE DOWNTOWN AREA OR, UH, UH, NO, GREAT STREETS DON'T, UM, GREAT STREETS ARE SPECIFICALLY WITHIN DOWNTOWN.
SO IT'S, THESE ARE BOTH DOWNTOWN DESIGN STANDARDS.
WHAT ARE OUR DOWNTOWN BUILDINGS AND OUR DOWNTOWN STREETS, UH, ARE, ARE GOING TO ESSENTIALLY LOOK AND FEEL LIKE ON, WELL, I MEAN, THE REASON I WAS LOOKING AROUND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT URBAN DESIGN STANDARDS IS THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS AT VARIOUS TIMES ABOUT WHETHER THEY COULD SHOULD APPLY OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
SO, SO GREAT STREETS DEFINITIVELY DOWNTOWN URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES.
I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER ANY OF THEM MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE IN OTHER URBAN CONDITIONS.
AND COULD YOU, UH, SHARE A LITTLE CONTEXT OF THE INDUSTRIAL STUDY? SURE.
UH, OR APRIL, DO YOU WANNA CHAT ABOUT THAT ONE? OKAY.
APRIL JSO, DIVISION MANAGER, WE'LL CHAT WITH THAT ONE.
APRIL JSO, DIVISION MANAGER WITHIN THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, BACK IN, I BELIEVE IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 2019, UH, AN INDUSTRIAL STUDY WAS, UH, CONDUCTED, UM, ACROSS THE CITY.
UM, WHAT WE NOTICED WERE SOME TRENDS THAT A LOT OF PLACES THAT WERE ZONED INDUSTRIAL, UM, AND ALSO HAD INDUSTRIAL, UH, FUTURE LAND USE, UM, COMPONENTS TO IT WERE BEING ASKED TO BE ZONED OUT OF INDUSTRIAL.
SO WE WERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER ABOUT WHAT PLACES, UH, WERE BEING ZONED OUT.
UM, IS INDUSTRIAL LAND VIABLE AND A GOOD IDEA FOR, UH, THE CITY.
AND ALSO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CONSIDER, UM, THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT INDUSTRIAL, UH, LAND GIVES TO, UM, THE CITY AT LARGE AND BLUE COLLAR, WELL-PAYING JOBS, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
UM, OVER TIME THAT PATTERN AND CHANGE IN, UH, ZONING HAS, UH, CONTINUED,
[00:25:01]
UM, CHANGES IN, UH, LAND USE HAVE CONTINUED, UM, AND, UH, AND ZONING HAS CONTINUED TO SWITCH OUTSIDE OF INDUSTRIAL LAND.WE WANTED TO CONTINUE TO UNDERSTAND THIS PATTERN A LITTLE BIT MORE, AND ALSO REFINE THE TOOLS, UM, THAT OUR, UH, CASE MANAGERS HAD AS WE WERE LOOKING AT THESE, UM, CHANGES AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR, AGAINST THIS TYPE OF, UH, SWITCH IN LAND USE.
SO THE UPDATED, UH, INDUSTRIAL STUDY WILL BE PROVIDING A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON CONSIDERATIONS RATHER THAN SORT OF DEFINITIVE AREAS AROUND THE CITY THAT COULD BE INDUSTRIAL LAND VERSUS NOT, WHICH IS WHAT THE LAST STUDY PROVIDED.
UM, INSTEAD THIS IS GOING TO BE A LIST OF CONSIDERATIONS FOR HOW TO MAKE, UM, UH, DECISIONS ON WHERE INDUSTRIAL LAND COULD, SHOULD REMAIN, UH, AND WHERE YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONTINUE THE TREND TO.
UM, NON-INDUSTRIAL LAND, LIKE MIXED USES IS A TYPICAL, UM, TRANSITION FROM INDUSTRIAL, UM, AWAY FROM INDUSTRIAL LAND.
SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE UPDATE.
WE WANNA DO SOME ANALYSIS, UM, ON SORT OF THE E ECONOMIC IMPACT, UM, BASED ON SOME FIRM NUMBERS.
AND, AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN, IN THE ANALYSIS PROCESS OVER THE SUMMER, AND HOPE TO GET BACK TO YOU IN THE FALL RELATED TO THE OUTCOMES AND SOME TOOLS FOR DECISION MAKERS LIKE YOURSELVES, UM, AS WELL AS FOR THE CASE MANAGERS.
AND WITH THAT, WITH ITEM TWO OUT OF THE WAY, I WANTED TO TURN AGAIN TO THE CHAIR.
I BELIEVE SHE WANTED TO TAKE A, A, A MOMENT OF, UH, OF, OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
IS THIS A GOOD TIME? UH, CHAIR? IT IS.
I JUST PUT DOWN THE SAUSAGE
UM, I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE AND ACKNOWLEDGE A MEMBER OF MY STAFF WHO MUCH LIKE CITY STAFF WORKS TIRELESSLY AROUND HOUSING, LAND USE, AND ALL THINGS THAT ARE PERTINENT TO HOW AND WHERE PEOPLE LIVE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, AND SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER A FEW MINUTES TO JOHN LAWLER TO SHARE A FEW WORDS ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE WITH THIS COMMITTEE AND JUST SORT OF THOUGHTS ON HOW WE CAN APPRECIATE OUR COMMITTEE ACCESS MOVING FORWARD AS A MUNICIPAL BODY THAT OPERATES FUNCTIONALLY AND, UM, WITH EXCELLENCE.
UH, AND WITH THAT, HOPEFULLY HE'S IN THE ROOM.
UH, MR. LAWLER, GOOD MORNING Y'ALL.
GOSH, IT'S A COMMITTEE DAY WHERE THE HOURS JUST START TO RUN TOGETHER, RIGHT? ROBIN
THANK YOU BOSS, UH, FOR OFFERING ME THE TIME TO COME UP HERE.
UM, BUT YES, I, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING FOR ME TO SHARE, I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UH, OVER THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, THIS COMMITTEE REALLY HAS GROWN AND EVOLVED.
FOR THOSE OF Y'ALL THAT ARE NEWER MEMBERS, LIKE YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER SIEGEL, OR COUNCIL MEMBER ELLIS, WHO'S BEEN HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, SO LONG, YOURSELF AS WELL.
HOW LONG HAS IT FOREVER?
LIKE STEVIE JUST PRESENTED JUST A MOMENT AGO, AND ERICA PRESENTED THAT WAS MANY MONTHS OF COLLABORATION WITH CITY STAFF TO HAVE THAT GANTT CHART.
IT WAS MANY MEETINGS, MANY HOURS SPENT TO GET TO THAT PLACE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MASSON, OUR CHAIR USED TO DESCRIBE IT RIGHT AS THE RESOLUTION GRAVEYARD, WHERE WE DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF ACTION, DON'T SEE A LOT OF THINGS COMING OUT OF, BUT AS YOU INTERIM CHAIR VELA MENTIONED, THINGS ARE STARTING TO COME OFF OFF OF THERE.
BIG THINGS ARE STARTING TO HAPPEN.
AND SO I JUST REALLY WANNA COMMEND THE CITY STAFF WHO'S PUT UP WITH ME IN PARTICULAR THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, TRYING TO GET THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT PRIORITIZATION ITEMS IN PARTICULAR, THEY SEEM SO MUNDANE NOW, BUT IT REALLY WAS A NEW CONCEPT FOR US AS WE TRIALED THAT OUT.
AND THEN SIMILARLY, THIS COMMITTEE HAS INITIATED PUTT AMENDMENTS.
THIS COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN ITEMS FROM OUR LAND USE COMMISSIONS AND RECOMMENDED THEM ONTO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL.
THINGS THAT WERE NOT TRADITIONALLY DONE AT THE COMMITTEE LEVEL AND THAT NATURE.
SO KUDOS TO THE DIFFERENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO'VE SERVED UP THERE ON THE DICE WITH Y'ALL OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING, UH, THE EX-OFFICIO MEMBER FOR SEVERAL OF THEM.
UH, CHAIR VELA, WHO'S NOW HERE AS VICE CHAIR, UH, FOR TAKING THAT ON.
AND, AND ONE LAST THING I'LL NOTE IS, IS, IS SOMETHING I KNOW OF PARTICULAR PRIDE FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBER OR THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE IS THE NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT, WHICH AGAIN WAS BRIEFLY MENTIONED, UM, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ALSO JUST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME AND EFFORT.
I THINK ISHA JOHNSON WAS HERE AS WELL, AND HER ON THE TEAM OF APRIL RISSO THAT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE TYPE OF COLLABORATIVE POLICY MAKING THAT CAME OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE.
AND THE WORK THAT MY BOSS, CHAIR, CHAIR HARPER MADISON HAS WORKED ON WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONER JEFF TRILLIAN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST A PIPE DREAM THAT NOW HAS MATCHING MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENTS FROM THE COUNTY AND THE CITY THAT IS ON ITS WAY.
WE HOPE TO START TO LAY OUT SOME REALLY IMPORTANT INFRASTRUCTURE
[00:30:01]
CONVERSATIONS AS WELL.AND SO, COUNCIL MEMBER OR CHAIR PER MADISON, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GIVING ME THIS TIME, BUT LIKE I SAID, IT WAS A BIT OF A SURPRISE.
UM, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL THE CITY STAFF IN PARTICULAR, ROBIN, WHO, UH, HAS PREPPED ALL OF THE AGENDAS,
BUT IT, IT TAKES A QUITE A BIT OF WORK IN ROBIN'S ROLE TO DO WHAT SHE DOES DEALING WITH BOTH THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, THE PLAN DEPARTMENT, THE DSD DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY, AND STEVIE AS WELL.
AND SO MANY OTHER FOLKS WHO'VE BEEN MANAGING A LOT OF THAT COLLABORATIVE WORK.
SO I HOPE THAT Y'ALL GET TO CONTINUE THAT ON IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, UH, JOHN.
AND, UH, IT'S BEEN A, A PLEASURE, UH, WORKING WITH YOU.
UH, AND ACTUALLY IT GOES BACK TO WHEN I WAS A PLANNING COMMISSIONER FOR CUSTOMER MEMBER GREG.
YOU'D MAKE ME SNEAK YOU KIT KATS FROM THE BACK.
[4. Discussion and possible action on recommendations in the Comprehensive Analysis of Density Bonus Programs]
LET'S GO AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UH, DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. AND I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO STEVIE GREATHOUSE.STEVIE GREATHOUSE, DIVISION MANAGER PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, ADVANCE MY SLIDE.
I WANTED TO SHARE A BIT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT WORK THAT IS UNDERWAY TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS THAT WAS SHARED WITH THE HOUSING AND PLANNING COMMITTEE AT YOUR MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
A MEMO WITH THE FULL STUDY WAS DISTRIBUTED TO COUNCIL VIA FORMAL DISTRIBUTION AT THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY.
AND MY COLLEAGUE ALAN PONEY, ALONG WITH A MEMBER OF OUR CONSULTANT TEAM, PROVIDED A DETAILED BRIEFING TO THIS BODY ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE FEBRUARY 6TH MEETING.
THE STUDY INCLUDED A SERIES OF GENERAL AND PROGRAM SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS.
MAJOR TAKEAWAYS FROM THE STUDY THAT ARE RELEVANT ACROSS ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS INCLUDED THAT WE SHOULD WORK TO CALIBRATE OUR PROGRAM SO THAT THEY'RE BASED IN REAL WORLD ECONOMICS AND APPROPRIATELY BALANCE THE ENTITLEMENTS WE ARE GIVING AND THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS WE ARE RECEIVING WITH THE PROGRAMS. WE SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR METHODS TO RECALIBRATE OUR PROGRAMS OVER TIME.
WE SHOULD FOCUS OUR PROGRAMS ON DELIVERY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WHILE OTHER COMMUNITY BENEFITS MAY BE APPROPRIATE IN SOME AREAS, WE SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT TRYING TO USE OUR DENSITY BONUSES TO DO TOO MUCH.
AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO MODIFY OUR PROGRAMS TO ENSURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS ARE CONSISTENT ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS SO THAT OUR STAFF, UM, CAN UNDERSTAND AND ADMINISTER THE PROGRAMS AND SO THAT DEVELOPERS WORKING WITH THE PROGRAMS, UM, CAN UNDERSTAND AND USE THE PROGRAMS WHILE THE STUDY INCLUDED RECOMMENDATIONS TO POTENTIALLY LOOK AT STREAMLINING AND COMBINING PROGRAMS. MANY OF THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT WERE INTERVIEWED DURING THE STUDY PROCESS EXPRESSED AN UNDERSTANDING THAT AUSTIN'S DISTINCT PROGRAMS HAVE DISTINCT GOALS AND THAT THAT IS OKAY, AND IN FACT DESIRABLE.
A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES ARE UNDERWAY THAT WILL IMPLEMENT FINDINGS FROM THE STUDY.
