State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, Austin City Council Members Call For Inclusionary Zoning

AUSTIN, Texas – State Representative Gina Hinojosa and members of the Austin City Council have teamed up to try to bring significantly more affordable housing to Austin and other Texas cities.

Hinojosa filed a bill today to allow Austin and other Texas cities to require developers to provide affordable housing in new developments, a practice known as “inclusionary zoning.” It is widely used in other states, but not allowed in Texas.

“Austin is growing, but that same growth is leaving many of our residents behind,” Rep. Hinojosa said, “When Council Member Pool approached me about this, I could see a lot of potential in working with our city partners to try to help deal with the affordability crisis here and in other Texas cities.”

Hinojosa developed the proposal with Austin City Council members; additionally, Council Members Leslie Pool, Alison Alter, Greg Casar, Ann Kitchen, and Kathie Tovo will sponsor a city resolution in support of the bill.

“Inclusionary zoning is the most effective thing we could do to provide affordable housing in every area of the city,” Council Member Pool said. “The cities are becoming more Democratic and progressive and I think we have a great opportunity of getting this passed.”

According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, Texas is currently one of the only states in the nation to ban cities from requiring developers to make a portion of new housing developments available at affordable levels through their zoning powers – a prohibition that the state adopted over a decade ago. This session, however, HB 3050’s proponents see an opening for reclaiming the ability for cities to employ this important affordable housing tool.

“This is an increasing problem in many Texas cities. If we stick together, I think we have a real shot at getting this passed.” Hinojosa said.

“We need to recognize that the market alone is not going to provide deeply affordable units for low-income working families,” Council Member Alter said. “We need to create and use tools like inclusionary zoning to require developers to build these units. The rest of the country has adopted and successfully deployed inclusionary zoning. It’s time we catch up.”

“The ban on inclusionary zoning is just one of many state laws that should be repealed if we want our cities to be for the many, not just the few who can afford it,” Council Member Casar said. “Our local governments can be affordability solutions, and this bill would help us do right by our communities. I appreciate Rep. Hinojosa for her leadership on this bill.”

Research prepared for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development indicates that Montgomery County, Maryland’s inclusionary zoning policy, one of the first in the nation, produced more than 13,000 affordable units over a 35-year span.

In contrast, Austin’s Neighborhood Housing and Community Development Department reported that the city’s current density bonus programs produced nearly 1,200 affordable units between 2004 and 2016.

“Like most other booming cities, we are experiencing a housing crisis and we need better tools if we want to keep our city vibrant and diverse. We see new projects coming through the city all the time,” Council Member Kitchen said. “With this bill, each one of those would provide a new opportunity for achieving affordable housing for our community.”

“City Council has made a solid commitment and has taken some strong forward actions with regard to affordable housing,” said Council Member Tovo, noting that the city’s adopted Strategic Housing Blueprint includes a strategy of pursuing legislation at the state that would allow cities to adopt inclusionary zoning policies. “This bill would allow us to be even bolder and to truly achieve significant affordable housing in our community.”