AUSTIN | Project Updates Thread Part II

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by LoneStarMike

You can try here, but they're not EXCEL

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-kits/2015/20150326_popestimates.html

They have them here in comma separated values, which excel can parse

http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2014/CBSA-EST2014-alldata.html

The various viewers (beyond the press release) are here

http://www.census.gov/popest/data/metro/totals/2014/

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by drummer

It really does make sense to add Burnet County for a lot of reasons. A lot of people utilize 281 (via 29) to avoid Austin to San Antonio traffic, especially truckers. Burnet utilizes a lot of the northern metro conveniences; Marble Falls, while it's growing a lot in its own right, still utilizes a lot of things in south metro area (via 71). The school district (at least MFISD) competes in the same districts for extracurricular activities as many of the Austin area ISD's. Many people commute to the Austin area for work. Many folks from Austin frequent the Marble Falls area on the weekends. It just makes sense. Isn't it already a part of CAMPO? I think I read that recently.

I've still got some family in the Marble Falls area. It's a pretty cool area, really, for a smaller town. I like the way it's growing, though, according to my family that lives there, they're struggling with "keeping the small-town charm" and growing wisely when people are inevitably moving there. They've avoided building a loop for decades because of older viewpoints (don't build it and they won't come, for instance...which hasn't worked). There's a stoplight on every block and the current and future traffic flow estimates are much greater than capacity. I especially like that it's not entirely dependent on other areas for retail and work (too much, anyway); it's not really a bedroom community. Many smaller towns in the Hill Country actually consider Marble Falls a regional hub of sorts, outside of Austin.

At least according to the census, Marble Falls isn't growing. Only .7% since the census, and nothing 2012-2013 (2014 numbers aren't out yet).


http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk

My understanding is that the metro definition is driven by commuting data, so pass through traffic or weekend trips don't count.

At least in recent history, it's been going the other way. Marble Falls/Burnet county used to be included in a CSA with Austin, and the census dropped that a few years ago.

[wwmiv]

Originally Posted by Novacek

At least according to the census, Marble Falls isn't growing. Only .7% since the census, and nothing 2012-2013 (2014 numbers aren't out yet).


http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?src=bkmk

My understanding is that the metro definition is driven by commuting data, so pass through traffic or weekend trips don't count.

At least in recent history, it's been going the other way. Marble Falls/Burnet county used to be included in a CSA with Austin, and the census dropped that a few years ago.

Exactly. I do think Marble Falls area in it's entirety will eventually be added (Burnet, Blanco, and Llano counties), but that's a good ten years off. The community here also has consensus around Milam County (which is probably, after lengthy discussions where I was proven wrong, going to be the next county to be added) and Lee County as eventually additions. Other than that, there are no other potential counties to be added to Austin's MSA.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by wwmiv

Exactly. I do think Marble Falls area in it's entirety will eventually be added (Burnet, Blanco, and Llano counties), but that's a good ten years off. The community here also has consensus around Milam County (which is probably, after lengthy discussions where I was proven wrong, going to be the next county to be added) and Lee County as eventually additions. Other than that, there are no other potential counties to be added to Austin's MSA.

Yeah, I believe that argument was with me

Though I don't think I went so far as to claim Milam will be _next_, just that it was a potential addition (assuming the growth happening in Hutto/Taylor starts to leak over the border into Milam).

[drummer]

I didn't realize the population change was so insignificant in Marble Falls. According to family, the area is growing (with new businesses, increase in students in the ISD, etc.), but I suppose a lot of that is outside of the city limits. No official records, just family conversations, so I can't give any hard data, haha.

[lzppjb]

Marble Falls ISD has grown recently, but not by leaps and bounds. I thought they would have been growing by more than .7%.

[Spaceman]

Originally Posted by lzppjb

Marble Falls ISD has grown recently, but not by leaps and bounds. I thought they would have been growing by more than .7%.