THE UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD OVERLAY UPDATE, UM, WHICH IS ON THE GANTT CHART, INCLUDES A CALIBRATION OF THE UNO REQUIREMENTS, SHIFTS THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF UNO TO THE PROVISION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND MAKES ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS MORE CONSISTENT WITH OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDING DBE TODD.
WE ARE ALSO MOVING FORWARD WITH UNO FOCUSED RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STUDY AS PART OF THE UNO PROPOSAL.
AS I MENTIONED, THE UNO UPDATE IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO COME TO COUNCIL, UM, ON JUNE THE FIFTH.
WHOOPS, SORRY, I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF CLICKING BEFORE I'M READY TO MOVE ON.
IN ADDITION, AS WE WORK ON THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR PLAN, WE WILL BE WORKING TO CALIBRATE THE EAST RIVERSIDE REQUIREMENTS TO MAKE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS TO HOW THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR BONUS FUNCTIONS WITH IN LINE WITH THE DENSITY BONUS STUDY.
IN PARTICULAR, THIS BONUS WAS ONE THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE STUDY AS BEING VERY UNDERUTILIZED BECAUSE IT TRIES TO DO TOO MUCH AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE THAT WITH THE UPDATE OF THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR PLAN.
IN ADDITION, AS WE WORK TO UPDATE THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS, WE WILL BE WORKING TO CALIBRATE THE REQUIREMENTS AND TO MAKE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS TO HOW THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS FUNCTIONS IN LINE WITH THE STUDY.
IN PARTICULAR, THE STUDY RECOMMENDED BETTER ALIGNING HOW THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS AND THE RAINY SUBDISTRICT DENSITY BONUS FUNCTION, WHICH WAS ALSO A KEY REQUEST OF THE RESOLUTION INITIATING THE STAFF WORK ON THE DOWNTOWN DENSITY BONUS UPDATE.
WE'LL BE INTEGRATING WORK TO DEVELOP PHASE TWO OF THE ETOD OVERLAY WITH IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUSES, AS I MENTIONED, UNDER THE CODE AMENDMENTS UPDATE, INCLUDING POSSIBLY DEVELOPING, UM, TIERED DENSITY BONUSES.
AS WE DO THAT, WE'LL BE WORKING TO CALIBRATE THE REQUIREMENTS AND MAKE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS TO THOSE PROGRAMS IN LINE WITH THE DENSITY BONUS STUDY.
AND FINALLY, STAFF HAS BEGUN TO STUDY NEEDED NEW ZONING DISTRICTS, WHICH WE ALSO SPOKE ABOUT UNDER THE PREVIOUS ITEM THAT WOULD WORK TO BETTER SUPPORT MISSING MIDDLE AND MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
AS PART OF THAT WORK, WE WILL LIKELY BE EXPLORING RECOMMENDATIONS AROUND INCENTIVIZING AFFORDABLE UNITS AS PART OF SINGLE FAMILY AND MISSING MIDDLE DEVELOPMENT.
AS RECOMMENDED BY THE DENSITY BONUS STUDY AND RECOMMENDED BY A PREVIOUS COUNCIL RESOLUTION, WE ANTICIPATE
[00:35:01]
BRINGING FORWARD THE STUDY ON POTENTIAL NEW ZONING DISTRICTS THAT COULD LEAD INTO CODE AMENDMENTS LATER THIS YEAR.UM, STAFF HAVE ALSO BEEN COMBING THE STUDY TO IDENTIFY ANY LOW HANGING FRUIT THAT SHOULD BE TEED UP FOR ADDITIONAL CODE AMENDMENT INITIATION.
BUT BASED ON OUR RE REVIEW, WE BELIEVE THAT MOST OF THE NEEDED REFORMS WILL BE BETTER ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE PROGRAM SPECIFIC LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY.
UM, AND WITH THAT, HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE COMMITTEE MAY HAVE, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, JUST A, A QUICK QUESTION ON, SO THE, THE DENSITY BONUS, UM, UH, THE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS. I KNOW WE HAD TALKED ABOUT HOW LIKE UNO IS KIND OF FIRST ON THE LIST YES.
THAT THAT'S COMING BACK TO US BEFORE, UH, UH, ANYTHING ELSE AFTER THAT? WOULD IT AGAIN, WOULD IT BE A CASE BY CASE REVIEW OF THE DIFFERENT ZONING CATEGORIES, UM, UH, UH, OF THE DIFFERENT DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS? OR WOULD IT, IS THE IDEA TO BRING BACK KIND OF A COMPREHENSIVE RESTRUCTURING OF THE DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS? WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO BRING BACK A COMPREHENSIVE RESTRUCTURING, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN THE CARDS.
SO I THINK IT IS AT THIS POINT, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THAT THE MOST STRAIGHTFORWARD AND STREAMLINED WAY TO APPROACH IT IS GOING TO BE, UM, AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE PROGRAM'S CASE BY CASE.
BUT AS, AS REFERENCED IN THIS PRESENTATION AND THE, THE CODE AMENDMENT'S PRESENTATION, WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO COMBINE AND MAKE THINGS A A BIT LESS PIECEMEAL.
SO YOU'LL SEE US COMING FORWARD WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PHASE TWO OF THE EQUITABLE TOD OVERLAY THAT ARE INTEGRATED WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUSES, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND, AND I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE GOALS, AND, AND YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE ME 'CAUSE MY MEMORY GETS A LITTLE, UH, UH, UH, CLOUDY SOMETIMES, BUT, UH, WE WANTED TO SEPARATE OUT THE DENSITY BONUS, UH, RULES FROM, UH, I BELIEVE TITLE 25, RIGHT? OF, OF THE, IN OTHER WORDS, SO WHEN WE ARE MAKING AN AMENDMENT TO A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM, WE DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE KIND OF NOTICE PROVISION AND ALL THAT.
IT'S NOT A, IT'S NOT A ZONING CHANGE PER SE, IT'S JUST A, A DENSITY BONUS CHANGE.
WHERE ARE WE ON THAT IN TERMS OF, WOULD WE HAVE TO, UH, SEND OUT, UH, NOTICES AND, AND AND WHATNOT? I KNOW THAT'S MORE OF A LOG QUESTION, BUT, BUT STILL, UH, UH, HOW, HOW IS THAT GONNA WORK? SO AS WE UPDATE PROGRAMS AND AS WE BRING NEW PROGRAMS ONLINE, WE ARE DEFINITELY SHIFTING AS MANY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS AS WE CAN INTO, UM, CHAPTER FOUR DASH 18, WHICH YOU ALL ARE, ARE FAMILIAR WITH FROM THE EAD WORK AND DB 90, UM, WE WILL BE DOING THAT WITH THE DB UNO RECOMMENDATION AS WELL.
UM, AND MOVING FORWARD, THAT IS, THAT IS THE PLACE IN THE CODE WHERE THOSE, UM, PURELY ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAMMATIC REQUIREMENTS WILL LIVE.
UM, FOR THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS THAT HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN 25 2, THE, THE, THE INITIAL AMENDMENT TO MOVE THOSE REQUIREMENTS OUT OF 25 2, UM, WILL STILL TRIGGER, UM, THE, THE KIND OF PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS THAT COME WITH AMENDING OUR ZONING CODE.
UH, APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION VERY MUCH AND THANKS FOR THE UPDATE.
AND AGAIN, I'LL DOUBLE CHECK ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE DIVES COUNCIL MEMBER BROTHERS? I DO, AND I APOLOGIZE, I STEPPED AWAY FOR A SECOND.
SO I MAY BE ASKING YOU TO REPEAT YOURSELF, UM, FOR THE ETOD PHASE TWO STUDIES, UM, IS THAT STILL INCLUDING METRO RAPID OR IS THAT ANY 15 MINUTE BUS ROUTE? CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH SOME OF THOSE DETAILS? SURE.
PHASE TWO OF THE, UM, ETOD OVERLAY IS REALLY ENVISIONED TO APPLY ALONG METRO RAPID ROUTES AS WELL, AS WELL AS METRO RAIL, UM, STATIONS, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE, THE PHASE ONE LIGHT RAIL THAT WAS COVERED, UM, WITH PHASE ONE OF THE OVERLAY.
UM, SO NOT JUST, IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY, IT COULD BECAUSE IT'S A, IT'S KIND OF LOOKING POTENTIALLY AT A STUDY AREA OF A HALF MILE AROUND THOSE ROUTES.
IT COULD ABSOLUTELY END UP INCORPORATING AREA THAT'S JUST, UM, A HIGH CAPACITY LOCAL BUS SERVICE, BUT IT WON'T NECESSARILY BE FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON THE HIGH CAPACITY LOCAL BUS SERVICE.
THAT SAID, UM, AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO TRY TO DEVELOP A PROPOSAL FOR THE PHASE TWO OF THE EQUITY OR OF THE ETON OVERLAY, UM, IN CONCERT WITH POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT CITYWIDE DENSITY BONUSES, THERE IS, UM, IS SOME POSSIBILITY THAT WE WOULD BE, UM, LOOKING AT, UH, AT ZONING REGULATIONS THAT APPLY OUTSIDE OF THAT HALF MILE.
UM, BECAUSE WE WANNA KIND OF LOOK MORE COMPREHENSIVELY AT OUR DENSITY BONUSES, UM, INCLUDING THINGS LIKE VERTICAL MIXED USE AND DB 90 THAT APPLY FURTHER AWAY FROM THE ROUTES.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A, NOT THAT MANY, BUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT, UM, MORE, MORE RAPID BUS ROUTES FOR SOUTHWEST AUSTIN.
UM, THE OAK HILL AREA IS REDEVELOPING AT A VERY FAST PACE.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ZONING CASES COME TO US WHERE FOLKS ARE TRYING TO INCORPORATE AFFORD AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTO THESE, UM, INTO THESE ZONING AND RESTRICTIVE COVENANT CHANGES OVER THE YEARS.
[00:40:01]
AND SO I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE TEEING OURSELVES UP FOR SUCCESS.A LOT OF THESE ARE ROUTES THAT ALREADY CONNECT SCHOOLS, YOU KNOW, RETAIL JOBS, HOSPITALS, OTHER, OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT THAT PEOPLE REALLY NEED TO GET BACK AND FORTH WITH.
AND SO I REALLY HOPE THIS IS WHERE WE CAN KIND OF COUNTERBALANCE HOW MUCH PLANNING IS NEEDED IN CENTRAL AND EAST AUSTIN AND TRY TO LEVERAGE, YOU KNOW, THE EXISTING ROUTES OR ROUTES THAT ARE IN THE PIPELINE WITH CAP METRO TO HELP SERVICE MORE PARTS OF TOWN.
'CAUSE I THINK THAT RIDERSHIP IS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR, FOR LOTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOLKS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF TOWN.
ALRIGHT, WELL, UH, THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR, FOR THE UPDATE AND WITH THAT WE'LL CLOSE OUT ITEM FOUR.
I'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE DRIFT IN.
COULD WE JUST, UH, UH, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, UH, NO FOLKS THAT WANT TO GIVE TESTIMONY THAT ARE, UH, DO WE HAVE LARRY BREWER OR DUNCAN CORMY? I'M, I'M DUNCAN.
DO YOU WANNA COME ON UP AND SPEAK? THANK YOU.
THAT'S, I, I KNOW
I KNOW KIRK WATSON FROM MY TIME AS A LOBBYIST FOR AS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS FOR TEXAS OF NEW, UH, YOUTH SERVICES.
AND, UM, HE'S BEEN VERY RESPONSIVE TO MY CONCERNS.
I LIVE AT LADY BIRD DOWNTOWN IN FIESTA GARDENS, WHICH IS MANAGED BY DIANE MCFARLAND AND ASSOCIATES.
AND FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS AS A HOUSING EXPERT AND A DISABILITY EXPERT AND A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT, I'VE BEEN TRAUMATIZED BY HOW SHABBILY THE RESIDENTS ARE BEING TREATED IN THE NAME OF PROFIT BY DIANE MCFARLAND AND ASSOCIATES.
AND I'VE GIVEN THEM EVERY CHANCE AND EVERY GOOD ADVICE TO PARTNER WITH THE MAYOR, WITH THE JEFF, UH, ILION, WHO I'M ALSO FRIENDS WITH.
UM, AND THEY'RE JUST DESECRATING THE MEMORY OF LADY BIRD AND, UM, HER HUSBAND.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF HOMELESS WANDERING AROUND ALL DAY LONG.
THERE WAS, UM, A HOMELESS PROSTITUTE JUST WALKED INTO THE BUILDING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY AND SHE ASSAULTED ONE OF THE CORPORATE STAFF LAST NIGHT IN THE BUILDING.
AND I SAID, CALL THE MENTAL HEALTH DEPUTIES.
AND THEY CALLED RANGER SECURITY.
IT TOOK LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF TO SHOW UP AND SHE'S ALREADY GONE RUNNING OFF IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND I'M LIKE, IT'S LIKE THE KEYSTONE COPS.
