For Immediate Release
AURA commends City Council for allowing more backyard cottages in Austin
November 19, 2015
Austin, Texas
AURA, an urbanist grassroots non-profit that works toward an Austin for Everyone, commends City Council for taking action to allow more Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) – known colloquially as granny flats, garage apartments, or backyard cottages – to be built in Austin.
These changes were originally sponsored by former Austin Councilmembers Chris Riley and Mike Martinez, in June 2014. We thank Mr. Riley, Mr. Martinez along with Mayor Steve Adler and current Councilmembers Gregorio Casar, Sheri Gallo, Delia Garza, Sabino “Pio” Renteria, Ellen Troxclair and Don Zimmerman for their leadership on this issue.
AURA supports these changes, because our platform prioritizes abundant housing of all types, from smaller apartment buildings and garage apartments in established neighborhoods to downtown skyscrapers to single-family housing. We want an Austin where everybody is welcome and everybody’s interests matter: young and old, rich and poor, renter and homeowner, healthy and sick, citizen and immigrant, lifelong resident and new arrival.
The greatest asset our city has is its people, and our city is at its best when it facilitates connections between those people: cultural, economic, and social.
“This is an important step toward allowing more abundant housing in the city of Austin,” says Cory Brown, AURA member. “I’m hopeful that by allowing more housing options within reach of people with modest incomes, we can begin the process of making Austin neighborhoods more integrated and diverse.”
In addition to the substantial public comment in favor of the changes, more than 1,000 Austinites signed AURA’s petition urging Austin’s City Council to allow granny flats and other small houses everywhere in Austin.
“This is a victory for the future of our city. It’s a hard won victory over a handful of incumbent homeowners in establishment neighborhoods who are opposed to addressing our housing crisis,” adds Steven Yarak.
AURA is a grassroots urbanist organization focused on building an Austin for everyone by improving land use and transportation through policy analysis, public involvement, and political engagement.
Contacts:
Eric Goff, AURA Board Member, eric.goff@gmail.com, 512-632-7013
Cory Brown, AURA Missing Middle Working Group, tcory.brown@gmail.com, 512-850-8467