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Groups assert need for affordable housing in Austin
By William Gest
Rising incomes, a burgeoning population and the presence of the thousands of University students have made living in Austin less affordable for its working-class residents, said citizens groups and city officials at a summit Thursday.
The affordable housing summit, hosted at the offices of the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department in East Austin, provided an opportunity for citizens to give input on a proposed housing market study that would examine affordable housing in Austin and guide future city policy efforts. Austin City Council Member Jennifer Kim, who hosted the event, said affordable housing is an integral part of any community. "I think it's time we start talking about housing as infrastructure, recognizing that housing is a vital infrastructure that we need to plan for, 20 years out," she said. According to a study commissioned by the department, the cost of housing has risen due to factors including rapid population growth, decline in federal assistance and the presence of the University. Department Deputy Director Margaret Shaw said the lack of housing at UT has a major effect on the Austin housing market as the majority of students must reside off-campus. "The impact on the community is that typically, the students are living in apartments that are older, in small properties, which tend to be the cheaper units," she said. "Twenty years ago, that was fine. We had plenty of housing stock; we were one of the most affordable cities in the country. Now, Austin's population outside the University has grown. The market has changed." According to fall 2007 UT Division of Housing and Food Service demographics, 8,146 students live in residence halls or University-owned apartments out of 50,170 students overall. Shaw said she encourages the University to develop more student residences and free up affordable housing for working-class families "We have to engage the University. Just like we do with our major employers, we have to look at how they are impacting these social issues," she said. The Texan strives to present all information fairly, accurately and completely.
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mikeburek1
Mike Burek
posted 10/28/07 @ 12:25 AM CST
It's funny how the report does not count the property taxes as part of the reason of the high cost of housing. And doesn't part of that property tax go to pay the raise the City Council decided they needed at a private, no press, $8,000 spa retreat?
I remember back in the 80s when UT first opened, citizens were worried about the higher demand for housing. (Continued…)
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