A LOT OF TIMES THE ROOKIE EMS DRIVERS SHOW UP AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET IN RESPONDING TO A 9 1 1 CALL.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN PROPERLY TRAINED.
AND I BROUGHT THIS UP WITH THE MAYOR AND IT WAS ADDRESSED AND I ALSO BROUGHT IT UP WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONER TRIVIAN AND, AND IT'S BETTER, BUT IT'S NOT PERFECT.
THERE'S NO ONE REALLY HANDS ON DOWN THERE MAKING SOLUTIONS HAPPEN.
THEY TREAT THE RESIDENTS LIKE TRASH.
UM, AS A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL, UH, WITH A LONG TRACK RECORD IN AUSTIN RUNNING THREE HOMELESS SHELTERS AND WORKING FOR INTEGRAL CARE WITH JUDGE, UM, GUY HERMAN AND JUDGE RASNER.
I KNOW THAT PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES CAN BE GIVEN HOME HEALTHCARE AND HOSPICE CARE OF THEIR TERMINAL.
AND THE SOCIAL WORKERS DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT AND THEY'RE NOT DOING IT.
AND THESE PEOPLE ARE DYING AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PATHETIC.
UM, I'VE REACHED OUT TO KXAN AND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT COMING AND DOING LIKE A KXN INVESTIGATES THINGS SOON.
I WAS ALSO ON, UH, NEAR RAINY STREET ON TUESDAY NIGHT, ABOUT ONE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING HEADING TO RAINY STREET.
UH, THE LIVE OAK KILLS ME AND I WAKE UP LATE SOMETIMES.
AND THERE WAS A GIANT TRUCK TI TIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF EAST AVENUE AND IT HAD DAM IT HAD COME OFF A TRUCK ON 35, ROLLED ALL THE WAY DOWN THE HILL AND DAMAGED SEVEN CARS ON ITS WAY DOWN BEFORE IT.
LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF INSANITY THAT'S GOING ON OVER THERE, CLOSE TO THE RIVER.
AND THERE IS NO RAINY STREET SERIAL KILLER IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION.
BUT, UM, I'M AVAILABLE, UM, TO GIVE ANYONE A TOUR OF LADY BIRD THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT'S NOT GOING ON AND HOW PUNITIVE THEY'RE TREATING THE RESIDENTS.
THERE'S A LOT OF REALLY ANGRY RESIDENTS, BUT THEY'RE AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT.
I GET IN TROUBLE FOR SPEAKING OUT ON BEHALF OF THEM AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS AFTERNOON AND FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
AND CARLA COURTNEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOUBLE CHECKING.
[5. Briefing on Affordability Impact Statement Policy and Process [Rachel Tepper, Planner Principal, Housing Department and David Carroll, Director of Multifamily Architecture, Urban Foundry]
AHEAD AND MOVE ON TO ITEM FIVE, BRIEFING ON THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT POLICY AND PROCESS.UH, FIRST UP IS, UH, RACHEL TEPPER, WE'RE GONNA DO THIS IN TWO PARTS.
I'M GONNA GIVE A STAFF BRIEFING AND THEN DAVID CARROLL WITH, UM, AUSTIN HOUSING COALITION IS GOING TO ALSO GIVE A SHORT PRESENTATION AS WELL.
[00:45:01]
AFTERNOON.I'M A PRINCIPAL PLANNER IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
AND THIS PRESENTATION IS GONNA GO OVER THE BACKGROUND ABOUT WHY WE WRITE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENTS, THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED, AS WELL AS SOME SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS.
SO WE'VE BEEN WRITING AFFORDABILITY STATEMENTS FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS.
UM, THIS WAS, THIS PROCESS WAS ORIGINALLY CRAFTED DURING THE SMART HOUSING ORDINANCE DEVELOPED IN 2007.
UM, AND IT WAS A PART OF THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PROCESS TO ENSURE THAT WE WEREN'T WORKING AT CROSS PURPOSES WITH OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING GOALS.
UM, THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UM, HAS ALWAYS HAD THE GOALS OF IDENTIFYING POLICIES, UM, THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT AFFORDABILITY PRIOR TO THEIR ADOPTION AND REALLY TO INITIATE POLICY ALTERNATIVES WITH THE STAFF, UM, EARLY ON SO THAT WE CAN, UM, IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS, UM, EVEN BEFORE THEY GET TO, UM, COUNCIL OR COMMISSIONS.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE A IS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ABOUT PROPOSING OUTCOMES OR PROPOSING SOLUTIONS.
IT'S REALLY JUST TO REVIEW TO SEE IF THERE IS AN AFFORDABILITY IMPACT AND IT'S THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENT AND ULTIMATELY, UM, THE POLICY MAKERS WHOSE JOB IT IS TO COME UP WITH THE SOLUTION.
THIS IS REALLY JUST TO REVIEW, UM, FOR POTENTIAL IMPACTS.
JUST TO GO OVER THE PROCESS A LITTLE BIT, UM, WE START WITH AN INTAKE FORM WITH SPONSORING DEPARTMENTS.
UM, SO BECAUSE THIS APPLIES TO ALL CODES AND ALL, ALL, UM, RULE CHANGES OR CRITERIA, MANUAL CHANGES, UM, IT, THERE COULD BE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UM, REASONS FOR WHY A RULE IS CHANGING, UM, OR AN ORDINANCE IS CHANGING.
WE'RE SUBMITTING DEPARTMENTS PROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES AND THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE AND PLAN TO DO AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE.
UM, JUST A LITTLE FLOW CHART ABOUT HOW WE DO THIS WORK.
WE GET IN THOSE INTAKE FORMS, WE REVIEW, WE TRY TO REVIEW IMMEDIATELY IF THERE IS A NEGATIVE IMPACT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, WE START A BACK AND FORTH CONVERSATION.
OUR GOAL IS ALWAYS THAT WE WRITE AIS, UM, WITH A TWO WEEK TIMEFRAME, BUT IF THERE IS A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH WITH A PARTICULAR ORDINANCE, UM, A RECENT ONE THAT YOU PROBABLY ALL, ALL ALL ARE AWARE OF IS THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE THAT HAD MANY ITERATIONS.
AND SO WE WERE GOING BACK AND FORTH AND OF COURSE THE A IS TOOK LONGER AS THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUED TO REFINE THEIR WORK.
UM, IF THERE'S A NEGATIVE IMPACT, UH, WE DO TRY TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES AND IF WE CAN'T LAND ON ANYTHING OR IF IT'S SIMPLY JUST, IT NEEDS TO BE THESE PRIORITIES CONFLICT WITH ONE EACH OTHER, ONE ANOTHER, THEY'RE BOTH IMPORTANT.
UM, THE PROCESS IS THAT, UH, WE SEND THAT NEGATIVE IMPACT STATEMENT TO THE HOUSING DIRECTOR AND THEN THE HOUSING DIRECTOR FORWARDS AN ON FOR REVIEW TO THE CITY MANAGER.
UM, AND IT'S ALWAYS THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ATTACH AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENTS TO BACKUP SO THAT YOU ALL, UH, YOU AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION OR OTHER COMMISSIONS, UM, REVIEW IT.
AS FAR AS HOW WE DO THE REVIEW, THE, THE ORDINANCE WAS VERY VAGUE IN THE LANGUAGE ABOUT HOUSING AFFORDABILITY.
I HAD IT IN AN EARLIER SLIDE, BUT ESSENTIALLY WE LOOK AT THREE THINGS.
WE LOOK AT LAND USE AND ZONING IMPACT.
SO THAT'S SIMPLY SORT OF A SUPPLY.
DOES THE, YOU KNOW, DOES THE REGULATION IMPACT DEVELOPABLE AREA, DOES IT IMPACT HEIGHT CAPACITY? UM, WE ALSO LOOK AT DEVELOPMENT COSTS.
SO WE ASK THE DEPARTMENTS, UM, TO SUBMIT COST ESTIMATES IF THEY CAN ON, YOU KNOW, DOES THIS, DOES THIS CHANGE WHAT WE'RE DOING TODAY AND IS IT GONNA MAKE IT MORE EXPENSIVE, UM, TO PROVIDE HOUSING? AND THEN WE ALSO LOOK AT THE IMPACT ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
SO IS THIS REGULATION GONNA MAKE IT HARDER FOR NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR FOR INCOME RESTRICTED, AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO DEVELOP? UM, SO THOSE ARE THE THREE CATEGORIES THAT WE LOOK AT.
AND THEN IN TERMS OF NET, UH, LEVEL OF IMPACT, THERE ARE SOME CASES WHERE WE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GO FORWARD IF THE IMPACT IS POSITIVE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, UM, NEUTRAL AND IN SOME CASES MINIMAL WITH A COMPELLING PUBLIC PURPOSE, UM, SUCH AS THE WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS AS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE WHERE YEAH, THERE IS A COST, THERE'S ALSO A SIGNIFICANT, UH, COMPELLING PURPOSE.
SO THAT'S SORT OF HOW WE'VE MADE THE DETERMINATIONS IN THE PAST.
UM, THIS IS SORT OF WHAT AN A IS LOOKS LIKE.
UM, WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SCREEN READERS AND TRANSLATORS, UM, BEFORE WE KIND OF HAD MORE TABLES ON OUR, UM, ON OUR FORM.
BUT THAT, UM, SO NOW IT'S JUST REALLY SIMPLE.
AND JUST AS FAR AS SOME, SOME RECENT EXAMPLES OF A
[00:50:01]
POSITIVE WOULD BE LIKE THE EQUITABLE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ADDED NEW INCOME RESTRICTED AND MARKET RATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING.UM, A NEUTRAL WOULD BE THE IBC, THE 2024 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE.
AND THEN A RECENT NEGATIVE IS THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CONSERVATION CODE, BECAUSE OF COURSE AS THE, THERE ARE, UH, THERE ARE REQUIREMENTS IN THAT NEW CODE, UM, FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING, WHICH NOT THAT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT, BUT IT DOES ADD COST TO OVERALL RESIDENTIAL HOUSING CONSTRUCTION.
AS FAR AS JUST A BREAKDOWN OF A'S AT LEAST OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS AS FAR BACK AS I COULD FIND, YOU KNOW, QUICK DATA FOR, UM, THE MAJORITY OF THEISS HAVE BEEN NEUTRAL.
AND PART OF THAT'S BECAUSE WE REALLY WORK TOWARDS TRYING TO GET TO A NEUTRAL AND GETTING THE DEPARTMENTS TO SEE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS EARLY ON AND, UM, JUST CHOOSE A DIFFERENT PATHWAY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT.
THE OTHER PART OF IT IS WE, SINCE WE REVIEW EVERYTHING, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE NOT GERMANE TO AFFORDABILITY.
THINK THE, THE BALLARDS IN FRONT OF HOSPITALS THAT THAT IS A CODE AMENDMENT, IT JUST DOESN'T IMPACT AFFORDABILITY.
UM, AND FINALLY I'LL JUST GO THROUGH A FEW IMPROVEMENTS AND THEN I'LL PASS IT OVER TO DAVID TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME THINGS WE COULD BE DOING BETTER.
BUT, UM, AS YOU ALL MIGHT BE AWARE, I MEAN, I THINK IN 2023 COUNCIL INITIATED A CHANGE TO ESTABLISH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY REVIEW PANEL OR THE TARP IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO REVIEW CRITERIA MANUAL CHANGES IN A MUCH MORE, UM, STAKEHOLDER INFORMED WAY.
AND NOW IT'S BECOME A BIT REDUNDANT WITH THE A IS PROCESS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE STREAMLINED IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND DSD HAVE STREAMLINED OUR FORMS. SO, SO STAFF DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH TWO DIFFERENT PROCESSES.
WE JUST DO ONE FORM, UM, FOR INITIATING CHANGES TO THE CRITERIA MANUALS.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE TARP PROCESS REVIEWS FOR HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IN A MORE HOLISTIC WAY, WE'RE NOW KIND OF REDUNDANT.
SO A POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENT WOULD BE FOR THE AIS IS TO ONLY REVIEW ORDINANCES AND FOR THE CRITERIA MANUALS, THE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY CONSIDERATIONS TO BE HANDLED THROUGH THE TARP.
UM, IT'S A BIT MORE MODERNIZED THAN 20 OR THAN 2007.
UM, ANOTHER STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK POINT THAT WE HAVE HEARD BEFORE IS THAT, UM, THOSE RULE CHANGES.
THE A IS PROCESS HAS NOT HISTORICALLY, UM, HAD A PUBLIC POSTING OF THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENTS.
THEY HAVE BEEN, UM, THE CITY CLERK WHEN, WHEN THERE ARE RULE CHANGES, THE, THE CITY CLERK DOES PUT THE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE PUT LIST SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE ABOUT HOW TO REQUEST AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENTS.
I BELIEVE IT PROBABLY HAS TO DO WITH JUST THE VOLUME OF THE CHANGES THAT HAPPEN ON A QUARTERLY BASIS THAT, THAT THOSE AIS WERE AVAILABLE UPON REQUESTED, NOT PUBLICLY, UH, AVAILABLE.
