In 2017, the City of Austin bought 1.3 acres of land at the corner of Doris Drive and Hathaway Drive from AISD. The year prior, the district had placed 10 different properties on the market.

The city ended up buying two of those properties for sale — the Doris Drive land and about eight acres on Tannehill Lane. They used the bond voters approved in 2013.

“We looked for properties [that were close] to services, amenities, transportation and schools,” said Mandy DeMayo, Community Development Administrator at the city’s Neighborhood Housing Community Development Department.

She said the Doris Drive tract is across the street from Burnet Middle School, and the Tannehill Lane land in east Austin is near Norman Elementary School.

According to DeMayo, the project will include single-family homes and duplexes. “We are planning eight units total of affordable housing,” she said. “Four will be rental housing. Affordable to folks at or below 50 percent median family income. Four will be single-family ownership opportunities for families at or below 80 percent median family income.”

Austin’s median family income for a family of four is $95,900.

DeMayo said the goal is to have the homes on Doris Drive be ready for move in by Fall 2020. “It’s a pretty ambitious timeline, but we feel like it’s achievable. We understand the need for affordable housing is obviously huge, and we want to do our part to help meet that need,” she said.

Other projects in the works

The city also owns properties on East 10th Street and Funston Street. DeMayo said an accessory dwelling unit is under construction on E. 10th, and the plan is to build a three-bedroom home on Funston Street.

They also have plans to collect proposals from developers, so three other lots can be developed.

Those include:

• Tannehill Lane (the land mentioned above, purchased from AISD)
• Tillery/Pecan Grove
• Gardner Road/Levander Loop

DeMayo said projects — both big and small — help make a difference.

“Every unit counts,” she said.