AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[urbancore]

from the ABJ

"Judge: Austin voters will get a crack at controversial CodeNext"

I never thought that, even if Code Next passed in any of its iterations, it would have a affect on the actual number of doors and hardly move the needle with regard to density/traffic/affordable housing. With the existing tree ordinances, set back rules, building heights, drainage, deed restrictions, (this is a HUGE one), overlays......what did we expect?

The biggest problem I see, is the 40% "floor to area ratio" (FAR) is way too restrictive in the urban core.

In the end, not much will change, but it wouldn't have anyway. Austin is in the middle of a replacing older working class homes with new homes. Nothing has or will stop that progress. Most of these houses were never intended to be 100 year old homes. The ones that can be saved will be saved....the rest are on the way to the landfill.

We will always be a cost alternative to the coastal cities. I predict that the cost of living in the urban core will continue to rise so long as the total remains a fraction of the coastal cities we often compete with, that and as long as we continue to add 30k jobs per year.