UM, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT STAKEHOLDERS HAVE NOTED AS POTENTIAL AREA FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, ALSO WE KNOW WE HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THIS IDEA OF WHEN TO RELEASE THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT IN THE ENABLING LEGISLATION.
IT DOES SAY AT THE BEGINNING OF STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSIONS, WE'VE INTERPRETED THAT TO MEAN AT THE BEGINNING OF PUBLIC HEARINGS.
AND, UM, THE REASON FOR THAT IS TO REDUCE THE REWRITE PROCESS.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE WILDLAND OR, OR WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE AND IS AS AN EXAMPLE, THAT MAP, THERE WERE SEVEN DIFFERENT ITERATIONS OF THE MAP.
SO WE DID WAIT UNTIL THE, THE MAP WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DEPARTMENT WAS FINAL IN THEIR PROPOSAL THAT THEY WERE GONNA TAKE FORWARD TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN THE WAY THAT WE'VE DONE IT.
THAT DOES MEAN THOUGH, THAT WE DON'T REWRITE IT WHEN PLANNING COMMISSION MIGHT TAKE AN ACTION THAT CHANGES THE PROPOSAL SO IT BECOMES OUT OF DATE POTENTIALLY.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE'VE LANDED, BUT CERTAINLY WELCOME FEEDBACK, UM, FROM YOU ALL OR, UM, YOU KNOW, ON THAT PROCESS.
AND THEN ANOTHER THING THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE HISTORICALLY IS WRITE AN A IS FOR THE BUDGET.
SO THE, RIGHT NOW, UM, IN THE FEE SCHEDULE, THE FEE SCHEDULE THAT'S ADOPTED IN THE BUDGET CERTAINLY HAS IMPACTS ON AFFORDABILITY.
IF THOSE FEES GO UP, THOSE DEVELOPMENT FEES GO UP.
UM, WE HAVEN'T HISTORICALLY REVIEWED FOR AFFORDABILITY IMPACT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF WE WANT TO DO THAT, WE JUST NEED TO LIKE, THAT WOULD TAKE SIGNIFICANT COORDINATION, UM, WITH MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS.
UM, AND THEN THIS LAST PIECE IS A BIT BROAD, BUT UM, YOU KNOW, THE ENABLING LEGISLATION THAT I DID HAVE UP ON THE SCREEN AT THE VERY BEGINNING IS JUST DOESN'T DEFINE A HOUSING AFFORDABILITY AND FOR WHOM.
[00:55:01]
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A VERY BROAD, THAT CAN BE VERY BROAD.SO WE'VE INTERPRETED TO MEAN THOSE THREE THINGS, SUPPLY CONSTRUCTION COSTS AND IMPACTS TO EXISTING NATURALLY OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR BUILDING INCOME RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
BUT WE KNOW THAT THOSE, THERE ARE INDIRECT IMPACTS AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE WOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD WELCOME ANY ADDITIONAL COUNCIL DIRECTION ON THAT.
UM, AND I'LL PASS IT OVER TO DAVID TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, SOME ADDITIONAL STAKEHOLDER RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND BEFORE YOU DO, LET ME JUST CHECK TO SEE IF THERE'S ANY, UH, QUESTIONS.
UH, RIGHT NOW, I GUESS COUNCIL MEMBER MORALE, I HAVE A COUPLE AND I DON'T WANNA JUMP IN LINE IF THERE'S MORE, BUT I ALSO DON'T WANNA FORGET WHAT I WANNA ASK.
UM, YOU SAID THERE WERE SEVEN THAT GOT A NEGATIVE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT.
DO YOU KNOW OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD WHAT THOSE WERE OR COULD YOU SEND THEM TO ME? JUST I'M CURIOUS.
UM, I KNOW, I KNOW THE ONES THAT I'VE WRITTEN THAT WAS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
UM, THE ONES I'VE WRITTEN, UH, ARE THE ONSITE WATER REUSE, UM, REQUIREMENT, THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE CODE, THE, UM, AND I MIGHT, I MIGHT HAVE TO TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THE OTHERS.
UM, YEAH, WE'LL JUST, I'LL, I'LL GET BACK TO YOU ON THEM.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT COME TO MIND, RIGHT? OH, THE AUSTIN OR THE, UM, THE, UH, INTERNATIONAL ENERGY CODE CONSERVATION CODE ONE THAT I JUST MENTIONED.
THOSE ARE THREE, THAT'S HALF OF 'EM.
I'M HAPPY TO GET THE INFORMATION OFFLINE.
I'M JUST CURIOUS GENERALLY WHICH ONES THOSE WERE AND HOW WE HANDLED THAT AS A COUNCIL IF WE STOPPED AND RECALIBRATED AND JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MORE OF THAT.
I SEE MANDY DEO STANDING UP, MANDY DEO AND INTERIM DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
WE WILL GET YOU, UM, A LIST OF ALL SEVEN, UH, OF THOSE NEGATIVE AIS S BUT I DO WANNA REITERATE WHAT RACHEL SAID PREVIOUSLY THAT WE'RE NOT, UM, COMMENTING, WE'RE COMMENTING SPECIFICALLY ON THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACTS, NOT NECESSARILY THE BROADER COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
SO RACHEL MENTIONED THE WILD, THE WWE CODE, THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE COMPLETELY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A HUGE PUBLIC BENEFIT TO WILDLAND MANAGEMENT FROM A FIRE PERSPECTIVE, BUT ALSO AT THE SAME TIME NEEDING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPACT OF THE, THE COST AND THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON AFFORDABILITY IN THOSE CASES.
SO RACHEL ALSO MENTIONED, AND THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN BEFORE YOUR TIME, WE, WE HAVE HAD THROUGH THE A IS PROCESS, SOME INTERACTIONS WITH LET'S SAY AUSTIN ENERGY OVER SOME PROPOSALS, UH, SOME CODE AMENDMENTS THAT THEY WERE MAKING WHERE WE SPECIFICALLY WERE ABLE TO, THROUGH NEGOTIATION AND DISCUSSION, WERE ABLE TO HAVE CARVE OUTS FOR, UM, INCOME RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH TOOK A, WHAT PREVIOUSLY WOULD'VE BEEN A NEGATIVE IMPACT TO A NEUTRAL IMPACT.
AGAIN, ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED FOR THESE CODE AMENDMENTS AND, UM, NOT, UH, BEING VALUE NEUTRAL, UM, ON THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS IN FACT A, A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE CHANGES.
SO WE'LL GET YOU ALL SEVEN, UM, OF THE PRIOR ONES AND YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK THROUGH THEM AND HOPEFULLY THROUGH THE NARRATIVE WE TRY TO MAKE CLEAR THAT, YOU KNOW, AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC BENEFIT, THE BROADER PUBLIC BENEFIT, BUT AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE COST AND IMPACT ON AFFORDABILITY.
'CAUSE I KNOW WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS NOT ONLY ABOUT WILDFIRE RISK, BUT ALSO VISION ZERO PROGRAMMING THAT THERE IS, THERE IS ANOTHER COST THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE QUANTIFIABLE IN THIS REGARD, BUT I WENT TO A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETING ON SATURDAY AND THERE WERE SOME CONSTITUENTS SHARING TIPS AND TRICKS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GO THROUGH THE WOOEY CODE AND YOU MAKE THESE IMPROVEMENTS TO YOUR HOME, YOU CAN LET YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY KNOW, AND SOMETIMES YOUR RATES WILL GO DOWN BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE, YOU'VE TAKEN STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR HOME IS HARDY TO ITSELF AND TO YOUR NEIGHBORS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT CALL OUT TO, TO, UM, GREATER COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
UM, I WAS ALSO REMINDED ABOUT THE, THE BUDGET.
I KNOW THERE'S A GENERAL AFFORDABILITY, LIKE AN AVERAGE HOMEOWNER'S COST, AND WE GET THIS ONE PAGER EVERY BUDGET CYCLE THAT SAYS, HERE'S GENERALLY WHERE YOUR PROPERTY TAXES WILL BE, WHERE YOUR BILLS WILL BE.
UM, SO I, I KNOW THAT THAT'S LIKE A DIFFERENT ANGLE OF AFFORDABILITY, BUT JUST WANTED TO FLAG THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS HAS A DIFFERENT ONE PAGER THAT DOES CALL OUT THOSE DIFFERENT FEE INCREASES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND COULD YOU SEND THAT LIST OF THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENTS TO THE WHOLE COMMITTEE? UH, AND THEN JUST, UM, A ANOTHER EXAMPLE THINKING ABOUT, AGAIN, THE
I, I KNOW THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, BUT I MEAN, NO QUESTION THAT, THAT REQUIRING SPRINKLERS IN MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS, UH, ADDED COST TO THAT.
AGAIN, THERE'S A WHOLE BENEFIT TO THAT, THAT THAT'S, UH, YOU
[01:00:01]
KNOW, THAT WOULD'VE HAD A NEGATIVE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT.BUT, UH, IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, PROBABLY, UH, WELL WORTH IT GIVEN THE, THE, THE HUMAN LIFE, UH, AT, AT AT STAKE.
UM, AND JUST ANOTHER QUICK THOUGHT ON THE DEVELOPMENT FEES.
UH, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU RAISE A FEE FROM A HUNDRED DOLLARS TO $200, THAT HAS A AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT.
THAT SAID, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THAT AFFORDABILITY IMPACT IS.
UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S OBVIOUS.
UH, SO I, I, I GUESS I WOULD BE A LITTLE LESS CONCERNED JUST BECAUSE THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, EASY TO IDENTIFY AND, AND, AND QUANTIFY.
WHEREAS SOME OF THESE OTHER CHANGES ARE MUCH MORE ABSTRACT AND, AND WE'RE KIND OF TRYING TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH IT AND UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT, UH, THE FULL IMPACT, UH, IS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? YES, CHAIR, CHAIR, HARPER MANFORD, UH, THANK YOU VICE CHAIR VELA.
SO, YOU KNOW, DURING THE COURSE OF YOUR PRESENTATION, I ACTUALLY, AS YOU WERE CONCLUDING YOUR PRESENTATION, YOU SAID SOMETHING AND I WANNA, UM, USE THAT TO HIGHLIGHT SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN DOING.
UH, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY IN THE ROOM HAS NOTICED, BUT I'VE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROPOSE WE SWITCH OUR IFC PROCESS, OUR ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION PROCESS, IN MY MIND'S EYE IS A PROCESS WE SHOULD PRESERVE EXPLICITLY FOR COUNCIL ACTION REQUIRED ITEMS. UM, MY PREFERENCE, AND FROM WHAT I CAN ASCERTAIN THUS FAR, IS THAT THE MANAGER'S PREFERENCE ALSO IS TO DIRECTLY DISCUSS WHAT NEEDS DOING WITH THE MANAGER AND ALLOW FOR HE AND THE CMO TEAM TO, EXCUSE ME, DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION.
SO THAT SAID, YOU SAID, AND I QUOTE, UM, WE WELCOME FURTHER COUNSEL DIRECTION.
AND I, I PUT EMPHASIS ON THAT TO JUST TRY TO PUT, UM, THE HIGHLIGHT ON THIS PROPOSAL PROCESS THAT I'VE BEEN PROPOSING OUT OF MY OFFICE.
AND I REALLY HOPE MY COLLEAGUES CATCH ON AND EMBRACE IS US DEFERRING TO YOU GUYS.
SO, SOMETHING THAT I'VE RECOGNIZED IN MY ASSESSMENT OF WHAT'S KIND OF NOT GONE WRONG, BUT WHAT'S BEEN CHALLENGING, TOOK TOO LONG, WHATEVER THE THING WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, TO DATE SIX YEARS WORTH OF DOING, YOU KNOW, THE MANAGER ONE TIME IN OUR ONE-ON-ONE, HE LOOKED AT A LIST OF THINGS THAT I HAD HANDED HIM.
HE SAID, DOES THAT SAY 22? I SAID, YEAH, BRO, IT TOOK THREE YEARS.
DOES THAT SAY 19 UHHUH SIX CONSECUTIVE YEARS WORKING ON THIS SAME THING? SO TO TRY TO MINIMIZE US CONTINUING TO OPERATE LIKE THAT JUST IN FULL RECOGNITION THAT IT'S UNTENABLE, I WOULD LIKE TO THROW THE QUESTION BACK ON YOU GUYS.
SO WHEN YOU SAY COUNCIL ACTION WOULD BE, OR COUNCIL DIRECTION WOULD BE APPRECIATED, I'M GONNA SAY, OH YEAH, BOOMERANG REVERSE UNO CARD.
YOU TELL US WHAT YOU NEED US TO DIRECT YOU TO DO SO WE CAN GET IT DONE.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE WHAT WE'RE DOING IS DEFERRING TO A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO NONE OF WHOM HAVE EXPERTISE LIKE YOU GUYS HAVE, AND ASKING US TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
AND THAT TO ME DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
IN WHICH CASE, I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS COMMITTEE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THE STARS OF THE SHOW, WHICH IS YOU GUYS.
SO Y'ALL TELL US WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO, TO TELL YOU TO DO
UH, UH, APPRECIATE I, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THIS, I THINK THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROCESS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR 20 YEARS, AND SO, AND WE'VE KIND OF BEEN DOING IT THE SAME WAY FOR 20 YEARS, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK WE'VE, WE'VE MADE SOME MODIFICATIONS, BUT I THINK THAT IT DOES KIND OF NEED A REFRESH.
AND I THINK THAT DAVID'S GONNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE SUGGESTIONS.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THAT CAN BE DONE BY STAFF, BUT SOME OF IT WILL TAKE A CODE AMENDMENT BECAUSE THE SMART HOUSING ORDINANCE WAS A, IT'S AN ORDINANCE, AND SO IT WILL TAKE SOME WORK, YOU KNOW, WITH BOTH ON BOTH SIDES, UM, TO KIND OF RECRAFT IT FOR, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT DECADE.
AND, AND SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT THAT VANDY WHISPERED IN YOUR EAR.
SHE'S BEEN DEALING WITH ME LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT IF YOU GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY, I'LL GO STRAIGHT TO THE MOON, BUT I'LL BRING IT MORE GRANULAR IF MOVING FORWARD.
PROCEDURALLY HOW WE COULD DO THIS IS IN LIEU OF, WE WOULD APPRECIATE COUNCIL DIRECTION.
I'M LITERALLY SAYING, WE AS A COMMITTEE, ME AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, MY COLLEAGUES AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE WOULD APPRECIATE SOME SUGGESTIONS AND PROMPTS FROM YOU ALL FOR WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED OUR DIRECTION ON.
WE WANNA DEFER TO YOUR EXPERTISE.
COUNCIL MEMBER HARPER MADISON, MANDY
[01:05:01]
DE MAYO INTERIM DIRECTOR.AND I WILL SAY, UM, ONE THING WE VALUE ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE IS HEARING THE DIALOGUE.
SO RACHEL PRESENTED, WE HEARD SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.
UM, WE'RE GONNA HAVE DAVID CARROLL WITH, UM, AUSTIN HOUSING COALITION PRESENT.
WE'RE GONNA HEAR SOME OF THE DIALOGUE, AND THEN WE'RE ABLE TO TALK INTERNALLY, UM, ABOUT WHAT WE THINK WE COULD DO TO IMPROVE THE A IS PROCESS AND WHAT WE THINK WE WOULD NEED.
IN FACT, WHETHER IT'S A CODE AMENDMENT OPENING UP SMART HOUSING, UM, IN WHICH CASE WE WOULD INITIATE THAT.
AND THAT THAT'S A EXCELLENT TRANSITION TO CALL UP MR. DAVID CARROLL AND TO HEAR WHAT HIS SUGGESTIONS ARE ON THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENTS.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR HAVING, UH, THIS DISCUSSION TODAY.
I'M AN ARCHITECT, AND I'VE BEEN DESIGNING AND ADVOCATING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING HERE IN AUSTIN FOR 20 YEARS.
UH, SO I WAS HERE WHEN THIS ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN OH SEVEN, AND I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF A, A AUSTIN AND THE AUSTIN HOUSING COALITION.
SO I'M GONNA TOUCH ON A FEW POINTS, REALLY HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT RACHEL HAD ALREADY TOUCHED ON.
UH, THE FIRST ONE IS RULE CHANGES.
AND SO THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE INCLUDED RULE CHANGES.
SO IF ANY RULE CHANGE BY ANY DEPARTMENT AFFECTS AFFORDABILITY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT.
AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN, THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN AT ALL.
THERE'S, THERE'S MANY EXAMPLES THAT AFFECT AFFORDABILITY.
UH, THERE'S NO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, THERE'S NO IMPACT STATEMENT, THERE'S NOT EVEN A NOTICE WHEN THESE RULES ARE CHANGED.
UH, YOU JUST SORT OF FIND OUT WHEN YOU SUBMIT A PROJECT FOR PERMITTING.
UH, SO OBVIOUSLY WE JUST WANT IT TO BE ENFORCED, LIKE THE ORDINANCE SAYS, REQUIRE ALL DEPARTMENTS THAT MAKE RULE CHANGES TO, TO DO THESE AIS S UM, AND TO DO, UH, STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN THE PROCESS.
UH, SO THAT GOES TO STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
THE ORDINANCE LANGUAGE SAYS THAT STAKEHOLDER, THAT A AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
UM, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING EITHER IN MOST CASES.
AND SO STAKEHOLDER SEE THESE IMPACT STATEMENTS WHEN THEY'RE POSTED AS BACKUP TO PLANNING COMMISSION OR COUNCIL MEETING.
AND, YOU KNOW, 48 OR 72 HOURS IS NOT ENOUGH FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO REALLY DEEP DO A DEEP DIVE INTO THESE THINGS AND COME UP WITH, UH, GOOD FEEDBACK THAT'S GONNA BE CONSIDERED, UH, AND, YOU KNOW, GET TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY IN THAT.
SO THERE REALLY NEEDS TO BE MORE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, UH, AHEAD OF TIME WITH THESE ASISS TO, TO GET FEEDBACK FROM, FROM EXPERTS IN THE FIELD THAT ARE HERE TO HELP.
THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE DOES SAY THAT IF ANY BUDGET OR BUDGET AMENDMENT ITEM AFFECTS AFFORDABILITY, THAT AN A IS SHOULD BE DONE.
AND YOU KNOW, ES ESPECIALLY THE LAST SEVERAL BUDGET CYCLES, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY DEVELOPMENT FEES THAT HAVE BEEN ADOPTED AS PART OF THE CITY BUDGET, AND THERE'S NO IMPACT STATEMENT DONE FOR THESE ITEMS, AND THEY GREATLY AFFECT AFFORDABILITY.
SO AGAIN, HERE, WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR THE ORDINANCE TO BE ENFORCED AS WRITTEN.
THE DEFINITION OF AFFORDABILITY.
RACHEL SORT OF TOUCHED ON THIS, THE, THE ORIGINAL ORDINANCE, LIKE MANY ORDINANCES, LEAVES SOME INTERPRETATION.
UM, SO IT DOESN'T, DOESN'T CLEARLY DEFINE WHAT SHOULD BE EVALUATED AND, AND WHAT THE AFFORDABILITY IS.
THE THE CURRENT PROCESS, AS YOU SAW EARLIER, IS REALLY ONLY LOOKING AT, UH, DEVELOPMENT COSTS AND, AND HOW THESE CHANGES AFFECT DEVELOPMENT COSTS.
BUT AS WE ALL KNOW, THE COST OF LIVING IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE RENT YOU'RE PAYING.
UM, IT'S, IT'S THINGS LIKE MOBILITY AND, AND FOOD ACCESS.
AND SO YOU'LL, YOU'LL SEE IN A FEW SLIDES HERE THAT, UM, WE FEEL THAT THERE'S A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH NEEDED TO BETTER DEFINE, UH, AFFORDABILITY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT THE IMPACT IS, UH, OF THESE BESIDES JUST THE DEVELOPMENT COSTS.
AND THEN JUST PRIORITIZING THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL HAS DONE A FANTASTIC JOB OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS PASSING THESE, THESE HOUSING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS.
BUT, BUT THE IMPACT STATEMENTS HAVE NOT GIVE, BEEN GIVEN THE SAME ATTENTION.
[01:10:01]
MANY OF THESE RESOLUTIONS AND ORDINANCES ARE, ARE SORT OF SHOTS IN THE DARK BECAUSE WE DON'T, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TRUE IMPACT THEY'RE GONNA HAVE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GETTING A DEEP DIVE IN, IN THESE IMPACT STATEMENTS.AND SO, AGAIN, WE'RE PROPOSING A MORE, UH, HOLISTIC AND ROBUST TOOL TO EVALUATE THESE THAN, THAN THE CURRENT SORT OF ONE PAGER THAT, THAT YOU SAW AN EXAMPLE OF EARLIER.
UH, SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, A PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE THAT, THAT WE PUT TOGETHER THAT LOOKS AT SEVERAL CATEGORIES AFFECTING HOUSING, UH, COST OF LIVING BESIDES JUST DEVELOPMENT COSTS.
AND IT, WE'RE CALLING IT, UH, AFFORDABILITY IMPACT SCORECARD.
AND SO IT'S A TOOL THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SCORE, UM, HOW A PROPOSED CHANGE AFFECTS EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES, UH, HAVING TO DO WITH HOUSING.
AND IT'S A, IT'S A SIMPLISTIC TOOL THAT BASICALLY COMES UP WITH A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE SCORE.
AND SO BASED ON YES OR NO QUESTIONS, AND SO OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S A POSITIVE SCORE, THEN IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT HAS A POSITIVE EFFECT ON AFFORDABILITY, AND IT'S A NEGATIVE SCORE, HAS A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON AFFORDABILITY.
UH, SO IN THIS EXAMPLE, UH, THIS IS REALLY ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF THAT THE CHANGE HAS ON TRANSIT.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE, AS YOU GO THROUGH FURTHER THROUGH THE TOOL, UM, ANOTHER CATEGORY IS ANTI DISPLACEMENT.
UH, AND THEN ALSO POLICY ALIGNMENT.
THIS, THIS SEEMS TO COME UP A LOT, THAT THAT DOES THE RULE, UH, CHANGE OR CODE CHANGE ALIGN WITH PREVIOUS POLICY ADOPTED BY COUNCIL? UH, THINGS LIKE THE STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT OR THE STRATEGIC MOBILITY PLAN? NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THEN EQUITY IS ALSO A CATEGORY THAT WE FELT WAS IMPORTANT.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THINGS LIKE THE WINDOWLESS BEDROOMS, YOU KNOW, MAY HAVE A NEGATIVE SCORE IN CONSTRUCTION, BUT IT WOULD HAVE A VERY POSITIVE SCORE, UH, IN THE EQUITY CATEGORY IN THIS TOOL.
THIS, THIS CATEGORY IS VERY SIMILAR TO ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S BEING LOOKED AT TODAY, THE EFFECTS ON, ON HOUSING COSTS.
AND THEN THE LAST CATEGORY WE HAD WAS, WAS COMMUNITY.
AND SO THIS SCORECARD GIVES YOU A TOTAL SCORE FOR EACH CATEGORY AND THEN A TOTAL SCORE, UM, FOR, FOR ALL OF THEM COMBINED.
AND AGAIN, THIS WAS JUST AN IDEA THAT WE HAD THAT, OF TRYING TO FIND A TOOL THAT, UM, COULD BE A LITTLE BIT MORE USEFUL TO IDENTIFYING AREAS THAT AREN'T LOOKED AT TODAY, UH, WITHOUT BEING TOO CUMBERSOME TO COMPLETE THAT, THAT SOMEONE COULD COMPLETE THIS IN A RELATIVELY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME AND IDENTIFIED AREAS THAT MAYBE NEED FURTHER INVESTIGATION OR STUDY.
UH, THAT'S THE LAST SLIDE I HAVE, SO THANK YOU.
UH, MR. CAL, ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? UM, WELL, AGAIN, WE, UH, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
I, I DO HAVE, UH, A A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
I THINK THIS MAY BE MORE FOR, FOR STAFF, BUT, OR ACTUALLY YOU MENTIONED IT, I BELIEVE, BUT THE EXAMPLE, WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A RULE CHANGE THAT IT'S AFFECTING, UH, AFFORDABILITY OR A HANDFUL EX OF EXAMPLES? WELL, THE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXAMPLES AT THE TIME WAS WHEN AUSTIN ENERGY CHANGED THEIR, UH, SETBACK RULE FROM ENERGIZED POWER LINES.
UM, AT THE TIME THERE WAS NO IMPACT STATEMENT RELEASED TO, TO THE PUBLIC.
AND, UH, IT WAS ESSENTIALLY A TAKE OF LAND, UH, BECAUSE IT MADE A BUNCH OF LAND UNBUILDABLE AT THE TIME.
COULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT, WHAT THAT RULE CHANGE WAS IN THE CONTEXT AND ALL OF THAT? SURE.
SO AUSTIN ENERGY PREVIOUSLY, UH, HAD A SETBACK THAT ALL CONSTRUCTION HAD TO BE AT LEAST 10 FEET AWAY FROM ENERGIZED POWER LINE, WHICH WAS AN OSHA STANDARD.
UH, AND THEY SWITCHED IT TO 15 FEET, AGAIN, WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE DESIGN COMMUNITY DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT IT UNTIL THEY SUBMITTED FOR PERMIT.
AND AUSTIN ENERGY SAID, NO, YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO BE 15 FEET, UH, FROM THE POWER LINES.