MF, and much of the areas "north of the river" see to be impeded by poor access to Austin...Lago Vista and Jonestown are starting to grow but when compared to Lakeway their growth percentage is smaller. Drive to MF on FM 1431 and the problem is obvious.. It's a scenic drive but scary, especially at night. There is no quick way to MF .

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by Spaceman

MF, and much of the areas "north of the river" see to be impeded by poor access to Austin...Lago Vista and Jonestown are starting to grow but when compared to Lakeway their growth percentage is smaller. Drive to MF on FM 1431 and the problem is obvious.. It's a scenic drive but scary, especially at night. There is no quick way to MF .

You sir are correct. The terrain/lack of major roadways between Burnet Co. and Western Travis Co. is the only thing keeping the commuting into Travis below the 5% threshold that would make it part of the MSA (in the Census Bureau's world anyway).

[lzppjb]

I go 71 and it doesn't take too long. But you're right. It's not enough to really connect the 2 areas.

If that Lakeway loop gets built, I could see that spurring more MF traffic coming 71 to Austin.

[IluvATX]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

You sir are correct. The terrain/lack of major roadways between Burnet Co. and Western Travis Co. is the only thing keeping the commuting into Travis below the 5% threshold that would make it part of the MSA (in the Census Bureau's world anyway).

We need a thread for Austin Census. Obviously the terrain makes development more expensive and more sparse. These lake communities( except Lakeway) are meant for locals and seasonals. Very few people will or are expected to commute to Austin and not too many do. Until Burnet becomes more suburban, there's no reason to add it to the MSA.

[IluvATX]

Seaholm district rising with Market district in back.

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by IluvATX

We need a thread for Austin Census. Obviously the terrain makes development more expensive and more sparse. These lake communities( except Lakeway) are meant for locals and seasonals. Very few people will or are expected to commute to Austin and not too many do. Until Burnet becomes more suburban, there's no reason to add it to the MSA.

Congratulations. You just stated the same thing only different.

[IluvATX]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

Congratulations. You just stated the same thing only different.

I tend to have a different viewpoint on a lot of things. It's healthy debate. Sarcasm related to my views is childish and shows lack of knowledge of building practices.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opi...facebook_2014_sfp#dfb4b0d5.257273.735685

Herman: The future of historic Rosewood Courts?
Posted: 12:00 a.m. Saturday, March 28, 2015

By Ken Herman - American-Statesman Staff

As expected, the Housing Authority of the City of Austin has come up with an ambitious redevelopment plan for its historic and outdated Rosewood Courts apartment complex in East Austin.

And as the authority’s CEO and President Michael Gerber told me last October, the plan calls for pretty much replacing the old with the new, but with a healthy eye toward maintaining the history of the buildings and the neighborhood.

Gerber has settled on a mantra for promoting the plan, which now moves to public input and then to Washington in search of a HUD grant that, in tandem with local money, would help pay for what could be a $70-million project.

[Texas Jeff]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news/opi...facebook_2014_sfp#dfb4b0d5.257273.735685

Is that $70 million for 102 units? That's almost $700,000 per unit. What am I missing?

[AusTxDevelopment]

Originally Posted by Texas Jeff

Is that $70 million for 102 units? That's almost $700,000 per unit. What am I missing?

It's not clear in the article, but if you click on that rosewoodchoices.com link it says there will ultimately be 225 housing units total, consisting of 124 replacement/public housing units, 76 affordable/market rate units and 25 homeownership units. They also have to do preservation work on the 6 original buildings they are keeping and the rest will be new construction.

[austlar1]

The existing units have no real architectural merit and are barely of any historical significance. There are similar projects of a similar age to be found in most southern US cities, projects that were built with federal money and intended as racially segregated public housing. New Orleans happily got rid of most of their older projects after Katrina and replaced them with something much better. What a waste of money! Just raze the place and build something nice that harmonizes with the neighborhood.

