Austin DSA’s Homes for All campaign is fighting for deeply affordable housing in Austin, Texas!
How can I get involved?
Our Vision
Fund deeply affordable, sustainable, city-owned housing with Austin’s 2026 Infrastructure Bond
In 2026, voters in Austin will have a chance to vote on an infrastructure bond. We hope to influence the direction of this bond to fund a $350 million investment in deeply affordable housing. Read below to find out why deeply affordable, sustainable, city-owned housing is crucially important.
What is city-owned housing?
City-owned housing refers to apartment complexes that are owned by the city, and by extension, the public at large. Because this housing is accountable to voters and renters, rents can be set at deeply affordable rates to meet people’s housing needs. City-owned housing can also enable stronger tenant rights, including protection against evictions. You can read more about this concept here.
What is sustinable housing?
The climate crisis is a global emergency. Addressing this issue requires fighting for environmental sustainability at every opportunity. Sustainable housing means that apartments are constructed in a resource-efficient way to minimize harm to health and the environment. You can read more about sustainable infrastructure here.
Questions about city-owned housing
How can city-owned housing be funded?
A one-time investment in city-owned housing can yield long-term returns through cross-subsidization. By building and acquiring both deeply affordable and market-rate units, rents from market-rate units can be put into a housing fund that is used to continually maintain and generate more affordable housing. This model ensures that rents are used to maintain a stock of housing for all, instead of being funneled into the pockets of large landowners.
Does city-owned housing work?
City-owned housing works all over the world! One of the most prominent examples is Vienna, Austria, where 60% of residents live in city-owned housing and rents are among the lowest in Europe. In Helsinki, Finland, 70% of city land is socially owned and 14% of residents live in city-owned housing. Unsheltered homelessness in Helsinki is near zero. In Singapore, 82% of residents live in public housing, 92% of which is effectively owner-occupied through 99-year ownership titles.