Latest news with #AustinHabitatforHumanity
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austin families are getting priced out. These state laws could help them stay
Austin's soul has always been its people, from the chefs preparing fantastic food to the musicians who make us the live music capital of the world. But as the city grows, we face a hard truth: Many of our people, including artists, teachers, nurses, service workers and young families, can no longer afford to live here. At Austin Habitat, we hear it daily: Families with steady jobs and deep roots are being priced out of the neighborhoods they helped shape. While demand has increased home prices, so has the lack of diverse housing options. Smaller, modest homes, backyard cottages, and condos — once common in Austin — have become rare. Austin school district teacher Steven Caplan does yard work in October 2023 in front of his Austin Habitat for Humanity home. Teachers, nurses and service workers are having difficulty finding housing they can afford in Austin. To preserve Austin's identity, it's imperative we make room for everyone who gives this city its character and charm. That's exactly what we're doing through a powerful new partnership in Northeast Austin. In collaboration with Travis County, Austin Habitat is building 48 affordable homes in Whisper Valley, a sustainable, mixed-income community. It's a bold step toward restoring balance in our housing system. Already, momentum is building — proof that local leadership matched by statewide support drives real change. This fall, we'll host the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project and build 25 of those 48 affordable homes in one week with volunteers and future homeowners. It's community in action, proof that partnerships can be compassionate, creative and focused on the shared belief that everyone deserves a home. Adrianne Todman, then serving as acting secretary of Housing and Urban Development, participates in January at an Austin Habitat for Humanity wall-raising ceremony in Prospect Heights. Austin Habitat will hold an event this fall to build 25 homes in another community called Whisper Valley. And we can do more. By embracing common-sense solutions such as allowing homeowners to build backyard homes, converting vacant offices into housing, or empowering faith-based groups to build on their land, we can open doors for more families while preserving the character that makes our neighborhoods special. This session, the Texas Legislature has a chance to act on four bills that would give cities the tools to create homes while preserving character and meeting local needs: • Senate Bill 673/HB 1779 to legalize backyard homes • SB 844/HB 24 to end landowner vetoes in housing decisions • SB 840/HB 3404 to enable housing near offices and shopping centers, and • SB 854/HB 3172 to empower faith groups to build housing Polling by Texans for Housing shows most Texans support these exact solutions — including 61% who favor allowing backyard homes, strong majorities backing housing near businesses and empowering churches and nonprofits to build homes and a majority against landowner vetoes. These ideas aren't controversial. They're practical. What they require is the willingness to imagine an Austin where opportunity is shared and neighbors are welcomed, not pushed away. Because at the end of the day, this isn't just about housing. It's about community. It's about ensuring our kids can grow up and stay here, that our teachers and nurses aren't forced to move away. The choice is ours. We can cling to outdated policies that exclude, or we can lean into a future where Austin thrives because everyone has a place here. Preserving Austin doesn't mean freezing it in time. It means ensuring the people who make it vibrant, diverse, and resilient can keep calling it home. I urge lawmakers to act. Austinites should contact their representatives and say clearly: We need these housing bills passed now. Because the future of our city depends on it. Michele Anderson is the CEO of Austin Habitat for Humanity. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: We can't preserve Austin without building for its people | Opinion
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Habitat for Humanity plans to build 48 affordable homes in Whisper Valley in Travis County
Austin Habitat for Humanity is coming to Whisper Valley, a subdivision in northeastern Travis County about three miles south of Manor. With a 40-year history of helping working residents attain the "American Dream of homeownership," the nonprofit Habitat says it is now accepting applications for homes in Whisper Valley, a community recognized for its energy-efficient designs and cutting-edge technology. Habitat and its volunteers plan to build 48 single-family homes in Whisper Valley, off the Texas 130 toll road, to help with the Austin region's growing need for workforce housing for middle-income earners, giving them an affordable place to call home. "Hard work and determination are no longer enough to own a home in Central Texas," Michele Anderson, CEO of Austin Habitat for Humanity, said in a news release. "Rising property values and rental rates have outpaced income growth, making it nearly impossible for middle-income workers to buy a home and build generational stability. Through this initiative, we are not just constructing houses — we are creating opportunities for families to establish roots, build equity, and create a foundation for future generations." The initial Habitat homes are expected to be priced between $230,000 and $245,000. For buyers who sign contracts by 2026, home prices are expected to run about $260,000. Habitat's Whisper Valley homes will be built in phases over the next several years. Qualified owners will benefit from below-market mortgage rates and 100% financing, which means no down payment is required to purchase, Habitat officials said. Construction on Austin Habitat's homes in Whisper Valley is set to begin in October with the 2025 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project. "This initiative, started by the former president and first lady, will unite the Central Texas community to build 25 homes in just one week in October, showcasing the power of collaboration and shared resources," Habitat's release said. As for the remaining 23 homes, foundation work will begin on 11 houses in the fall or winter of this year, with volunteer construction starting in February. Foundation work on the remaining 12 homes will begin in early summer 2026, followed by volunteer building starting in September 2026. All home closings are expected to be completed by March 2027. Currently at the master-planned Whisper Valley subdivision, 590 single-family homes and duplexes are on the ground, with 560 of those occupied. For the market-rate homes at Whisper Valley, duplexes start in the low $300,000's. Single-family homes range from about $300,000 to $700,000, depending on size, features and builder. More: Home sales under way at eco-minded Whisper Valley Once fully built out, Whisper Valley is expected to have about 5,000 single-family homes and 2,500 multifamily or rental units, including build-to-rent homes and apartment complexes, for a total of 7,500 residential units. Whisper Valley is expected to be completed within the next 10 to 15 years. When Whisper Valley was poised to break ground on its first homes back in 2015, developer Taurus of Texas said the project would be the first large single-family housing development, locally and nationally, that would be 'energy neutral,' meaning its homes would be designed to produce as much energy as they consume on a net basis every year. The homes would be equipped with geothermal pumps for heating and cooling; roof-mounted solar panels, energy-efficient appliances and other green-building technologies, Taurus officials said. More: Development's plan: 7,500 'energy neutral' homes in Austin Austin Habitat offers a variety of housing types — including single-family homes, townhomes, and condos — for low-to-moderate-income workers. To qualify for an Austin Habitat home, applicants must earn below 80% of the region's median family income. The following annual income limits apply for 2025: One-person household – up to $68,500 Two-person household – up to $78,250 Three-person household – up to $88,050 Four-person household – up to $97,800 A complete qualifying income chart, including larger household sizes, is on the Austin Habitat website. 'We often find that many middle-income workers don't realize that they can qualify for affordable homeownership through Austin Habitat," Billy Whipple, chief impact officer of Austin Habitat, said in a statement. "If you're not certain whether you qualify, you can visit our website and fill out an interest questionnaire. Our team will work with applicants to help them understand their eligibility, improve their financial readiness, and ultimately put them on the path to homeownership." Homes built by Austin Habitat for Humanity in the five-county Austin region are often valued at $400,000 and above but sell between $152,000 and $245,000, Whipple said in a recent email. Habitat is able, to an extent, to control housing-market headwinds "through reduced interest rates thanks to partnerships with participating lenders, and access to downpayment assistance," Whipple said. Central Texas residents interested in owning a home in Whisper Valley can begin the application process by visiting Over the past four decades, Austin Habitat for Humanity, part of the global Habitat network, has built more than 570 new homes and repaired more than 435 homes across Bastrop, Blanco, Caldwell, Hays, and Travis counties. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Habitat for Humanity homes coming to Whisper Valley in Travis County
