Austin Housing staff officially kicked off the update of the city’s Strategic Housing Blueprint on Nov. 5, setting the stage for a new ten‑year plan that will run from 2028 through 2037. The effort builds on the original 2017 blueprint, which set an ambitious target of 135,000 new housing units, including 60,000 for lower‑income earners. Planners say shifting transit investments, anti‑displacement measures and evolving market conditions require a refreshed strategy.
Key components of the upcoming plan
The revised blueprint will feature more granular progress tracking, updated data analysis of housing supply and demand, and stronger displacement‑prevention tactics. It will also expand public‑private partnerships to deliver affordable units and preserve existing stock.
One major focus is the city’s Opportunity Map, which identifies high‑opportunity neighborhoods where new housing can best serve residents. The original map called for 25% of new affordable units to be built in these areas, but recent reporting showed only 11% had been realized as of 2024. The update aims to close that gap.
Deeper affordability targets
Mayor Pro Tem Chito Vela and Housing Principal Planner Rachel Tepper emphasized a shift toward “more calibrated” affordability levels. While many current incentives target units at 60%–80% of the local median family income (MFI), officials argue that families earning 50% of MFI or less need greater assistance. Vela noted that the city’s traditional vertical mixed‑use (VMU) incentives, which allocate just 10% of new units at 80% MFI, “do nothing for me nowadays.” He suggested redirecting fees toward 30% MFI units, which would provide meaningful rent relief for the most vulnerable households.
Preserving naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH)
The updated plan will also give greater attention to Austin’s stock of naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH). Council member Marc Duchen’s proposal, approved last year, calls for a comprehensive accounting of NOAH properties—currently more than 550 sites containing 68,311 units, roughly 28% of the city’s rental housing stock. By tracking NOAH units lost to demolition or redevelopment, the city hopes to justify future bond funding, potentially as early as 2028, to preserve these homes.
“We’ve approved zoning changes that sometimes result in a net loss of affordable housing, even with density‑bonus programs,” Duchen said. “It’s hard to capture those stories in a spreadsheet, but we need to count NOAH and report both preservation and loss.”
Funding and public engagement
The blueprint update is funded entirely by a $6.7 million federal housing grant, of which $750,000 supports the planning work and $1.2 million covers staff salaries. No city tax dollars are being spent on the update itself. The housing department plans to roll out interactive dashboards and a new round of opportunity mapping next year, inviting public input throughout the process.
City Council members, including Ryan Alter, are pushing for a regional perspective that addresses long‑term housing support, land use, and specific populations such as the homeless, youth, students and domestic‑violence survivors.
What this means for Austin families
By targeting deeper affordability levels and preserving existing affordable homes, the city aims to keep more Austin families in place as the metro area continues to grow. The emphasis on data‑driven decision‑making and transparent reporting aligns with the administration’s commitment to responsible stewardship of federal resources and to protecting the traditional family unit.
Residents can expect more frequent updates via the housing department’s online dashboards and upcoming public meetings, ensuring that community voices remain central to the planning process.
Original reporting: Community Impact — Austin — read the source article.
