Austin urgently needs more middle-income housing, but our outdated land use code makes it difficult to build anything except large, expensive single-family houses in most of our neighborhoods.

On Dec. 7, City Council will vote on the first phase of the HOME ordinance, which would make it legal to build 3 homes on single-family lots — just one more home than is allowed on most residential lots in Austin today.

A modest first step toward legalizing moderately priced housing that’s attainable for teachers, nurses, emergency responders, government employees and other middle-income workers, HOME will help create more affordable housing options by reducing the amount of expensive urban land required per home and encouraging smaller homes that cost less. It will also help seniors age in place or near family members as their housing needs change.

Austin cannot meet its affordability, climate, equity and mobility goals without adding more housing and more affordable, sustainable housing types in the urban core near jobs and transit.

HOME is proudly endorsed by: