Avery Ranch vs Four Points (Austin, Center: 2015, apartment, employment)

[centralaustinite]

Frankly I strongly prefer to live in an area of greater income diversity. Homogeneity of income is one reason I don't like master planned communities. I live very close to a large and long-standing affordable income housing complex. It hasn't impacted my housing values (or if it has, thank god for it, as the rising appreciation and rising property tax are about all we can handle as it is)

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by Novacek

There is a concentration of commercial development at 4 points, the exact sort that provides lower wages and people in need of affordable housing.

No. There's 3-4 buildings, not a "concentration of commercial development", & the only person speaking for this was an overpriced sandwich shop owner who wants some $11 an hour employees nearby.

Which is exactly why some in the area supported it.

Austin City Council gives blessing to six affordable housing... | www.mystatesman.com

It looks like 5 of the 6 projects are all far North or NW Austin, & none of the council people voting for them have projects going in "their" district. And aside from the one project near the train station & one near the Domain, people will have to use their cars to get to work. What a crock. Subsidized Gridlock....jeesh. The lack of common sense is breathtaking. These projects are politically slimy & economically stupid.


What's the train have to do with it?

The train is like 2% of Austin's total transit network. So they can ride the train to the employment areas near Howard, near the Domain, near Airport Blvd and near Downtown.

The question is how close is the area to a bus route.

The answer is near the 122. What's a 122? (& why is there a "the" preceding the number?)

so just like literally everywhere else. So don't build subsidized apartments where there is gridlock. Build them on S. 1rst, near the Capital, in Manor and Del Valle.


Through the middle of a nature preserve. I'll let others (familiar with the LISD vrs. CoA road issue) comment, but it's my understanding that they were wanting a road built behind 3M between 3M & the new housing development (a stones throw from your low income apartments). Not quite pristine or preserve like.

And the city isn't the one "granting the permit" anyway. Again, I'll let those more familiar comment, but I thought it was the city that prevented the road from being built (to Vandy HS & the MS) and that city told LISD residents to pound sand & sit in traffic on 2222 if you want to get to school.


Not for lack of trying, the 2014 bond tried to. The 2016 bond does. I voted for the 2016 Bond. It was only 30-40% boondoggle. The 2014 Bond was a 90% whopper of a boondoggle & deservedly was voted down.


Oh, and the 2010 bond actually did. Did What?? So this claim is false. Huh....? Just because the pretty pamphlet says the 2222/620 intersection would see "designed and implemented infrastructure improvements".....doesn't mean anything was done. I drive thru that intersection once a week for the past 10 years and haven't seen one thing done regarding an "improvement". So....NOT false.

2010 Mobility Bond Development and Election | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of Austin

Thanks for posting the links Novacek. One shows what was promised & never delivered.

And another showed just how scummy 3/4ths of the Council really is. Voting for cr#p apartments to go into other parts of town (at tax payers expense) which are already beyond gridlocked & at the same time NOT voting for these subsidized cr#p apartments to go into their own districts. It's getting awful swampy downtown.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by hound 109

and another showed just how scummy 3/4ths of the Council really is. Voting for cr#p apartments to go into other parts of town (at tax payers expense) which are already beyond gridlocked & at the same time NOT voting for these subsidized cr#p apartments to go into their own districts. .

Where the hell are you getting that?

The council approved affordable housing in a variety of locations. From that very article, this was the only controversial one.


So yes, those other council members voted to approve the affordable housing in their own districts.

Originally Posted by hound 109

One shows what was promised & never happened,

And where are you getting this? What do you think paid for the planning and design work so that construction money could be approved in the 2016 bond?

