What the Affordable Housing Accelerator is All About

“So, I got in to the Austin Affordable Housing Accelerator. What’s next?” My project, the Chicon Micro Unit Carless Condo, was into the housing accelerator. I knew this initiative would take me out of my element and I am pleasantly surprised by how much!

I wasn’t exactly sure what the Accelerator would be like, from a week to week, but I knew I needed help in getting this idea of a micro unit carless development in East Austin to fruition. There are eight other ideas in the Accelerator ranging from finance products to housing for boomers to teaching youth how to be involved with community design. The other ideas and their creators are beyond inspirational…they are now my partners in crime for the next three months of this accelerator.

Each week, we are asked to write a blog. I have chosen to write about this experience. I am the board president of a non-profit housing developer in East Austin that has built nearly 100 affordable units, but have one property that we would like to convert into a carless condo that has a fleet of electric vehicles for use only by the residents. I hope to have this marketed and designed only for artists and musicians.

The biggest question to address is “will the City of Austin allow us to do this?” The Board of Adjustment will answer this question. The issue is not zoning but parking. We have the right partners on board to help with the electric vehicles and other mobility options, but right now this question is the main one to address.

All nine cohorts in the Accelerator meet every Wednesday for three hours to say what this week’s big question is, and to help each other with answers to their big questions. More than anything though, we are giving each other guidance and coaching to ensure everyone’s project comes to fruition.