AUSTIN, TX – The City of Austin Housing Department announces the opening of the Burnet Place Apartments. The newly constructed property is located at 8007 Burnet Road, on the city’s North side in District 4, strategically situated close to high-frequency transit and is less than a mile from one of the Imagine Austin activity centers. Imagine Austin is the city’s 30-year comprehensive plan for future growth and development that would create a city of complete communities or centers where people could live, work, shop, recreate, etc. without traveling long distances. The new 61-unit residence will be reserved for persons living with HIV/AIDS.

“We are excited about the new residences at Burnet Place. This is truly a unique community designed to address an important but often overlooked need here in the city,” explains Mandy DeMayo, Interim Director for the Housing Department. “The housing and other supportive services offered at Burnet Place will provide stability to individuals living with AIDS/HIV and help address the city’s overall goals to reduce homelessness.”

In these affordable units – 12 will be for those at or below 30 percent of the median family income (MFI). Another 12 units will be for those at or below 40% percent of the median family income (MFI), while the remaining 37 units will be for those at or below 50% MFI. Nine of the total number of units will be set aside for residents who are designated as chronically homeless. Project Transitions is the developer and will also serve as property manager and provider of wrap-around supportive services. The organization collaborates with several community partners to provide supplemental food, educational classes, transportation, harm reduction and recovery programs, access to healthcare and mental health services. Project Transitions leases its properties from a waitlist. Potential clients will need to call them directly to be screened for the waitlist.
 

Exterior rendering of Burnet Place Apartments, courtesy of Project Transitions Inc.
 

Jeannie Swink, Chief Programs Officer for Project Transitions, says having housing like this in Austin helps push the world closer to ending the HIV epidemic by 2030.

“Connecting people living with HIV to medical care is an essential step in that process. It’s difficult to maintain treatment adherence without stable housing,” Swink says. “We could not achieve our benchmarks for treatment and viral suppression if hundreds of people living with HIV remain unhoused.”

Exterior view of Burnet Place Apartments courtyard. Courtesy of Project Transitions, Inc.

Public and private investments at work

Total construction costs for the 32,451-square-foot residence were a little over $18 million. Funding for the project came from several sources. Approximately $6.3 million of this funding came via the Austin Housing Finance Corp. (AHFC), through the Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) program, using General Obligation (GO) Bonds ($3.6 million), Housing Trust Fund ($457,083) and HOME Funds from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ($2.2 million).  

The 9 units set aside for residents who are designated as chronically homeless will receive project-based assistance in the form of an annual subsidy of $800,000 in HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS) funding from Austin Public Health. HOPWA funds are funneled down from HUD (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) to local, state and nonprofit organizations to provide assistance to persons living with HIV/AIDS for housing, medical treatments, job training, etc. Another $9.3 million came from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA). Additional funding came from the Moody Foundation, private grants, fundraising and contributions.

Lew Aldridge, Campaign Co-Chair for Project Transitions says his organization is grateful for the funding that helped make this project come to fruition.  

"Now that this project is built and paid for, it will serve Austin for generations to come," says Aldridge. "The city bond funding and public and private investments were the engine that made this facility possible. We would not be here today without our partners at the city."

To access affordable housing and community resources, visit www.austintexas.gov/housing. 

About the City of Austin Housing Department
The City of Austin Housing Department provides equitable and comprehensive housing solutions, community development, and displacement prevention services to enhance the quality of life of all Austinites. To access affordable housing and community resources, visit www.austintexas.gov/housing.

About the Austin Housing Finance Corporation 
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) was created as a public, non-profit corporation and instrumentality of the City of Austin. The mission of the AHFC is to generate and implement strategic housing solutions for the benefit of low- and moderate-income residents of the City of Austin.  

About Project Transitions
Project Transitions, a private 501(c)(3) formed in 1988, is the only provider of low and no-cost hospice and recuperative care, transitional housing, and comprehensive, wrap-around support services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Central Texas. Project Transitions (PT) started as a small hospice facility and has grown to into a community that provides hope and dignity for those who have struggled with illness, stigma and lack of support. Over the past 27 years, PT has expanded to include Doug’s House Hospice, Roosevelt Gardens, Highland Terrace, Community Housing programs and Top Drawer Thrift Store. PT’s knowledge of their target population is unparalleled, the overwhelming need of their clients is unmet, and the time is now for PT to once again expand their housing footprint. 

About the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)  
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is working to boost the supply of affordable homes and lower housing costs for all, so that every family has access to the affordable housing they deserve. HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.  More information about HUD and its programs is available at www.hud.gov and www.hud.gov/espanol.