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New South Austin community unlocks doors to tiny homes for $1,500 a month

The Casata community will include more than 60 microhomes in far South Austin.

(CULTUREMAP AUSTIN) – With home prices in the City of Austin approaching $500,000, local residents are clamoring for affordable housing. An Austin startup thinks it has devised an inventive alternative: a community in South Austin with dozens of microhomes available for rent.

The startup, Casata, has started construction on a 6-acre site at 10400 Old Manchaca Rd. that will feature 66 one- and two-bedroom microhomes. Each home will measure 378 to 758 square feet — larger than many hotel rooms but smaller than many apartments. Casata says the microhomes, made by Champion Homes, will be ready for move in on July 1.

Monthly rent at Casata will range from $1,200 for the smallest microhome to $1,480 for the largest microhome. According to rental platform RentCafé, the typical 865-square-foot apartment in Austin rents for an average of $1,398 a month. Meanwhile, personal finance website SmartAsset pegs the typical monthly payment at $1,938 for a home in Austin.

Highlights of the development — Casata’s first project in Austin — include:

  • no shared walls
  • individual yards, each with a patio and porch
  • high-tech functionality, including the ability to remotely control a microhome’s thermostat, locks, and lights
  • solar power
  • low-flow plumbing
  • dog park
  • outdoor yoga park and concert space
  • resort-style pool
  • fitness center
  • coworking space
  • movie and game room
  • food truck area
  • charging stations for electric vehicles

“The Casata concept is an innovative approach to housing for millennials,” Aaron Levy, CEO of Casata, says in a March 29 release. “Microhomes are a great option for millennials who are less worried about material items and more focused on experiences. Casata offers competitive rent rates while providing an incredible living situation.”

Casata says it also plans to develop microhome communities in San Marcos and Waco.

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