Enhancing Austin's Housing Landscape: Proposed Land Development Code Changes

The Austin City Council will vote on crucial land development code modifications in May. These changes focus on bolstering housing development along the Project Connect rail lines and other transit corridors, and expanding opportunities for home ownership across Austin neighborhoods.

Austin's existing land development code dates back four decades and the city has since outgrown them. Today, Austin is the tenth largest city in the United States, with all the challenges accompanying urban growth, like housing and mobility.

• Housing: The demand for housing far exceeds the available supply.
• Mobility: Due to gentrification, traffic congestion, and development can drive people farther away.

City leaders are tackling the increasing demand for housing and mobility with several land development code amendments, which AARP supports the following two.

• HOME Phase 2: Allowing smaller homes on smaller lots to address housing needs.
• Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD) Overlay:  This overlay increases affordable housing potential along transit corridors, connecting more people to jobs, housing, schools, and parks.

On May 3, at 1 p.m. CT, AARP Texas staff, city of Austin leaders, and staff members are hosting a webinar to discuss the proposed changes in depth and answer your questions.

Enedelia Obregon, Austin resident and AARP volunteer, shares her thoughts on how these two proposed code amendments could help her. Play the video below.

Letter from Mayor Pro Tem about Home & ETOD

Learn more about all the proposed changes here, subscribe for key updates here, and learn more about transit-oriented developments and how it can transform how you live, work, and play.