The City of Austin hired BBC’s Housing and Community Development team to update the comprehensive housing market study we conducted in 2008. Through the update, the City’s objective was to produce a sound approach for setting affordable housing goals, identify housing needs by neighborhood, and determine the greatest housing challenges of targeted populations.

Reaching a diverse set of residents was of utmost importance to the city. In developing the study, we talked with residents in East Austin about the effects of gentrification on their neighborhood, surveyed in-commuters about their desire to relocate into the city, and held focus groups with seniors and persons with disabilities.

Our study determines where middle-income renters have the most difficulty finding homes to buy; estimates the number of households needing rental assistance; and recommends housing affordability goals for the city.