Travis County Commissioners Court
Tuesday, June 22, 2010,
Item 1
Item no. 1 is a public hearing to receive comments regarding the proposed acquisition of 27 lots in the gilbert lane subdivision in eastern travis county by austin habitat for humanity as part of the travis county 2006, 2007 and 2008 community development block grant funds available through the u.s. Department of housing and urban development.
>> move that the public hearing be opened.
>> second.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote. Commissioner gomez will miss today's meeting.
>> good morning, christie moffat, travis county health and human services and michael willard executive director of austin habitat for humanity.
>> good morning.
>> good morning.
>> we are happy today to bring to you the public hearing regarding the location for the land acquisition project to build 27 affordable houses in the unincorporated areas. As you know, our original site location, we were -- we were successful in getting site approval, so this is our alternate location that we feel very good about. Just to reiterate, it is lots 3 through 7 and 9 through 30, block a, of the gilbert lane phase 1 development. It's located approximately 1.5 miles south of walter e. Long lake. And about -- .5 miles east of s.h. 130. It is located off of f.m. 969, and the nearest bus route is 3.37 miles. Which is located at decker lane and loyla. Which while you look at the unincorporated areas traditionally you're not going to have access to a near bus route. We are happy to find one, while it's not walkable to a bus stop, it is bikable. If people are needing access to public transportation, it is possible for them to get to a bus route to make it into town. Additionally, del valle i.s.d. Propose that's there will be plans for a new elementary school across the street, we are hoping that will continue and that will be a successful location for that project as well. Additionally, when you look at census data in terms of the percentage of low to moderate income people in that census tract, it's at 41.2%. So it is certainly not considered a concentrated area of low to moderate income persons. Also, i would like to say just from an esthetic perspective, it's a beautiful area. There's a lot of greenery, a detention pond that's very nice, so we feel like it will be a very successful location for affordable housing development.
>> let me ask a couple of questions. Number one, i want to thank the habitat for humanities again for stepping out and dealing with the affordable housing needs of the community. I'm real excited about -- about this. I also would like to -- to see if you can tell me, number one, what would be the -- the affordability of the homes, of the 27 single family dwellings that will be erected within this particular site?
>> the families that we serve, we target between 25 and 50% of the area median income. So for a family of four it's going to be between $17,700 on an annual basis to $35,500 on an annual basis. These are low income families that we're going to be able to serve through this program. And all 27 homes will fit within that criteria of 25 to 50% of the area median income.
>> additional lirks the court also provided some flexibility to -- to allow habitat to provide services up to -- for people up to 80% of median family income for a few of the houses.
>> right.
>> so if -- if necessary, they can go up to 80% of the median family income for a family of four, that's about -- about 56,000.
>> uh-huh.
>> i believe that's the number.
>> up to what now?
>> 56.
>> 56,000. That's off the top of my head. I could be off a couple of thousand dollars.
>> okay. And secondly, how would -- after the viewing public witness this, how would the outreach mechanism work whereby the folks that are interested in living in these particular affordable single family dwellings, how are they notified to make sure that -- that they are aware of what's going on and -- how does it work?
>> what we do in public outreach, either through, you know -- folks that we're -- well, we can do -- outreach to the newspaper, we can do outreach through our website announcing -- we'll be having orientations, so folks can apply to that. And if there's any other specifics that you would like to see met in terms of outreach, we would be happy to comply with that.
>> we also --
>> i'm sorry, go ahead.
>> we will also work with -- our outreach plan that we typically use for our public hearing processes, we have a large list of -- of people that we mail notices to. We have an e-mail list. We have a website. And then we also have our social worker who works in the unincorporated areas and we also have our community centers. So we will make sure that we get information out in a variety of ways. So that people can access the program.
>> thirdly, it appears that this is also about a mile and a half from the txi operation.
>> yes.
>> i'm wondering how do we notify folks in the area to let them know that there is a possibility of -- of a mining operation about a mile and a half down the road?
>> we are in the process of doing an environmental assessment and determining if there will be any issues related to the txi development. We don't believe that there will be.
>> okay.
>> but we will take -- we will make people aware of it.