[Tech House]

I watched the video and was shocked to hear that the average Rosewood income is less than $500 a month. I can't wrap my head around that, how the hell can anyone live on so little in 2015 America? They must have various forms of assistance to compensate. I wish we had system such as a negative income tax, which would assure that every citizen receives enough to sustain themselves with at least a sliver of hope, dignity, and opportunity to better their situation. Then we could get rid of all of the inefficient bureaucratic methods for assisting the needy that are currently in place. I've had hard times myself, and briefly availed myself of a couple of programs. The complexity of it was astonishing, and the process utterly demoralizing. I have no idea how much public money goes into the administrative/bureaucratic side of these programs, but it must be fairly substantial.

[drummer]

Originally Posted by Tech House

I watched the video and was shocked to hear that the average Rosewood income is less than $500 a month. I can't wrap my head around that, how the hell can anyone live on so little in 2015 America?

I've got friends over here in Asia who live on around $100 USD per month (and they're considered wealthy by some of their family who live in villages surrounding our city). I have a friend with a master's degree in finance who started his very desirable job at $500 USD per month. Granted, the cost of living is much less and many of the folks who have that low of income have living arrangements that are far below anything that would be anywhere near allowable in the States...but it does make one stop and think about how fortunate we Americans often are - if not spoiled. Not to knock wealth - I don't think it's the enemy. It just makes me stop and think sometimes about how I choose to use my relative wealth.

[lzppjb]

Originally Posted by Tech House

I watched the video and was shocked to hear that the average Rosewood income is less than $500 a month. I can't wrap my head around that, how the hell can anyone live on so little in 2015 America? They must have various forms of assistance to compensate. I wish we had system such as a negative income tax, which would assure that every citizen receives enough to sustain themselves with at least a sliver of hope, dignity, and opportunity to better their situation. Then we could get rid of all of the inefficient bureaucratic methods for assisting the needy that are currently in place. I've had hard times myself, and briefly availed myself of a couple of programs. The complexity of it was astonishing, and the process utterly demoralizing. I have no idea how much public money goes into the administrative/bureaucratic side of these programs, but it must be fairly substantial.

Most probably get assistance filling out the paperwork for the programs. They get food stamps, welfare, SSI, Disability, etc. Some get free phones ("Obamaphones") and whatnot.

Instead of giving them money without end, we need to figure out a way to get them job opportunities. Some of them work hard to find jobs, even multiple jobs. Some don't, and rely on the handouts.

You know how the Administration has been saying we need to find jobs for Muslims so they won't be radical? I think that way of thinking would be more appropriate for the poor of this country.

Originally Posted by drummer

I've got friends over here in Asia who live on around $100 USD per month (and they're considered wealthy by some of their family who live in villages surrounding our city). I have a friend with a master's degree in finance who started his very desirable job at $500 USD per month. Granted, the cost of living is much less and many of the folks who have that low of income have living arrangements that are far below anything that would be anywhere near allowable in the States...but it does make one stop and think about how fortunate we Americans often are - if not spoiled. Not to knock wealth - I don't think it's the enemy. It just makes me stop and think sometimes about how I choose to use my relative wealth.

When my dad was in Seoul in 1964, he'd get something like 250 won for every $1 US. He said it was hilarious to change out $10 and be stuffing won in every pocket available.


Speaking of my dad, he knows what it's like to be poor. He grew up with a drunk dad who was AWOL a lot. Always moving. Multiple times a school year (whenever rent was due). For a year while his dad was in jail, he and his siblings and mother were forced to find food in garbage. He only finished 9th grade. Lots of hardships that he went through that can be related to today's poor.

Luckily, instead of losing hope and relying on help, he joined the Army at 17. Did that for 3 years, got his GED, and hired on at IBM at some low end position. He worked there 30+ years working his way up to a decent wage, making ends meet paycheck to paycheck. After forced retirement, did he rest? No, he got other jobs, ultimately one at the State. He worked there for 7 years, bought his 3 years of military service and retired again.

Being poor, with limited food, school opportunities and basically a one-parent family does not have to be a lifelong sentence.