Latest #WatsonWire: We talk about affordability in Austin a lot – and for good reason. It affects just about everyone every day in some way, though not everyone in the same way, of course. For young people just beginning to make a life here, thinking about homeownership is a dream. Housing affordability is also a priority for our teachers, firefighters, EMS personnel, police, wait staff at our favorite restaurants, musicians and artists. Just about all the folks that positively add to our quality of life. For families with small children, childcare is a huge line item in the monthly budget. For homeowners living on a fixed income, rising property taxes can break the bank. For a renter barely making ends meet, an unexpectedly high utility bill can make the difference between being housed and becoming unhoused. Too often, City Hall moves too slowly and inefficiently. It must react to Austin’s needs faster and with more results. It’s more than just talking about affordability. It requires focus, multiple approaches, and getting things done. We’re making real progress. Real change. Needless to say, there’s no single policy fix for all these challenges. And as policymakers, we have to strike a complicated balance so the cost of the fix doesn’t exacerbate the affordability problem. On top of that, many of economic levers that could make a big difference are outside the City’s control, things like inflation rates, federal tax policy and state child care reimbursements. So, what can the City do?
Mike Lott
2mo
The fact is the city and surrounding areas have ignored infrastructure and we have not begun to see the financial impact that will have as the city continues to allow developers to build more apartment complexes and new home developments with the same traffic management system from 1990. I offer a challenge to the Mayor and any other city official to drive from Anderson Mill to Steiner Ranch on FM 620. Anytime of the day. The road is far beyond capacity and the interchanges at Anderson Mill and 2222 are ineffective. The stretch that I am speaking of is about 5 miles long. There are 12 stoplights in that section of road. That does not include dozens more entrances and exits. It may be the most dangerous and poorly designed stretch of roadway I have ever encountered. And instead of fixing the problem they are building additional apartments complexes adding even more traffic that the road cannot already handle. Eventually the cost to the city to "fix" the interchanges at Anderson Mill and 2222 alone will be in the millions. I would like to see a real investment in traffic management from design to completion. The first step to affordability is the cost to get to work and home. It's time we stop ignoring it. Thank you.
The real trick would be stop talking about it. Simplify the codes, lower Taxes and for crimes sake stop issuing affordability bonds that raise taxes to pay the interest and the debt. Like the old commercial says, “Talk talk talk. When do we eat?” Until you stop this utter stupidity, people will continue to be taxed out of their homes and businesses.
Emily Hill
2mo
Who we vote for or who gets appointed, needs to change. At the higher levels. The type of policies and/or laws that are put in place isn't meant to adjust with the people but just the opposite. No matter the "peoples" income, whether it's poor or not, its the "people who have to adjust to the policies. Thank you for the transparency.
Network Engineer, Professional Truck Driver, and competitive Ballroom Dancer :-)
2moAppraisal values, taxation, regulation - The high-rise build out has forever killed affordable housing in the Austin city limits. There is no possible way to go back. I'm sad to see what Austin has become.