>> okay. I guess my point is the how of that. How do you -- how do you -- what i'm trying to get to is this, i will be very straightforward with it. What i'm trying to get to is make sure that what we deal etj issues, i believe this is in the city's e.t.j., what happens is there's something called title 30. Of course, under title 30 whereas the commissioners court has -- has looked at making folks aware that -- that we have very limited power within -- within unincorporated area and also the e.t.j., but in order for that notice to be -- to be fully -- fully implemented or fully effective, both parties, the city of austin, and travis county, must agree. Meaning that the city of austin also need to be a party of -- of this particular title 30 notification disclosure format. And right now the city of austin has not done that. So there's no way on the plat notes the persons that are purchasing these properties would even see anything about -- about what -- what's around them. So if it's an environmental assessment aspect, that you just mentioned, is part of the process that this will not have the -- the txi operation will not have an impact. My question still boils down to the how will you relate that because it's not in the plat notes. And of course how we relate that to the individual homeowners, for disclosure purposes. How would you relate that to them?
>> we certainly can -- as we -- after we accept them into the program and they go to -- to particular -- that they are going to be select their lots, we can be informing them at that point that there is a txi facility not far down the road and -- and at that point then they can make the decision whether or not they want to choose that and knowing all of the ramifications that come with being there. Does that address your concern?
>> well, she mentioned the environmental deal.
>> right.
>> that was part of it, also. I just want to make sure that folks are aware of -- of -- of what it is coming up or -- what's coming up or what their surroundings will be, especially since we do not have control as far as determining what land use authority -- we have very limited land use authority. I just want to make sure that happens.
>> one of the things that we will do is once the environmental assessment is complete, we will be coming back to the commissioners court. There will be a public comment period. And if people have comments or questions related to the findings of that. In addition, habitat will also have a copy so that at any time as people are determining where -- which lot they want to move forward with, they can be assured that this was done and they can read about it. We have asked the environmental consultant to make sure that they address it in the report.
>> okay. Thank you.
>> you're welcome.
>> any other comments?
>> just we're very excited to be at this point working with travis county. To be able to purchase these slots. Our biggest need in terms of -- of being able to provide affordable housing to low income residents of travis county is land acquisition. And using the cdbg funds to -- to meet that need is -- is critical to our -- meeting our goals.
>> this is a public hearing. If you would like to give comments, please come forward. Mr. Reeferseed.
>> thank you, sir, i'm ronnie
>> [inhale] reeferseed, but just a little question with the presenters here, that is -- i think that you said it, there's buses and things like that available nearby.
>> uh-huh.
>> the question that i have for you, sir, is kind of a follow-up on your question is any low income housing made available for non-families? That is single males like me or is it limited to -- to presently homeless?
>> anyone can apply. So as long as -- as long as you are considered eligible, and you are able to meet habitat's criteria and meet their program guidelines, then there wouldn't be any reason why a person, a single person could purchase a home or -- or a larger family.
>> that's wonderful. And i think that you shared with me a phone number here recently. Thank you so much.
>> you're welcome.
>> mr. Priest?
>> thank you, judge, commissioners, morris priest, speaking on my own behalf. I just wanted to speak out in opposition of this. I know previously there was a subdivision out there that had well just fell through, it didn't happen. And in that same area. And i do know that there were a lot of people that were opposed to txi, i have spoken to many of them. And when that happened they said that they would have preferred the gravel mine over habitat for humanity homes in their area just because of the effects that it had on their neighborhood. I'm always opposed to --
>> wait, can you that again? I just want to make sure that you actually --
>> there were some people here and they --
>> who would prefer a gravel mine to a habitat for humanities development.
>> yes. There were people that voiced those concerns.
>> okay.
>> if you want their names, i will give them to you. In fact they were very adamant about it. So, yeah.
>> i just wanted to make sure that i heard correctly.
>> you did. I'm glad that clarification was made on record. But anyway, that's all that i did want to say and i just -- i oppose this. Wasn'ted to say that, thank you.
>> would anyone else like to give comments during this public hearing.
>> move that the public hearing be closed.
>> all in favor? That passes by unanimous vote.
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Last Modified:
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 2:35 PM
