Austin’s Zoning Changes Highlighted as Model for Affordability

Vice President JD Vance spoke at the National League of Cities on Monday, urging local leaders to prioritize housing reform, citing Austin's zoning revisions as a successful example of enhancing affordability.

"We want Americans to be able to afford the American dream of homeownership," Vance stated, emphasizing its importance in community stability and investment.

Vance complimented Austin's zoning reforms, which aim to increase housing supply while lowering costs. The key reforms include:

• Triplex Zoning: Allowing up to three units on a single-family lot
• Tiny Homes Integration: Modifying regulations to classify tiny homes as legal residential units
• House Size Restrictions: Imposing size limits to encourage smaller, affordable housing
• Lot Size Reduction: Cutting the minimum lot size from 5,750 sq. ft. to 1,800 sq. ft.
• Eliminating Parking Mandates: Enhancing housing flexibility and cost-efficiency

These initiatives—HOME Phase One and Phase Two—have helped to keep Austin's housing costs under control, despite significant population expansion.

While acknowledging federal zoning restrictions, Vance advised towns to implement innovative measures to make buying and renting more accessible and cheap.

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"Austin implemented some pretty smart policies and brought down the cost of housing," Vance said, noting that few major cities in the United States have achieved comparable achievements.

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