Rising housing costs concern for Austinites

The rising cost of housing in Austin has many residents worried about the future of their communities.

Austin Housing Pinch hosted a discussion about the issue Saturday at Mitchie's Art Gallery on Interstate 35 to hear the concerns of citizens, local activists and city officials.

David Kobierowski, founder of Housing Pinch, said many local teachers, nurses and police officers can no longer afford to live in Austin.

"We're slowly losing our community," Kobierowski said. "It's a definite concern that we have to address."

Homeowners make up 50 percent of the city's permanent residents, 20 percent below the national average, said Mitchell Gibbs, spokesman for Austin Habitat for Humanity. According to the 2006 census, 138,851 out of 293,856 total housing units in the city were owner-occupied.

The census reported the median housing cost in Austin 2006 was $173,000. In 2004, it was $163,250.

Gibbs said the increasing value of land is to blame and that Habitat for Humanity is slowly being priced out of Austin.

Susana Almanza, co-director of People Organized in the Defense of Earth and her Resources, or PODER, called on attendees to support city bond funding for the construction of affordable housing.

"We have taken on the burdens, but we haven't received the benefits," Almanza said.

PODER member Daniel Llanes blamed city council for not supporting enough affordable housing projects.

"We need to create a vision. The current system is going to turn the central city into Manhattan," Llanes said. "You really need to get involved. Make a phone call. Write a letter."

Austin City Council-woman Jennifer Kim defended the council's efforts, saying that it has held a housing summit to hash out issues between developers and housing applicants.

Kim said she will host another affordable housing summit on Oct. 25 at the Street-Jones building on East 11th Street.

"It is definitely a new day for housing for us," Kim said. "We are talking about affordability for all levels of income. It is something that affects all of us."

Kobierowski organized the event nearly single-handedly and said he hopes students will learn that they can make a difference.

"If you just have an idea and have energy, one person can do a lot," Kobierowski said.

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