AUSTIN, Texas — The City of Austin plans to start a pilot program this month allowing those affected by gentrification to get first dibs on 28 homes that are for sale. And those people have been growing by the number as the years go by.
"The homeowner here has been here over 40 years," said activist and council candidate Bertha Rendon Delgado, pointing to a home on the city's east side.
Rendon Delgado remembers well the character, the memories and the people from her neighborhood.
"That is where they went to hang out with their friends and have a nice burger and a shake and fries," said Delgado of a burger joint also on the east side.
Delgado said things are quickly becoming unfamiliar.
"So now they're taking our store away and they're going to put a high-rise right here," Delgado said about a gas station on Cesar Chavez.
The gentrification of East Austin isn't just happening on busy Cesar Chavez. Throughout the neighborhoods, you'll often see older homes right across from either newer homes or homes in the process of being built.
"My family had four homes on one street and we're down to two," said Delgado. She blames property taxes, which she said priced them out.
In an attempt to get Austinites affected by gentrification back into their neighborhoods, the City is starting a pilot program called the Austin Community Land Trust Program. It includes the so-called "preference policy," which gives those with ties to gentrified areas first dibs on 28 homes the City is selling.
During a Tuesday meeting of the Housing and Planning Committee, city staff members broke down how it works.
"They are based on the 80% of the Austin median family income, but the pricing is actually based on only 65% of those incomes," said a city staff member.
That means the homes are more affordable. According to the City's presentation, a two-bedroom house will be $195,900. A three-bedroom is $221,000. A four-bedroom is $246,300.
Here's who qualifies:
- For a single-person household, their income must be $55,400 per year or less.
- For a two-person household, $63,300 or less.
Those who qualify will go through a lottery process.
"Every one of these ... Austin right now is very fearful about not everything being erased and demolished and taken away," said Delgado.
Delgado said this is just one of many steps the City needs to make sure the culture of East Austin isn't demolished along with the buildings.
City leaders said they're in the pilot program's final approval stages and plan to open applications sometime this month.
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