As more multifamily developments become available and the tech job boom slows, Austin is seeing more affordable rents than a year ago, but costs remain above pre-pandemic levels.

A report from Realtor.com reveals that Austin, Texas was one of the three U.S. cities with the most dramatic drops in rent prices in November 2023 compared to the same month in the previous year. Shonda Novak explains the report’s findings in the Austin American-Statesman.
After hitting record highs in 2022, “Earlier this year, local housing experts predicted that 2023 would bring some relief for renters due to slower job growth — mainly in the tech sector — and a tide of new apartment supply that was expected to exceed demand.” However, Austin rents are still around 25 percent more expensive, on average, than in 2019.
Experts expect rents to continue to decline as more multifamily construction makes its way onto the rental market. “Multifamily (new construction) completions, the vast majority of which are used for rentals, picked up 16.1% year over year in the Austin metro area year to date (January-October).”
FULL STORY: Apartment rents have declined in Austin recently, but will the trend continue into 2024?

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

How Atlanta Built 7,000 Housing Units in 3 Years
The city’s comprehensive, neighborhood-focused housing strategy focuses on identifying properties and land that can be repurposed for housing and encouraging development in underserved neighborhoods.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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