We need multifamily apartment buildings across the city to address our affordable housing crisis. The city has the opportunity to allow diverse multifamily apartments throughout the city. Given the diversity of choices in multifamily apartments, there are great choices across the city. Mid-rise, live/work, and courtyard multifamily apartments should be allowed in our transit corridors, regional centers, town centers, neighborhood centers, activity centers, and many of our collector roads. High-rise and mid-rise apartments continue to make sense for downtown. Multifamily apartments like courtyard and mansion apartments will help address Austin’s missing middle housing.

Multifamly apartment buildings should be used in more places in Central Austin but not limited to Central Austin. Each neighborhood and regional area has different housing challenges and the multifamily apartment buildings should be leveraged to address to those specific needs.

For example, we have an issue with transportation across the city. Multifamily apartments should be encouraged along our transportation corridors to sustain or expand fixed-route transit service. Multifamily apartments should also be encouraged in areas where the housing stock is needed. For instance, Southwest Austin is in real need of senior and single parent housing. East Austin is need of all housing options including three and four bedroom multifamily apartments that will help meet the demand and fill under enrolled schools. We can do this and maintain environmentally sensitive land by leveraging green water infrastructure and adhering to impervious cover limitations. This can even be done in environmentally sensitive Southwest Austin.