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by centralaustinite

Frankly I strongly prefer to live in an area of greater income diversity. Homogeneity of income is one reason I don't like master planned communities. I live very close to a large and long-standing affordable income housing complex. It hasn't impacted my housing values (or if it has, thank god for it, as the rising appreciation and rising property tax are about all we can handle as it is)

Not so homogenized in Avery Ranch, just to name one 'master planned community'. Homes from under 1700 sq ft to well over 4000 with prices to match. Roughly $220K to over $700K

[centralaustinite]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

Not so homogenized in Avery Ranch, just to name one 'master planned community'. Homes from under 1700 sq ft to well over 4000 with prices to match. Roughly $220K to over $700K

Sure but not exactly the same as an affordable housing complex with rent subject to income limits!!

[Mimmyu]

Originally Posted by Novacek

What's the train have to do with it?

The train is like 2% of Austin's total transit network.

The question is how close is the area to a bus route.

The answer is near the 122.

Er... have you actually looked at the 122 route? It only runs once in the morning at 6AM from central Austin to 3M and twice in the early evening in the opposite direction.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by Mimmyu

Er... have you actually looked at the 122 route? It only runs once in the morning at 6AM from central Austin to 3M and twice in the early evening in the opposite direction.

Right, it's commuter-only service.


Just like the train!




I was addressing hound 109's claim that affordable housing could only be located near non-all-day, not-every-day, not-evening transit.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by hound 109

No. There's 3-4 buildings, not a "concentration of commercial development", .

Are you high?


There's a massive concentration of commercial at the intersection of 620/2222, including an HEB and a Target.


Let's turn this around. If it's impossible for a lower-income person* to get to/from the Four Points area, who the hell is going to operate all those cash registers?



*many of whom actually do have cars.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by Novacek

Are you high?

There's a massive concentration of commercial at the intersection of 620/2222, including an HEB and a Target.

Let's turn this around. If it's impossible for a lower-income person* to get to/from the Four Points area, who the hell is going to operate all those cash registers?

*many of whom actually do have cars.

No, I'm not high. (Why the expletives and name calling? We're talking about freaking apartments, & whether or not taxpayers should subsidize them?)

In addition to having different ideas of how to best spend taxpayer's money.....You and I have a different definitions of what constitute a massive concentration of commercial development. In this case, the HEB is in a 12 year old strip center. The Target is a block east of it. I bet there are a thousand intersections in Austin with similar Retail offerings. (& I don't consider these busy corners filled with strip centers and retail stores to be "massive concentrations of commercial development"....especially ones that need SUBSIDIZED low cost apartments.)

My definition (of large commercial development) would be large places of employment (such as office buildings etc. that might also have some retail development). Places like Downtown, the Arboretum, the Domain, around the University, south of the river on Mopac, near Medical Centers....& possibly a dozen other areas in town would be considered a massive concentration of commercial development.

Novacek, we won't ever agree on this. 5 problems with the low income housing being built in CoA (just off the top of my head).

1. I don't like the concept of ANY town (or state or our country)....offering "subsidized apartments" (nor should rent control be implemented in Austin or Texas.) IMO, there are other (better) ways to address income inequality.
2. But if one was to consider them, then they should be within walking distance of MAJOR Employment Centers (or next to a train or bus that gets them to centers in 10-15 minutes).
3. It's not my worry how HEB gets $13 a hour employees to work (or where these employees live). Heck, the HEB employee might be a kid living at home or a spouse of a person who's making 130K per year...but the spouse is working at HEB for the insurance (or not)...but again it's not my worry and it sure as heck isn't MY RESPONSIBILITY TO SUBSIDIZE the apartment for an HEB employee.
4. Subsidized apartments are kind of a lotto (on who gets one & who doesn't). Not a logical (or ethical) way to help out low income people when only a few can take advantage of them.
5. Those that actually decide where they will go (in this case our city council members).....very rarely will vote to locate them near where THEY live.

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by Novacek

I was addressing hound 109's claim that affordable housing could only be located near non-all-day, not-every-day, not-evening transit.

Just to be clear, I believe tax payer subsidized "affordable housing" apartments should only be located in a socialist politician's (& his supporter's) mind.

The only thing worse than Cabrini Green, is a Cabrini Green that I have to help pay for.