AUSTIN, Texas -- The Housing Authority of the City of Austin is hopeful a redeveloped and renamed 120-unit mixed-income development will provide more options for affordable living.
- Goodrich Place development has been in decline
- HACA has received $15 million in housing tax credits
- Amenities will include a business center and on-site wellness programs
The former Goodrich Place housing project was built in 1973 and declined over the years. It had 40 units for low-income families.
Councilwoman Ann Kitchen said the newly renamed "Pathways at Goodrich Place" has been a joint effort between the neighborhood association, HACA, and Goodrich Place Resident Council. She's hopeful the location in the Zilker Park neighborhood will give new residents more opportunity in the heart of Austin.
"It becomes more and more expensive to live close in town and so people get pushed out to the edges and then they have to deal with the cost of transportation and other kinds of costs like that and it hurts the city," Kitchen said.
Housing Authority (HACA) president Michael Gerber said low-income housing is needed now more than ever. HACA received $15 million in state housing tax credits for this project.
"Our city's strategic housing blueprint suggests that we need an additional 55,000 affordable units on the ground today just to meet the current demand that exists here," Gerber said.
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson announced that 100,000 affordable housing units have been preserved through the Rental Assistance Demonstration program (RAD) and cites Austin's role.
"Austin is the place that has taken us over that mark. It's a spectacular accomplishment and it comes at a time in our history, and in your city's history when affordable housing has never been more important," Carson said.
President of the Goodrich Resident Council Jerry Dawson says the new development's amenities like a business center, and access to on-site health and wellness programs will be welcomed.
"I am most looking forward to having central air in my apartment, and a laundry facility and manager's office all on site. All of which we never had at Goodrich Place," Dawson said.
Former residents' rents will remain the same. They've also been assisted with temporary housing during the construction. The 80 additional one to four bedroom units will be priced at 50-80 percent of the average median household income.