Residential and commercial development continues at a rapid pace, with few neighborhoods free from development pressure. Across Austin, developers are purchasing and demolishing modest, historic-age homes to make way for new housing units.

Recognizing this accelerated trend after decades of growth, the City of Austin launched the development of a new Equity-Based Preservation Plan to replace its 1981 preservation plan. A community working group appointed by the Historic Landmark Commission is guiding the multiyear planning process, supported by the City’s Historic Preservation and Displacement Preservation offices.

To inform the draft preservation plan, the City and Preservation Austin, Austin’s citywide preservation nonprofit, turned to ULI Austin and the Terwilliger Center for Housing. The groups sought insight on a key question: What policies, programs, and tools could be implemented to preserve historic-age housing (50 years old and older) while supporting affordability and preventing displacement?

David Steinwedell, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Affordable Central Texas and Austin Housing and Conservancy Fund, served as TAP Chair. Additional TAP Panel Members included David Carroll, Partner and Director of Multifamily – Urban Foundry Architecture; Ashton Cumberbatch, Jr., President and Cofounder -Equidad ATX; Di Gao, Senior Director of Research & Development – National Trust for Historic Preservation; Shanon Shea Miller, Director/Historic Preservation Officer – City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation; and Mark Rogers, Executive Director – Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation.