Austin’s land development code may be about to get a ADU-sized shake-up.
Austin City Council will soon consider the first phase of the HOME Initiative, a multi-part adjustment to housing regulations in the Capital City.
The effort — fully titled Home Options for Middle-income Empowerment — aims to increase housing supply and decrease home costs. Here’s what to know.
First, the context
It all comes down to one thing: affordability.
Research from the Austin Board of Realtors found that the city is short ~211,000 homes that are affordable enough for a four-person household earning 80% of the median income to buy. Non-white Austinites face even sharper shortages .
The city hasn’t seen a major code overhaul since the 1980s — and some advocates hope density will play a major role in bringing down housing costs.
The median home price in October 2023 was $435,000.
Graphic by ATXtoday, data from Austin Board of Realtors
What would it do?
The first phase of the HOME Initiative centers on:
- Increasing the maximum number of units on most single-family lots to three, compared to the one or two currently allowed
- Removing restrictions on the number of occupants living in single-family homes
Proponents hope these changes would result in smaller, more affordable homes for middle-income households and give homeowners more options for inter-generational living.
City Council may take up the second phase of the initiative in the spring. This phase would reduce minimum lot size requirements to 2,500 sqft for most single-family properties
, compared to the 5,000-sqft size currently required
.
Where it’s at
The Planning Commission recommended HOME Initiative’s first phase with some minor amendments , such as incentivizing preserving older homes, last week.
The next step is turning this policy into city code. Austin City Council will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Dec. 7, and then take action on the final ordinance.
Submit your comments on or questions about the HOME Initiative online
.