City Housing Policy Recognized for Excellence

AUSTIN, TX: At the 2004 San Antonio Housing Summit, the City of Austin S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM Policy was recognized for its excellence in affordable housing. The award, identifies outstanding initiatives by an individual, organization or partnership in lending or education.

The policy creates "reasonably-priced" housing in mixed-income communities that meet safety, accessibility, transit-oriented and Green Building standards. Since its inception, the S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM Policy has been instrumental in creating advocacy for more affordable units, and S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM staff serve as advocates for developers and builders who build reasonably priced housing in Austin.

It provides full fee waivers for developments in which at least 40 percent of the units meet the "reasonably priced" standard, by serving families at or below 80 percent of the Austin Area Median Family Income. The City of Austin aims to reach its goal by providing city assistance through faster plan reviews, fee waivers, and advocacy through the development process.

Fees waived for S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM developments include zoning, site plan, subdivision, building permit, construction inspection, and capital recovery fees. During the first three fiscal years of S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM , the City of Austin waived $3,535,018 in fees for S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM developments.

Through S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM, the City of Austin achieved the following positive changes: increased production of reasonably priced units inside the Austin City limits?Citizens can live in the same city they work in, therefore reducing commuting and increasing the tax base for Austin; expediting the development process for developers of reasonably priced housing therefore encouraging more developers to build affordable units; increasing the number of units accessible for persons with disabilities; increasing the number of units that meet Green Building standards--this results in energy savings for homeowners, renters and for the City of Austin; and, increased supply of housing units built near public transit.

Additionally, the S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM Policy serves as a model for cities nationwide to replicate. The City of Austin has been asked to present information about S.M.A.R.T Housing^TM in the following cities: Tucson, Arizona, San Francisco, California, Vail, Colorado, and Amherst, Massachusetts.

The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Please call 974-3100 (voice) or 974-3102 (TDD) for assistance. This project is made possible by funding from HUD through the City of Austin.

CONTACT: Julie Beggs, (512) 974-3121 (voice)