James B. Duncan, FAICP Austin Neighborhoods Council August 26, 2015

James B. Duncan, FAICP, CNU August 26, AustinSeattle economic basehigh tech university government high tech university aviation population900,000650,000 metro area population2,000,0003,600,000 metro area share45%18% downtown population13,00065,000 downtown share1.5%10% land area (sm)32084 density (p/sm)2,8007,250 racial mix white49%69% black8% latino35%7% asian6%14% miles

James B. Duncan, FAICP, CNU August 26,

Seattle Mayor unveils 65 recommendations by task force on housing affordability, including: Require all developers to build affordable homes or pay fees Prioritize use of public properties for affordable housing Subsidize rents/operations for extreme low-income housing Reform city design and historic review permitting process Modify codes to maximize wooden building construction Dedicate new property taxes for affordable housing Offer tax breaks to landlords who restrict rents Enact real estate excise tax for affordable housing Increase housing levy for affordable housing Expand property tax exemptions for new restricted units Launch proactive multi-family housing preservation strategy Minimize displacement of marginalized populations Increase access to rental housing for people with criminal past Provide funding for tenant counseling and landlord education Devote more land to multi-family near transit/amenities Expand housing choice in Villages and corridors Boost production of accessory dwelling units Allow more housing types in single-family zones Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda

Allow More Housing Types in Single-Family Zones

7 July 13 July 19 July 28 July 29 July Neighborhood Sleeplessness in Seattle

Boost Production of Accessory Dwelling Units total: about 1,200

Expand Housing Choice in Villages and Corridors

Urban Village Plan downtown urban centers urban villages manufacturing centers Imagine Austin regional centers town centers neighborhood centers activity corridors Recent Planning History neighborhood districts comprehensive plan neighborhood plans comp plan update comp plan update Recent Planning History Austin Tomorrow neighborhood plans Imagine Austin

Neighborhood Districts (13)Neighborhood Sectors (15)

Racial Diversity Displacement Risk Rental Occupied

Mayor Wynn: “25,000 Downtowners”

YearPopulationHouseholdsHH sizeNew Units ,000370, ,150,000500, , ,350,000610, ,000 Who? families, singles, retirees and/or disadvantaged What? single family, multi-family and/or “missing middle” Where? core, centers, corridors and/or neighborhoods Why? affordability, livability and/or profitability How? by-right, fast-tracking and/or incentives Mayor Adler: “100,000 New Homes” Quantitative: Qualitative:

What does the “Father of New Urbanism” think of Austin? “ One of the most disappointing things to me is the number of urbanists who admire a place like, say, Austin, confusing urban vitality with the existence of a hundred bars.” Andres Duany, Terrain.org, 16 April 2013 "I'm disappointed in what I see here. This city is acting like a beggar. Austin is hot! You don't have to go out on every date! Austin accepts too many things others would not." Andres Duany, Austin Chronicle, 13 April 2007

“Missing Middle” … Housing Types … Housing Prices … Ground

CAVEs vs. DUDEs (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) (Developers Under Delusion of Entitlements) OIL-driven (Only In Leander) “Remember the Armadillo!” “Don’t Tread on My Neighborhood!” “Gentrification without Representation!” GAS-driven (Greed, Avarice and Stupidity) “In Growth We Trust!” “Fifty-Four Floors or Fight!” “Give Me Density or Give Me Death!” CAVEs DUDEs

“Missing Middle Ground” “When you are getting shot at from both sides, you must be doing something right! ” Ronald Reagan (in response to reactions to his South Africa sanctions in 1985) "Come let us reason together (Isaiah 1:18)" Lyndon Johnson (in his efforts to achieve congressional consensus in 1965)

So, Who is Doing Better? Austin or Seattle? Austin is doing better than Seattle in promoting growth, but Seattle is doing much better in promoting; quality over quantity, process over product, green over gray and people over profit.