Waching daily Feb 26 2018

This is one of the, if not the, most important policy decisions Austinites will be deciding

on this generation.

Austin used to be one of the most affordable cities in the nation.

Between 1980 and 2015 the price of a single-family home in the greater Austin region increased

by more than 350% and rents increased by more than 150%.

Austin grew

and grew

and grew

and grew.

Between 1980 and 2015 the population in greater Austin grew by almost 241%.

However, the city's housing didn't grow nearly as fast as its population.

Home prices and rental rates have skyrocketed.

The median home price for a home is $360,000.

You have to make almost $70,000 per year to afford a house.

We could only spend $200,000.

The kind of houses we were seeing within Austin city limits were just...small...um...old,

really run-down and would have required a lot of work once we moved in, and that

wasn't something we were ready for as first-time homebuyers either.

A one-bedroom apartment now rents for an average of $1,150 per month.

I mean, of course, this is just the reality of Austin - every year rent goes up, and in

some places, it's crazy ridiculous.

Many low- and middle-income families can no longer afford to live in the city, flocking

to far-flung suburbs where housing is more affordable, but long commutes into Austin

are the norm.

Our development patterns here in Austin are leading to longer commute times, which means

that people are sitting in traffic, putting out a lot of carbon pollution, worsening our

climate crisis.

A land development code is a city's DNA.

It determines how much and what types of housing can be built anywhere in the city.

It can also restrict housing and drive up costs.

Austin has a history of using its land development code to push discriminatory housing practices.

That discrimination continues today in the form of exclusionary zoning that only allows

the most expensive housing types - big single-family homes on huge lots.

What the scientific literature tells us is that having housing more in the urban core

rather than continuing to sprawl out into the countryside is far better for the environment.

Today, Austin, which prides itself on being one of the most progressive cities is also

one of the nation's most economically segregated.

12 years ago I hadn't even heard of Pflugerville where I live now.

It is frustrating to live so far away from work, and you have to spend almost two hours

of your day, every day, just getting to and from work.

It's a quality of life issue somedays, really.

It takes a toll on you.

Our current land development code benefits rich homeowners at the expense of renters

by keeping home prices artificially high.

By diversifying our neighborhoods and allowing different housing types including duplexes

and garage apartments and tiny homes - all things that aren't allowed under the current

code in many neighborhoods.

Those kind of things aren't possible without more compact development by allowing that

variety of housing stock.

We can fix this right now.

Austin is rewriting our land development code through a process called, "CodeNEXT."

We need more housing and more housing types throughout Austin to ensure that everyone

can afford to live here regardless of income.

CodeNEXT is our opportunity to decided whether we will make the same mistakes of the past

or chart a truly progressive future for our city that matches our values.

We all have a role to play.

We can't wait any longer.