City of Austin Advances St. John Redevelopment Bringing the Community’s Vision to Life

Austin, TX - The partnership between the City of Austin, the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), and Greystar reached a major milestone on June 30, advancing the City Council adopted St. John community vision. Following City Council approval of Item 4 on March 12 and Items 2 and 3 on May 28, Austin finalized the sale of the 19-acre site to the South Congress Public Facility Corporation, a Public Facility Corporation overseen by HACA. The redevelopment of the St. John site delivers lasting benefits for both the community and the City of Austin. Through the public-private partnership between HACA and Greystar, Austin will receive $11 million, retiring the outstanding bond debt on the property and reinvesting remaining proceeds into the historic St. John neighborhood. 

Guided by years of meaningful engagement with the St. John community, the initiative will transform the long-vacant property into a mixed-income, mixed-use resource for the community. When complete, the area will expand access to services, add new public parkland and amenities, and improve neighborhood connectivity through shaded sidewalks along St. John and Blackson Avenue. 

“This project represents what can be achieved when we combine meaningful community engagement with responsible stewardship of public resources," said Mayor Pro Tem José 'Chito' Vela. "The redevelopment of the St. John site honors the vision shared by residents while expanding affordable housing, creating new public amenities, strengthening neighborhood connections and reinvesting in the community. This is an important step toward ensuring the St. John neighborhood continues to thrive for generations to come.” 

The development will deliver 526 rental apartments, including income-restricted apartments serving families between 50–80% of the median family income. At the heart of the site will be an enlarged St. John Park, featuring a splash pad, pavilion, and community-inspired artwork honoring the neighborhood’s history and cultural legacy. Improved pedestrian and bicycle connections and important flood mitigation measures will also be integrated in the revitalization efforts. The area will also include 15,000 square feet of community-serving commercial space, with 5,000 square feet reserved at below-market rental rates to support community-retail and small businesses. 

“Affordable housing is about much more than building homes—it's about strengthening communities and expanding opportunity. The St. John redevelopment reflects years of community input and the power of public-private partnerships to deliver lasting results. Together with the City of Austin and Greystar, we're creating a neighborhood that preserves affordability, supports local businesses, improves public spaces, and helps ensure Austin remains a place where people of all income levels can live, work, and succeed,” said Michael Gerber, President & CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Austin.  

Construction on the site is expected to begin before the end of the summer 2026, with the final delivery of the project in 2028.   

The St. John site will deliver a wide range of community benefits shaped by community priorities identified through years of meaningful public engagement. Together, these investments will strengthen the already resilient and vibrant St. John neighborhood, helping to support Austinites today while creating opportunities for future generations. 

For more information about the St. John redevelopment, visit St. John | Austin Financial Services | AustinTexas.gov, the Speak Up Austin webpage or email St.John.Site@austintexas.gov.

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About Austin Financial Services  
Financial Services maintains the financial and economic integrity of the City of Austin and provides comprehensive and integrated financial management, administration, and support services to departments and other customers. Financial Services supports financial processes from preparing the annual fiscal report, procurement processes, franchise agreements, real estate and redevelopment transactions, and overseeing Austin’s investment portfolio and debt management. To learn more, visit austintexas.gov/financial-services. 

About Greystar 
Greystar is a leading, fully integrated global real estate platform offering expertise in property management, investment management, development, and construction services in institutional-quality rental housing. Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, Greystar manages and operates over $300 billion of real estate in 265 markets globally with offices throughout North America, Europe, South America, and the Asia-Pacific region. Greystar is the largest operator of apartments in the United States, managing more than one million units/beds globally. Across its platforms, Greystar has over $79 billion of assets under management, including over $35 billion of development assets and approximately $36.5 billion of regulatory assets under management. Greystar was founded by Bob Faith in 1993 to become a provider of world-class service in the rental residential real estate business.