SO THEY TOOK FIVE FEET MORE OF ALL THESE PROPERTIES, WHICH REALLY AFFECTED ALL THE INFILL PROJECTS ON CORRIDORS BECAUSE ALL THOSE POWER LINES ARE OVERHEAD.
IT AFFECTED A LOT OF ADUS THAT HAVE ALLEY ACCESS BECAUSE THERE'S POWER LINES IN THE ALLEYS, AND THOSE ARE SMALL PROPERTIES, SO YOU TAKE FIVE FEET AWAY FROM THEM.
ADDITIONALLY, IT REALLY HAS A GREAT EFFECT
[01:15:01]
ON, ON THE DENSITY AND THE AMOUNT OF UNITS THAT YOU COULD BUILD.SO THAT, THAT WAS AN EXAMPLE THAT THERE WAS NO, UH, IMPACT STATEMENT DONE AT THE TIME.
YEAH, AND I DO REMEMBER, UH, UH, QUITE THE, THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, THAT RULE CHANGE WHEN IT, UH, FIRST WENT INTO EFFECT.
AND, AND AGAIN, WITH REGARD TO BUDGET AMENDMENTS, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT MOSTLY THE, THE FEE INCREASES LARGELY IN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES? CORRECT.
UM, THEN, AND, AND THIS ACTUALLY QUESTION MAY BE MORE FOR, FOR, FOR STAFF, BUT YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, THE, THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENTS ARE KIND OF A JUST, YOU KNOW, GREEN LIGHT, RED LIGHT, YELLOW LIGHT KIND OF BREAKDOWN, RIGHT? WHERE IT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, SOME, MAYBE IT'S A VERY MILD, UH, AFFORDABILITY IMPACT.
OTHERS CAN BE A MAJOR AFFORDABILITY IMPACT, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU WOULD NOT KNOW THAT FROM THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT.
AND SO, WHEN I THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT I, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD WANT OUT OF A, WOULD BE MORE OF A GRADATION, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO GET TO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A $20,000 PER UNIT, OR, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? I, I, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF SUBJECTIVITY IN THAT, AND THERE'S A LOT OF KIND OF, YOU KNOW, UH, VARIABILITY IN, IN, IN THE KIND OF PER UNIT COST.
BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE MORE OF A, OF A, OF A SCALE, YOU KNOW, IS THIS A, A, A INCREASES AFFORDABILITY ON A, YOU KNOW, ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, THIS IS A TWO, OR THIS IS AN EIGHT, OR THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO, AGAIN, GIVE US A LITTLE BIT MORE TO GO ON, I DON'T KNOW, WHAT, WHAT YOUR, UH, VIEWS WOULD BE OR HOW DIFFICULT THAT WOULD BE, OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT THAT WOULD INVOLVE IN TERMS OF THE, THE, THE CHANGE.
AND THAT, AND THAT'S PART OF OUR CONCERN.
YOU KNOW, AN EXAMPLE WAS WHEN THE ORDINANCE WAS A YEAR OR TWO AGO FOR THE PURPLE PIPE, THE REUSE WATER PASSED.
WE ACTUALLY DID A STUDY ON ONE OF MY AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
AND THE COST THAT THE CONTRACTOR CAME UP WITH WAS JUST SHY OF A MILLION DOLLARS THAT THAT WOULD ADD TO THE PROJECT.
SO THAT WAS A HUGE COST TO A HUNDRED PERCENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T FOUND IN AN A IS, RIGHT.
IT'S JUST A POSITIVE OR, OR NEGATIVE SCORE.
YEAH, I DO A, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT MR. CARROLL SAID THAT I WANNA MAKE, UH, I WANNA ELABORATE ON ONE, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT THE AUSTIN ENERGY RULE, WHICH THERE WAS NO A IS THE PROCESS THAT RACHEL, UH, TALKED ABOUT GOING THROUGH THE TARP, THERE WOULD, IN THIS SITUATION NOW BE AN AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT.
SO I FEEL LIKE THE, THE LOOP HAS BEEN CLOSED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT ON THAT RULE CHANGE.
AND THEN CAN, CAN I STOP YOU THERE RIGHT QUICK? YEAH, BECAUSE, UH, SO IN OTHER WORDS, BEFORE WE HAD THE, THE TARP, THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY REVIEW PANEL, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO REVIEW OF A RULE CHANGE.
BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE THE TARP, IT WOULD GO JUST TO, TO UNDERSTAND, I THINK, UM, I THINK THAT THE TARP, THE CREATION OF THE TARP WAS TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND FIX ALL THE, A LOT OF THE RULE CHANGE, UM, A LOT OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WEREN'T HAPPENING WITH RULE CHANGES TO CREATE MORE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT IN THE RULE CHANGE PROCESS.
UM, SO THE IS THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A LOT IN RULES ADMINISTRATION LATELY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE A IS IS WRITTEN, BUT ALSO THAT THERE ARE STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSIONS THROUGH THE TARP.
SO IT'S TWO PROCESSES THAT THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS IMPROVED.
ONE IS MAKING SURE THAT ALL THE, ALL THE, UM, RULE CHANGES GET AIS IS WRITTEN, BUT ALSO THE TARP PROCESS IS DUPLICATIVE BECAUSE THE TARP PROCESS WAS CREATED TO HAVE STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSIONS INITIALLY.
THEN THEY CAN'T MOVE FROM, UM, GOING, THEY, THE WAY THE TARP PROCESS WORKS IS THAT THERE'S A STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSION BEFORE THE TARP, UM, BEFORE A RULE CHANGE IS PROCESSED.
SO IT'S CREATED, UM, UH, I GUESS A, A PROCESS WHERE WE HAVE TO HAVE STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSIONS, WHICH WEREN'T HAPPENING BEFORE.
AND, AND AGAIN, JUST TO BE CLEAR THOUGH, THAT DID NOT HAPPEN AS PART OF THE AUSTIN ENERGY RULE CHANGE, CORRECT? YEAH.
THE AUSTIN ENERGY RULE CHANGE, I THINK WAS IN 2021, I BELIEVE SO, AND TARP WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2023.
UH, AND THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO MENTION ABOUT THE PURPLE PIPE, I THINK IT'S VERY ILLUSTRATIVE OF WHAT RACHEL WAS TALKING ABOUT, THE DISCUSSIONS THAT OCCUR BEFORE THE AIS S IS ISSUED.
WE HAD AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF CONVERSATIONS, UH, WITH OUR FRIENDS AT AUSTIN WATER ABOUT THE PURPLE PIPE.
AND AS A RESULT OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO GET EXEMPTIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, INCOME RESTRICTED AFFORDABLE HOUSING MM-HMM
AND THAT'S OFTEN WHAT WE SEE THERE MAY BE AN IMPACT.
OBVIOUSLY, THERE WAS AN ENORMOUS COMMUNITY
[01:20:01]
BENEFIT TO PURPLE PIPE, AND, AND WE RECOGNIZE THE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, IMPACT THE POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, BUT THERE ALSO WAS AN ASSOCIATED COST.UM, AND AS A RESULT OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE, THE NEEDLE, UM, ON THE A IS IN ORDER BY GETTING THOSE EXEMPTIONS FOR, UH, INCOME RESTRICTED, AFFORDABLE HOUSING GRADED BY AFFORDABILITY.
GOT, UH, WELL, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH A, A, A VERY, UH, INTERESTING CONVERSATION AND, AND ONE THAT, THAT WE DEFINITELY NEED TO CONTINUE TO, UH, DIG INTO.
AND LET ME JUST DOUBLE CHECK MY COMMITTEE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS? ANY FOLLOW UP? NO.
[Items 6-8]
AHEAD AND, AND, UH, MOVE ON TO OUR, UH, NEXT, AND I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TAKE THESE ITEMS UP AS A GROUP.THESE IS, UH, THIS IS A NEW PROCESS BY WHICH, UH, MEMOS THAT ARE RELATED TO THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE ARE BEING POSTED AS AGENDA ITEMS SO THAT BOTH THE PUBLIC AND, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, THEIR STAFF ARE AWARE, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, THESE REPORTS AND, AND, AND, UH, UH, INFORMATION IF, IF COMING THROUGH, UM, I, UH, ANY STAFF COMMENTS, THOUGHTS, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT ON, UH, ANY OF THE DISTRIBUTIVE MEMOS.
UH, AND IF NOT, I BELIEVE, UH, CHAIR HARPER MADISON, UH, I KNOW THERE'S THE PLANNING FOR THE 7 8 7 0 2 ZIP CODE, UH, MEMO.
AND I JUST WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE MOVING ON FROM ANY OF THESE.
GIMME JUST A MOMENT AND I'LL GET A LITTLE MORE SEDENTARY.
I'M TRYING TO FIND MYSELF A CHARGER Y'ALL HECK OF A TIME TO BE ON CAMERA.
WHAT WERE YOU SAYING? NO, NO, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
OR I CAN ASK A QUESTION WHILE YOU'RE GETTING COMFORTABLE TOO.
WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT? LET ME, YEAH, LET ME FIND A, AND, AND LET ME ASK ANY, UH, UH, THE, I, I REVIEWED THE, UH, THE HOUSING, UH, BLUEPRINT, THE SCORECARD, UH, DATA AND THE, THE PROGRESS MEMO.
AND, UH, I, I GUESS JUST A KIND OF A QUICK THOUGHT WAS, WOW, IT LOOKS A LOT BETTER THAN IT DID WHEN I FIRST GOT ON COUNCIL IN, YOU KNOW, FEBRUARY OF 22.
UM, YOU KNOW, BACK IN FEBRUARY OF 22, IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO BUILD ENOUGH HOUSING, UH, AFFORDABLE OR MARKET RATE.
AND, UH, THOSE NUMBERS LOOK A LOT BETTER.
AND IT FEELS LIKE, UH, UH, WE'RE NOT AT THE FINISH LINE, BUT AT LEAST WE CAN KIND OF EVEN SEE THE FINISH LINE FROM KIND OF WHERE WE ARE IN, IN, IN THE RACE.
UH, UH, UM, MS. DE MAYO, ANY THOUGHTS OR, OR COMMENTS OR WHATNOT? UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE DATA IS BEARING OUT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN FEELING, WHICH IS THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF MOMENTUM, THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF IN THE PIPELINE, AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THOSE UNITS ON THE GROUND GETTING LEASED UP.
UM, I I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WE CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGED WITH THE LOWER LEVELS OF AFFORDABILITY.
YES, WE CONTINUE TO BE CHALLENGED WITH, UM, AFFORDABLE INCOME RESTRICTED HOUSING WEST OF MOPAC.
HAVING SAID THAT, IF YOU LOOK IN THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICTS, UM, THAT ARE WEST OF MOPAC, UH, INCLUDING D EIGHT, WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH IN THE PIPELINE AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF, UH, IN D EIGHT IN PARTICULAR, THAT HASN'T EVEN MADE IT ONTO THE CHART YET.
WE'RE SIX YEARS IN BASED ON, UM, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE SCORECARD, WHICH IS OF COURSE A LOOK BACK.
UM, WE CONTINUE TO COUNT THE NUMBERS, LOOK AT OUR PROGRESS, UM, ASSESS AREAS WHERE WE HAVE, UH, ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, UM, AND REALLY HONE IN ON THOSE AREAS.
AND, AND, UH, AGREED ON THE, THE, THE BELOW, UH, 30% MFI LEVEL, UH, THAT IS, WE'VE BUILT A NUMBER OF UNITS FOR THAT, BUT THE, THE THE NEED IS, IS HIGH AND THE COST OF THOSE UNITS IS A SUBSTANTIAL, BECAUSE IT, IT REQUIRES NOT A SMALL SUBSIDY, BUT A, A RELATIVELY, YOU KNOW, DEEP, UH, SUBSIDY.
THAT, THAT'S A, THAT'S A TOUGH ONE, ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH FEDERAL FUNDING OR, YOU KNOW, OTHER KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT BEING, BEING, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY LIMITED, HUH? IT, IT IS A TOUGH ONE, BUT I KNOW MOST OF YOU WERE AT YESTERDAY'S, UH, CONVERSATION, THE, UM, JOINT COMMITTEE MEETING OF AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THE AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, THAT WAS A COMPONENT OF THE HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MORE THAN A THOUSAND UNITS COMING ONLINE, AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
SO THE LOWEST OF THE LOW INCOME, UM, THOSE UNITS, MANY OF THEM ARE REFLECTED IN THIS, UH, PIPELINE FROM THE 2023 SCORECARD, BUT MANY OF THEM ARE NOT.
