Waiving Regulations for Affordable Housing Shows Promise
Next City explores how Austin, TX has waived zoning regulations to jumpstart affordable housing with its Affordability Unlocked program. The program has been in effect for less than a year, but it has already started to show results. At least one project that is taking advantage of the program has already broken ground. Forty-six applications have been filed as of the beginning of September, and 26 projects certified in almost every district of the city, promising some 2,700 new units of housing, of which 2,300 will be affordable, according to the presentation. According to the Neighborhood Housing and Community Development department, developers of 16 of the 26 certified projects have self-reported at least 650 additional units that wouldn’t have been possible without the program. Learn more about reducing barriers to affordable housing and what could be transferable to New Jersey.
