Approved Grant Activities 

The spending of $6.7 million in PRO Housing Grant funding is planned over six years and will be invested into 3 primary activities:

 

$750,000: Update of the Strategic Housing Blueprint and Opportunity Mapping Index 
The Strategic Housing Blueprint, adopted in 2017 with a 10-year timeframe, needs updates to reflect current challenges and priorities in affordable housing. Opportunity Mapping is a critical phase for identifying areas where affordable housing investments will have the most impact. Updating the Opportunity Index ensures that housing policies are aligned with economic opportunities, transit access, and equitable development.   

 

$3 million: Investment in the Development and Preservation of Affordable Housing Near Planned Light Rail  
Gap financing for the Ryan Drive affordable housing development (located at the intersection of the Red Line and the new Austin Light Rail Priority Extension) and future acquisitions in the South Congress area. 

 

$1 million: Creation of New Zoning Tools to Unlock Missing-Middle and Urban Mixed-Use Development
New zoning tools will facilitate more diverse and attainable housing, enabling more housing opportunities for all. 

 

Engage in the Process

Throughout each of the activities, there will be ways to be part of the project's progress. We'll share those opportunities here. 

A Request for Proposals will be open August 11 through September 25 to establish a contract with a qualified research team to design and update the Housing Department’s Opportunity Index Map. The updated map will guide affordable housing investments and policy decisions in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing (AFFH), as a part of the PRO Housing Grant. Vist www.AustinTexas.gov/PRO-housing to view the solication and help us spread the word. 

What is the PRO Housing Grant?

Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) empowers communities that are actively taking steps to remove barriers to affordable housing and seeking to increase housing production and lower housing costs over the long term.  

Grant Goals & Objectives

Elevate and enable promising practices dedicated to identifying and removing barriers to affordable housing production and preservation, while preventing displacement, including through rewarding jurisdictions that have enacted laws and regulations that will lead to more affordable housing production and preservation

Institutionalize state and local analysis and implementation of effective, equitable, and resilient approaches to affordable housing production and preservation

Provide technical assistance to help communities better fulfill the Consolidated Plan’s requirement of identifying barriers to affordable housing and implementing solutions to address these barriers

Affirmatively further fair housing by addressing and removing barriers that perpetuate segregation, inhibit access to well-resourced areas of opportunity for protected class groups and vulnerable populations, and concentrate affordable housing in under-resourced areas

Facilitate collaboration and harness innovative approaches from jurisdictions, researchers, advocates, and stakeholders.