The City of Austin utilizes different types of general obligation debt to fund capital improvement projects. General obligation debt is secured by the full faith and credit of the City of Austin and its ad valorem taxing power and includes public improvement bonds (PIBS), certificates of obligation (COs), and contractual obligations (KOs). While PIBS require voter approval through a bond election, COs and KOs do not. Learn more about the Affordable Housing Bonds approved by City of Austin voters.
Voters approved $300 million of anti-displacement funding in November 2020 as part of Project Connect, which includes $20 million in Community Initiated Solutions Funding. The City will invest these funds over 13 years. The chart outlines the anticipated investments each year.
The City’s Strategic Housing Blueprint, adopted by Council in 2017, is a 10-year plan to help align resources and facilitate community partnerships around a single, strategic vision to create 60,000 affordable housing units for those making less than 80% of the median family income and ensure that there is affordable housing throughout the city. The Housing Department staff, in partnership with HousingWorks Austin, created a Scorecard to analyze and track the community’s progress toward reaching the affordable housing goals established in the Blueprint. Learn more about why the Blueprint was developed and view additional resources related to the plan.
Each year, we get federal grants that we use to develop housing in the City of Austin. To get funding, we have to provide the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with a report and our plans for the year. We also manage notices about requirements for the City’s partner groups that want to apply for federal funding.
Homestead Preservation Districts (HPDs) are districts whose purpose is to help municipalities promote affordable homeownership and prevent the involuntary loss of homesteads for low- and moderate-income households.
Project Connect anti-displacement initiatives led by the Housing and Planning department are underway. On this page you'll find: background information; funding opportunities; the Nothing About Us Without Us report, map series, and equity tool that serve as the guiding framework for developing investment strategies; and ways to engage.