A HOME for Everyone - Austin Habitat for Humanity

Austin urgently needs more housing and more middle-income housing types, near jobs, transit, and other public amenities in the city. Unfortunately, our community’s outdated land development code creates barriers that make it unnecessarily expensive, time consuming and often illegal to build the housing we need — particularly more moderately priced homes such as townhomes, rowhomes, triplexes, fourplexes and small apartment communities.

When the vast majority of Austinites cannot afford a home, the restrictions we place on housing and the types of homes we allow must change in order to optimize our land use for affordability.

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HOME Phase I

A Modest Step Toward Legalizing More Affordable Homes

Fortunately this year the Austin City Council has overwhelmingly passed a series of resolutions directing City staff to find ways to remove barriers to housing. One of the first proposed ordinance changes that City Council will consider is HOME (Home Options for Middle-Income Empowerment) Phase I. Learn more about the HOME ordinance below and let City Council members know that you join Austin Habitat for Humanity in supporting this effort to remove barriers to middle-income housing in our neighborhoods.

What would HOME Phase I do?

Property owners can already build two units on most residential lots in Austin. Home Phase I would make it legal to build up to 3 homes — just one additional unit on most lots. Tiny homes also would be legalized to expand affordable living opportunities.

How will HOME help address affordability?

Allowing 3 units per lot will help create more housing options by reducing the amount of expensive urban land required per home and encouraging smaller homes (and Tiny Homes) that are comparatively more affordable.

What would NOT change under HOME Phase I?

HOME Phase I would NOT eliminate single-family zoning, increase impervious cover limits or change many other rules that restrict what can be built on a lot including tree ordinances and setback requirements. HOME Phase I also would NOT eliminate single-family zoning districts or make any changes to minimum lot size requirements. Property owners would maintain the right to use their lot as they wish, including keeping or building a single-family home on it.

Will HOME Phase I reduce minimum lot sizes?

No. Changing the minimum lot size will require more complex changes to the code, and those changes will not be considered by the Austin City Council until sometime next year after additional public hearings and feedback.

How would HOME Phase I help existing owners stay in their homes?

The HOME initiative would allow new and flexible housing options that would enable older adults to age in place, house a caregiver, and allow more intergenerational families to stay together. HOME would also provide existing homeowners with opportunities to create a steady stream of income and stabilize families.

How will HOME make an impact outside of affordable housing?

Austin is now the 10th largest city in the U.S., and our challenges as a large urban city compel us to respond to housing affordability for our workforce and respond to climate change. Compact and connected cities support transit and improve air quality by getting commuters off the road. Smaller, more compact neighborhoods use infrastructure more efficiently, including water and energy.