[01:25:01]
ARE STILL THINGS THAT WE'RE KIND OF COUNTING UP 'CAUSE THEY WEREN'T NECESSARILY IN THE PIPELINE AT THE TIME THIS REPORT WAS WRITTEN OR THIS DATA WAS GATHERED.AND, AND LET ME ASK YOU RIGHT QUICK, THE, UH, AS WE ARE WITH ONE EYE, LOOKING TOWARD THE, THE BOND 26 BOND DISCUSSION, HOW CRITICAL HAVE THE CITY'S HOUSING BONDS BEEN IN THAT, THAT PARTICULAR SEGMENT OF, UH, HOUSING? SO, UM, WHEN I TALLIED UP, AND THIS IS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES OF FUNDING, BUT IN THE LAST HANDFUL OF YEARS, WE'VE INVESTED OVER 130 MILLION, COMMITTED OVER $130 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SPECIFICALLY.
UM, THE GEO BONDS ARE CERTAINLY OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF FUNDING.
UM, OUR FEDERAL FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY A SMALL PORTION OF OUR FUNDING.
UM, THEY'RE SMALL BUT IMPORTANT SOURCE OF FUNDING, UM, FOR THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT.
BUT GEO BONDS HAVE CERTAINLY WE'RE ON, UH, THE, THE FOURTH TRANCHE OF GEO BONDS AND INVESTING THAT NOT JUST INTO, UH, PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
UH, WE ALSO INVEST IN, YOU KNOW, ALL THE WAY UP TO FIRST TIME HOME OWNERSHIP.
SO, YEAH, NO, YEAH, UH, ABSOLUTELY.
AND, UH, YES, COUNCIL MEMBER SI APPRECIATE THE CALL OUT FOR DISTRICT EIGHT.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS AN OPPORTUNITY IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
UM, AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO CALL OUT, UM, I, I SAW THROUGH LOOKING SOME OF THIS INFORMATION, UM, DISTRICT 10, I THINK THEY'VE GOT A SUPER LOW NUMBER, BUT I THINK ONE OF THEIR AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS MAY HAVE BEEN REDISTRICTED IN THE LAST CENSUS CYCLE.
AND SO SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS WITH THE NUMBERS, WHERE YOU MAY SEE IT GO UP AND DOWN AS, UM, THE 10 YEAR CENSUS HAPPENS, AND THE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT GET REDRAWN.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I LOOK AT UNITS NEEDED EVERY YEAR TO MEET, OUR GOAL BY 2028 IS 1500 UNITS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S 1500 UNITS OF ANY KIND OF HOUSING BEING BUILT IN DISTRICT EIGHT.
AND SO THAT'S THE, THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE OF TRYING TO GET THESE UNITS ON BOARD IS I DEFINITELY FEEL A, A PRESSURE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T MISS ANY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES OUR WAY.
I KNOW WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF, UH, RESTRICTIVE COVENANT AND, UM, ZONING CASES THAT HAVE COME OUR WAY, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT OAK HILL AREA IS IT'S CONCRETE RIGHT NOW.
AND SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO RING THE BELL SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO REDEVELOP THEIRS.
THERE'S UNITS THAT ARE IN FLOODPLAINS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE VACATED RETAIL.
UM, WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY HERE TO DEFINE WHAT THE FUTURE OF THAT AREA LOOKS LIKE INTO A MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE, UH, PROGRAM AND, AND ALSO MORE UNITS FOR THE FOLKS THAT NEED IT MOST.
AND SO I KNOW THERE ARE UNITS IN THE PIPELINE COMING, BUT UNTIL WE REALLY GET FOLKS IN THE DOOR, UM, I REALIZE THOSE ARE NOT GONNA BE CALIBRATED HERE.
BUT WHEN I SEE A BIG FAT ZERO IN DISTRICT EIGHT, IT IS NOT BECAUSE THERE'S NOT EVERYBODY ROWING THE SAME DIRECTION TRYING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
IT'S JUST HOW HARD IT IS TO BE ABLE TO BUILD AFFORDABLE UNITS WEST OF MOPAC.
UM, THE LAND COST IS EXORBITANT AND IT MAKES IT REALLY, REALLY HARD TO DO THIS.
AND WITH SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS WE HAVE, WE'RE LOOKING AT TWO CITY OWNED TRACKS THAT MIGHT NET US 30 UNITS WHEN, WHEN THEY ARE FINALLY ONLINE.
UM, SO THAT IS A DEFINITE STRUGGLE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND I, IT'S NOT THAT PEOPLE AREN'T TRYING TO MAKE THE BEST OUT OF EVERY SITUATION, IT'S JUST THE REALITY OF HOW HARD IT IS TO GET THOSE AFFORDABLE UNITS LOCKED IN FOR THOSE RATES FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
WHEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT MAY, MAYBE 30 UNITS ON CONVICT HILL IN IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
THEY'RE NOT EVEN GROUND BROKEN YET.
WE'RE, ALL OF THE NUMBERS HAVE AN ASTERISK, THEY ALL HAVE A STORY BEHIND THEM.
UH, WE DO HAVE SOME A HFC OWNED ASSETS IN D EIGHT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN D EIGHT AND OTHER, WHAT WE WOULD CALL HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS.
I DO WANNA REMIND FOLKS, UM, THAT WE ARE LOOKING, UH, AT THE, UM, UPDATE TO THE STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT, WHICH OF COURSE WAS PASSED BY CITY COUNCIL IN 2017.
UM, WE, UH, RECEIVED SECURED FEDERAL FUNDING, KNOCK ON WOOD, UM, WHICH IS MOVING FORWARD FOR OUR PRO HOUSING GRANT, WHICH IS BEING LED BY RACHEL TEPPER OF OUR OFFICE.
UM, AND ONE IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THAT IS LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITY MAPPING, REALLY UPDATING AND, UH, CREATING GREATER NUANCE WITH OUR OPPORTUNITY MAPPING AND UPDATING OUR STRATEGIC HOUSING BLUEPRINT.
UM, BOTH THE GAPS AND THE, THE GOALS, ACKNOWLEDGING THAT A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE 2017 IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
THERE'S JUST NOT THAT MUCH LAND THAT IS GOING TO BE REDEVELOPED, AND SO WE HAVE TO REALLY MAKE THE MOST OF, OF EVERY SITUATION THERE.
SO I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING AND TRYING TO MOVE THESE THINGS FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, WE, UH, WE CAN PUT HOUSING IN HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS, WHICH LARGELY MEANS PUTTING HOUSING IN WEST AUSTIN, OR WE CAN CREATE HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS IN EAST AUSTIN.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, OTHER AREAS THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY NOT BEEN CONSIDERED HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREAS WITH INVESTMENTS IN PARKS, WITH INVESTMENTS IN SCHOOLS
[01:30:01]
WITHIN THOSE KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.SO I, I JUST, THERE'S, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, IT'S A DYNAMIC PROCESS AND, AND I, I DON'T WANT TO FREEZE THE, THE, THE CITY 'CAUSE UH, I THINK OF A LOT OF DISTRICT FOUR THAT NOT, WOULD NOT HAVE IN THE PAST MAYBE BEEN CONSIDERED A HIGH OPPORTUNITY AREA NOW IS, IS IS CONSIDERED A, A NICER AND NICER, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD WITH MORE AMENITIES AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, AND AND AND WHATNOT.
AND AGAIN, THAT'S, I THINK A LOT OF THAT IS DUE TO THE GOOD WORK OF THE CITY AND, AND OUR FOCUS ON, UH, UH, EQUITY WHEN WE'RE INVESTING IN, YOU KNOW, STREETS AND PARKS AND LIBRARIES AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, AND AGAIN, I I JUST GOTTA SHOUT OUT DISTRICT FOUR, WE'RE ROCKING THOSE HOUSING NUMBERS.
UM, WELL, THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS REPORT, INTERIM DIRECTOR DIO.
UM, YOU KNOW, I GUESS BASED ON THE TIMING HERE, WE'VE JUST COMPLETED ANOTHER YEAR.
SO, I MEAN, TECHNICALLY WE'RE LIKE, IT'S NOT ON THE SCORECARD, BUT SEVEN YEARS OF THE 10 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED.
AND SO, UM, WE REALLY HAVE THREE YEARS LEFT TO WORK WITH, UH, FOR THE 10 YEAR CYCLE.
AND SO, UM, IF THERE'S ANYTHING WE CAN DO IN DISTRICT SEVEN TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT A COMEBACK AND GET UP TO A HUNDRED PERCENT, WE'D LOVE TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND WE'RE WORKING INDIVIDUALLY WITH EACH DISTRICT, UH, AT EACH OPPORTUNITY THAT COMES FORWARD, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH SUBSIDY OR INCENTIVE, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND, UH, WE'RE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON AFFORDABILITY, AND WE WILL LET YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING SPECIFIC.
AND THEN PICKING UP A LITTLE BIT ON THE, UM, I GUESS HOW WE'VE USED, YOU KNOW, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS IN THE PAST, UM, AND I KNOW THERE'S THIS BROADER CONVERSATION ABOUT CAPITAL BUDGETS AND WHAT ARE THE TOP CITY PRIORITIES, BUT, UM, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN SHARE WITH US IN TERMS OF WHAT DO YOU THINK THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT OR A HFC NEEDS IN THE YEARS AHEAD TO CONTINUE THIS KIND OF PROGRESS? SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THE, UH, CAPITAL DELIVERY SERVICES ON THE, UM, COMPREHENSIVE BOND, UM, UH, OVERSIGHT.
UH, AND WE HAVE SUBMITTED TO THEM KIND OF A, A LOOK BACK AND WHAT WE ANTICIPATE BEING A LOOK FORWARD, THEY'RE WORKING TO COMPILE ALL THAT INFORMATION ACROSS DEPARTMENTS, AND THEY CONTINUE THEIR WORK WITH THE BOND ELECTION ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
SO I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT WE WOULD SEE SOMETHING COMING OUT, UM, IN THE COMING MONTHS.
IS IT FAIR TO SAY, DO YOU THINK WE NEED ANOTHER HOUSING BOND? UM, I WILL DEFER TO YOU ALL ON THAT ONE.
AND, UH, CHAIR, UH, HARPER MEDICINE.
I SEE YOU SETTLED THERE AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT 7 8 7 0 2 ZIP CODE, UH, MEMO.
UM, I ACTUALLY, I HAVE LOTS OF THOUGHTS.
ONE, I'M JUST SUPER GRATEFUL THAT WE, UH, THAT WE HAVE IT IN OUR HANDS.
I KNOW THAT IT TOOK SOME TIME AND SOME WORK TO GET IT PRODUCED.
AND ULTIMATELY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANTED TO, UH, RECOGNIZE THAT STAFF, UH, GOT IT
SO I REALLY WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THAT GOOD WORK, UM, THAT STAFF DID TO, TO REALLY PULL THE INFORMATION TOGETHER.
I THINK HAVING A CENTRALIZED DATABASE OF THAT KIND OF PUBLIC LAND AND REALLY HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT SITES IN 7 8, 7 0 2 IS, CAN'T POSSIBLY BE A SMALL FEAT.
SO IT'S THE KIND OF FOUNDATION THAT WE NEED TO BUILD ON, AND THAT'S VERY CRITICAL.
SO WHAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO HERE IS REALLY PUSH, UH, FOR HOLISTIC, UM, BUT NOT PIECEMEAL APPROACHES.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE LISTENING TO THESE PRESENTATIONS FROM OUR STAFF AND THEM HAVING A PIECEMEAL, IT ALWAYS PRODUCES SOME SERIES OF CHALLENGES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PROCESS.
SO I THINK NOW WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO USE THESE RESOURCES THAT WE PRODUCE.
I'M SUPER ENCOURAGED AND ENCOURAGING, FRANKLY, US TO REALLY FALL INTO, UH, TO NOT RATHER FALL INTO THE OLD TRAP OF LOOKING AT, UH, PARCELS ONE BY ONE WITHOUT CONSIDERING THE BIGGER PICTURE.
I THINK I KNOW, FRANKLY, THAT WE'VE ALL SEEN WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN WE PLAN COMPREHENSIVELY, LIKE THE CITY DID WITH CITY WITH, UH, COLONY PARK.
WE GOT TO CELEBRATE THAT GROUNDBREAKING RECENTLY.
WE DIDN'T JUST FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES.
WE TOOK THE FIVE CENSUS TRACK VIEW, UH, THAT GAVE US THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT REALLY FIT THE PEOPLE, FIT THE CULTURE, FIT THE LONG TERM NEEDS OF THE AREA, AND NOT JUST THE LAND ITSELF, IN WHICH CASE, THE CALL TO ACTION HERE IS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE SAME LEVEL OF BIG PICTURE THINKING FOR 7 8, 7 0 2.
I KNOW WE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, I THINK THAT MY TEAM MIGHT HAVE GIVEN YOU GUYS A, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET A, A LITTLE GLIMPSE AND A SLIDE, A COUPLE SLIDES, BUT WHAT'S BEST FOR 7 8 7 0 2 ISN'T JUST ABOUT MAXIMIZING THE USE OF, YOU KNOW, UH, THESE ASSETS
[01:35:01]
ON A LOT BY LOT FAST, UH, BASIS.IT'S REALLY ABOUT BUILDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WORKS FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE THERE NOW, THE FOLKS WHO ARE HERE NOW, THE FOLKS WHO ARE COMING IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND THEN ALSO JUST WANTING TO RECOGNIZE THAT, UM, WE, WE REALLY HAVE TO BE REAL ABOUT THE FACT THAT 7 0 7, 7 8 7 0 2 FOLKS HAVE BEEN ENGAGED AND RE-ENGAGED AND THEN MAYBE ENGAGED AGAIN FOR DECADES.
