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Transfer of Development Rights Analysis
Explore past projects:
Translating Community History
Transfer of Development Rights Analysis
The Equity-Based Preservation Plan recommends Transfers of Development Rights (TDRs) as a tool to support the preservation, maintenance, and rehabilitation of small-scale historic properties in areas targeted for higher density. As a market-based tool, TDRs would allow historic property owners in “sending zones” to transfer unused development capacity to other properties in “receiving zones.” The City has contracted with Lionheart Places and Economic & Planning Systems (EPS) to assess the feasibility of a TDR program in Austin, consider how TDRs could work with other City incentive programs, and recommend program parameters. The project is supported by funding from the City’s Equitable Transit-Oriented Development program and will be completed in summer 2026.
Downtown Austin Survey
The Downtown Austin Historic Resource Survey aims to capture downtown's rich history by evaluating 45+ year-old buildings as potential historic landmarks and historic districts. Learn more and get involved!
Past Projects
Translating Community History
The Translating Community History project engaged community members in the College Heights and South East Austin focus areas about the buildings and stories that make an area special. The project included three parts:
- Neighborhood meetings with story-sharing and discussions
- A multi-part heritage project that knits together the past and present through archival research, present-day resident portraits, and personal stories:
- Watch the videos above
- Download the catalog PDFs here: College Heights/African American Heritage (PDF), South East Austin/Mexican American Heritage (PDF), and Patrimonio Mexicano-Americano y del Sureste de Austin (PDF)
- See a map with locations and photos of posters featuring community portraits
- Applications to list Huston-Tillotson University (PDF) and Parque Zaragoza (PDF) in the National Register of Historic Places
Translating Community History is supported in part by an Underrepresented Community Grant from the Historic Preservation Fund administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.