AND SO SOMETIMES THAT ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, IT HELPED, BUT SOMETIMES IT REALLY LEFT PEOPLE FEELING WORN OUT.
IN FACT, THAT WAS MY FACEBOOK POST TODAY.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST TIRED, WORN OUT AND LEFT BEHIND.
AND SO, FRANKLY, I THINK SOME OF THE STRUCTURES THAT WE RELY ON INPUT FROM DON'T REFLECT THE FULL COMMUNITY ANYMORE.
UM, AND THAT'LL BE, AGAIN, BACK TO THE PROPOSAL PROCESS.
THAT'LL BE WHY I'M BRINGING SOME OF THOSE PROPOSALS.
JUST TO, UH, REITERATE, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE PROPOSAL I'M BRINGING FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE COMMUNITY GENERAL CITIZENRY AND OR MY COLLEAGUES.
THAT IS NOT THE DIRECT RESPONSE TO A CHALLENGE THAT I'VE EXPERIENCED IN THE LAST SIX YEARS.
UM, LASTLY, I REALLY WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE, UM, ADVOCATING FOR, LIKE, I THINK SOMEBODY SAID IT EARLIER, SOMETIMES IT'S TAKE IT IS TIME TO TAKE A NEW LOOK AT SOMETHING AFTER 20 YEARS.
UM, AND THAT'S REALLY WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT IN MY OPINION, THAT WE NOT JUST CHECK THE BOXES ON ENGAGEMENT, BUT THAT WE REALLY TAKE A FRESH COLLECTIVE APPROACH.
SO AS MEMOS ARE CONCERNED, MY HOPE IS THAT I DON'T, UH, START ANY MESS.
ACTUALLY, I LOVE STARTING MESS.
I AM, I, DURING THE COURSE OF THIS PROCESS, REALIZED THAT OUR STAFF, THEY REALLY DON'T GET THE CREDIT AND GRACE THEY DESERVE.
SO IF A COUNCIL ACTION REQUIRES THAT STAFF RETURN A THING, I DON'T KNOW IF OUR GENERAL CITIZENRY, IF, IF, YOU KNOW, FOLKS SITTING IN CHAMBERS NOTE THAT IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT OUR STAFFERS PRODUCE THAT MEMO WITHIN A MATTER OF HOURS OR DAYS OF BEING ASKED FOR IT.
BUT BY WAY OF PROCESSES AND PROTOCOLS, IT RUNS UP THE CHAIN AND DOWN THE CHAIN AND AROUND SECOND STREET IN THE VA BEFORE IT MAKES IT BACK TO US FOR REVIEW AND THEN TO, UH, THE PUBLIC FOR REVIEW.
BUT I, I RE I OVERHEARD, UNFORTUNATELY, PEOPLE SAY THINGS ABOUT HOW SLOW OUR STAFF IS, AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, UH, I, I WOULD LIKE VERY MUCH TO, UM, TO, TO SAY, GENERALLY SPEAKING, I THINK WE HAVE MORE PROBLEMS, MORE CHALLENGES.
I'M CHALLENGING MYSELF TO SAY CHALLENGES INSTEAD OF PROBLEMS. WE HAVE MORE CHALLENGES WITH PROCESS, WITH PROTOCOL, WITH STRUCTURE, WITH SYSTEMS THAN WE DO WITH THE CAPACITY AND CAPABILITY OF OUR STAFF.
SO, WHILE I APPRECIATE FINALLY GETTING THE MEMO, I WANT Y'ALL TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW LONG IT TOOK TO GET IT, YOU KNOW? AND SO LASTLY, THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT I'M GONNA BE BRINGING FORWARD FOR OUR CONSIDERATION AS A BODY, AND FRANKLY, HOPEFULLY FOR THE CITY.
SO BASICALLY THE MINUTE SOMETHING GETS INTRODUCED, WE GET TO CHRONOLOGICALLY FOLLOW THAT THING TO THE VERY END.
SO WE GET TO FOLLOW IT, STAFF GETS TO FOLLOW IT, AND OUR, OUR COMMUNITIES GET TO FOLLOW THE ITEMS. AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE IF YOU FOLLOWED IT, IT SAT ON DESK FOR HALF OF THE TIME AS OPPOSED TO BEING PROCESSED, CONSIDERED MAKING IT BACK, AND THEN HERE FOR OUR CONSIDERATION.
SO I APPRECIATE IT, I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO IT, BUT I HOPE WE USE IT AS A CASE STUDY FOR HOW NOT TO DO MEMOS.
SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE, WE CAN'T WAIT FOR MONTHS, UH, FOR MEMOS.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU, UH, CHAIR, UH, APPRECIATE THE, THE THOUGHTS AND, UH, COMMENTS.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THESE ITEMS? UH, UM, JUST BRIEFLY, UH, UH, VICE SHARE.
I I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED IT, IF Y'ALL SHOWED IT OR NOT, BUT I KNOW MY STAFF SAID THAT Y'ALL HAD SOMETHING QUEUED UP FOR OH TWO.
I DON'T KNOW IF NOW IS THE TIME OR IF Y'ALL ARE GONNA DO THAT LATER.
I, THE, I SEE IT COMING ON THE SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
AND, AND, AND THIS IS THE 7 8 7 2.
THIS IS A MEMO WITH REGARD TO THE, UH, UH, ASSETS IN 7 8 7 0 2.
I BELIEVE THAT THEY'VE, UH, UH, PUT ON, UH, THE, THE, THE SCREEN.
UH, YEAH, LIKE I SAID, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS, I, I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN I TALK ABOUT 12TH STREET AD NAUSEAM, PEOPLE START TO ROLL THEIR EYES.
BUT I REALLY JUST WANNA REMIND YOU BY WAY OF THE 1928 MASTER PLAN THAT PART OF AUSTIN BECAME WHERE BLACK PEOPLE BUILD COMMUNITY.
SO EAST 12TH STREET WAS THE EPICENTER, THE VERY NUCLEUS OF THE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HERITAGE DISTRICT IN OFFICE, AUSTIN, TEXAS.
IT WAS A THRIVING CULTURAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR WHERE PEOPLE DID COMMERCE, CHURCH SCHOOL, I MEAN, EVERY, YOU NAME WHAT PEOPLE DID, THEY DID IT THERE.
[01:40:01]
STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CITY.IT'S A COMPLETELY DEAD STREET IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT'S ADJACENT TO DOWNTOWN ON ONE SIDE IN THE NORTHEAST PLANNING DISTRICT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY HERE, BUT BY WAY OF THIS ZIP CODE CONSIDERATION, I'M JUST POINTING OUT, I WANT YOU GUYS TO LOOK AT THIS LIST OF ASSETS AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE NUANCES AND THE DELICACIES OF, OF CONSIDERING AN AREA LIKE A 7 8, 7 0 2.
I KNOW I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, OH, WELL, WE HAVE THAT TOO, OR, I HAVE, NOBODY HAS A 7 8, 7 0 2 EXCEPT DISTRICT ONE.
AND I WANNA MAKE CERTAIN THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH PLANNING AND CONSIDERATION AROUND REDEVELOPMENT, WITH AREAS THAT HAVE SENSITIVE SPECIAL NUANCED CONSIDERATIONS, THAT WE TAKE EVERY AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE.
UM, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE A LIST OF SOME OF THE, JUST A FEW OF THE ASSETS THAT WE HAVE IN THE O2.
I MEAN, YOU'D BE AMAZED AT JUST HOW MANY ASSETS WE HAVE AND ULTIMATELY WHAT ENDS UP BEING ABOUT A 3.1 MILE RADIUS.
WELL, THANK YOU, UH, UH, VERY MUCH, SHARON.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THE FIRST IMAGE ON THE SLIDE SHOWED THAT UNRELATED, BUT SHOWED THE, THE JOHN YANCY MURAL THERE.
AND, UH, IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR THE OTHER DAY THAT THE, UH, JOHN YANCY MURAL AT THE CONVENTION CENTER WILL BE, UH, SAVED AND, UH, RELOCATED.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST SAW THAT ON THERE AND THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD.
AND A LITTLE PIECE OF GOOD NEWS.
I KNOW WE ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT THE, THE, THE BAD AND FOCUS ON THE PROBLEMS, BUT, UH, IT WAS REALLY GREAT TO HEAR, NOT NOT JUST HIS, UH, UH, MURAL, BUT ALL OF THE ART IN THE CONVENTION CENTER WAS GONNA BE, UH, RECOVERED.
AND, UH, THANKS TO OUR NEW, UH, DEPARTMENT, UH, THE ACME AND, UH, THANKS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN, IN, IN GETTING THAT DONE, THE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR AS WELL.
NO PROBLEMS. JUST CHALLENGES
[9. Identify items to discuss at a future meeting.]
GUESS WE'LL GO TO ITEM NINE, IDENTIFY ITEMS TO DISCUSS AT A FUTURE MEETING.UH, ANY THOUGHTS OR SUGGESTIONS? UH, THEY CAN BE EITHER NOW OR WE CAN TALK ABOUT 'EM ONLINE CHAIR.
IT, IT, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OCCURRED TO ME, I WAS AT AN EVENT RECENTLY, AND I'LL BE HONEST, THIS ISN'T AN ITEM SO MUCH AS LIKE A THOUGHT PROCESS THAT I'D LIKE FOR US TO APPROACH.
UM, UH, AS WE PLANNED FOR THE NEXT MEETING, ONE OF THE LAST EVENTS I WENT TO, I WAS FULLY PREPARED FOR SOMEBODY TO JUST LIKE, LITERALLY TAKE THE GLOVES OFF AND THROW 'EM ACROSS THE ROOM AND SAY, SCRAP EVERYTHING WE HAD PLANNED TO DISCUSS DURING THE COURSE OF THIS MEETING.
WHO KNOWS WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TOMORROW.
UM, I, I REALLY WOULD LIKE FOR US AS A BODY TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT ITEMS WE MIGHT BRING FORWARD AS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO PREEMPT.
YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT IF EVERYTHING GOES TO POOP PLANNING AND PREPARATION FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO APPROACH THAT, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT I HOPE THAT WE DO CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, HOUSING IS JUST ONE OF THOSE SUCH CRITICAL STAPLE ITEMS THAT IF WE AS A BODY CAN DO SOMETHING TO PREEMPT, WHAT I ANTICIPATE IS GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY CALL IT, UH, WHEN COVID HIT A TSUNAMI OF DISADVANTAGE IN MARGINALIZATION IN COMMUNITIES.
I READ A THING YESTERDAY THAT SAID THAT PEOPLE WHO BORROW MONEY SHORT TERM LOANS, IT WENT UP FROM 14% OF THOSE PEOPLE DOING SO TO 25% OF THOSE PEOPLE DOING SO TO BUY FOOD.
SO I, I JUST, I REALLY WANT US AS A COMMITTEE AND ALL THE COMMITTEES, US AS A BODY TO REALLY START HAVING SOME REAL TALKS ABOUT WORST CASE SCENARIO PLANNING.
AND I THINK ON THE TOPIC OF FUTURE ITEMS, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A HANDFUL OF DIRECTIONS THAT COUNCIL HAS APPROVED FOR SOME OF OUR INITIATIVES, LIKE HOME PHASE ONE AND TWO, AND THEN MORE RECENTLY, COUNCIL MEMBER VELAS, SINGLE STAIR INITIATIVE.
I THINK THOSE WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE THOSE MEMOS ATTACHED IN BACKUP AS APPROPRIATE AS THOSE TIMELINES APPROACH.
JUST SO WE HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF THE CALIBRATION OF SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS, IF WE'RE ACHIEVING THE GOALS THAT WE SET OUT TO ACCOMPLISH.
UM, IT APPEARS DURING THE PRESENTATION ABOUT THE AFFORDABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT THAT A NUMBER OF THEM ARE, AND WE'RE SEEING HEADLINES AROUND, YOU KNOW, AFFORDABILITY IN AUSTIN AND HOW MARKET RATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS IS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS, UM, WORKING REGULAR DAY IN, DAY OUT JOBS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK HAVING THOSE, UM, THOSE ANNUAL OR BIANNUAL REPORTS ATTACHED TO OUR MEMOS WOULD BE SUPER HELPFUL FOR THIS COMMITTEE TO SEE.
UH, I WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED TO SEE WHAT, WHAT THOSE, UH, MEMOS, UH, HAVE TO, UH, REPORT, UH, AS, UH,
[01:45:01]
AS TIME GOES BY.WELL, WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN US AT 2:46 PM THANK YOU VERY MUCH.