Keep Austin Resilient

Keep Austin Resilient Systems Planning and Placemaking in the Age of Extreme Weather Fall 2019

Prepared by: Emily Blanton, Mary Eveleigh, Claire Jaffe, Joyce Liu, Yeana Kwagh, Natasha Tabachnikoff, Deno Wade, Ran Xin, Yuyang Yin, Yijing Zhang, Holly Zhang, Siyue Zhang Instructor: Nando Micale

Studio Brief Residents of Austin, Texas, located in “flash flood alley,” are accustomed to dry landscapes and intermittent rising waters. Similar to other cities along inland waterways, Austin has long battled periodic inundation. However, pressures from climate change and rapid population growth, coupled with historic inequality, present a newfound urgency to find solutions. Austin needs to create a culture of resiliency and equity that can support residents through the new extreme weather reality.

The University of Pennsylvania’s Stuart Weitzman School of Design took on these questions as part of a Fall Master of City Planning studio course.

Our studio sought to explore the watersheds and creeks in Austin as the backbone of the community and unearth how these natural features can tie the Austin community and its future development together. Utilizing a systems planning approach, we investigated the interconnectedness of several

of Austin’s systems and discovered cross-system pressures. The seven systems used were: »» Watersheds & Environment »» Land Use & Economy »» Demographics & Poverty »» Housing »» Mobility »» Health & Wellness »» Parks & Open Space This planning document examines the watersheds of Austin and the creeks that pass through and give character to each of Austin’s diverse neighborhoods and districts. The proposals in this studio book seek to build on Austin’s watersheds and creeks to address broader themes of resiliency, equity, and community.

Figure 1. Paved trail between the MLK Jr. light rail station and the St. David’s Foundation Community Garden illustrates the role that public-private partnerships play in providing community space.

Contents Planning Context .................................................................................................... 1 Extreme Weather .................................................................................................... 2 Analysis ................................................................................................................... 10 Site Selection ......................................................................................................... 32 Planning Strategies ............................................................................................. 44 Interventions ........................................................................................................ 50 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 140 Acknowledgments ............................................................................................ 142 Appendices ............................................................................................................ 144

Figure 2. The extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) is the unincorporated land within 5 miles of Austin’s boundary for which the City has planning jurisdiction. Austin’s ETJ currently extends into 4 counties—Williamson, Travis, Hays, and Bastrop—and may be changed through negotiation or annexation.

Austin’s Existing Plans

Planning Context The first step of our studio was to conduct a literature review of existing plans. Austin has produced a number of plans that address issues in different systems, and we used this to inform our existing conditions analysis.

From these plans, we identified common areas that each city agency is working to address, but for which there are currently few clear collaborative efforts. For instance, growth centers proposed by the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan are not used as guidance in the Strategic Mobility Plan to direct development. The Watershed Protection Department has its own Master Plan, but the Water Forward Plan drafted Austin Water focuses only on water demand and supply, rather than coordinating with the Watershed Department to address Austin’s water issue as one holistic concern. The summaries of these plans are in the Appendix.

There is also a lack of urgency in the City’s plan to address flooding and drought issues. These plans tend to react to flooding incidents in the urban core, rather than preventing flood damage in the first place. In addition, there is a lack of equity lens in current efforts by the City towards mitigating flooding risks.

As shown by Atlas 14, the newest floodplain study, flooding will threaten even more property and lives beyond the dense, urban core area. Austin must proactively prepare for forthcoming extreme weather conditions throughout the city.

Therefore, our next step was an analysis that looked at many systems together to see areas of shared concern.

Arlington

Plano Dallas Forth Worth

Austin

Figure 3. Austin has a strong culture of planning that has produced several quality plans.

Houston San Antonio Figure 4. Austin is located within the “Texas Triangle” between San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas, driving much of its economic development.

Corpus Christi

In 2012, the City published their Comprehensive Plan update, Imagine Austin. While the plan made great strides in bringing together and connecting several of the initiatives and recommendations included in other planning documents, there are still shortfalls in the way that Austin is managing the growth and development within the city. Missing is an equity and community-based lens that can help deliver both an environmentally and socially resilient Austin. In addition, growth strategies were created before the new Atlas 14 floodplain findings that expanded the city’s areas endangered by flooding.

Planning Context

1

2

Keep Austin Resilient

Planning Context

Extreme Weather Analysis Site Selection Planning Strategies Recommendations Conclusion Acknowledgments Appendices Extreme Weather

3

Environmental Context Austin is located in Central Texas at the crossing of Colorado River and the Balcones Fault Line that made Mt. Bonnell.

Situated in Lower Colorado Watershed, Austin benefits from the river’s water supply yet it is significantly affected by floods in Flash Flood Alley (Figure 5). This environmental region is characterized by steep slopes on the west, poor drainage soils, and impervious surface that contribute to flooding. The Edwards Plateau, Balcones Escarpment, and Blackland Prairie create Austin’s hilly landscape with rocky uplifts and running water features that transition to a flat delta from west to east.

Such geology also creates a relatively thin soil layer over hard limestone and granite. This soil is primarily clay or silty clays of low water permeability. As a result of the topography and poor soil permeability, heavy rainfall or storms cause flash floods

Figure 5. Austin is situated in Flash Flood Alley.

Austin, located in red on the map, is within the Lower Colorado Watershed in Central Texas. The city’s position within Flash Flood Alley has great impacts on the vulnerability of flooding in the city. First, water within the state flows generally from the northwest to the southeast, placing Austin within the path of the state’s water drainage. Additionally, the city’s position at the transition point between the topographic high points of Hill Country on the western edge of Austin and the flat delta region of the Blackland Prairie on the east contribute to flooding in the Eastern Crescent. Finally, the soil type around Austin is such that it does not easily infiltrate water, leading to excess surface water during storm events that contribute to flooding.

Figure 6. Austin is in Texas’s Hill Country, characterized by Balcones escarpment and rocky uplifts.

October being the wettest months overall. While residents have grown accustomed to the hot spells and rain storms, the weather has become less bearable in the age of climate change.

Hundreds of homes and lives have been devastated by flood and drought over the course of Austin’s history, and the situation is only expected to worsen with climate change. While rainfall becomes more frequent and more severe, heat and drought

are intensifying and lasting longer. As population grows and development sprawls, Austin itself and many key resources are increasingly threatened. To understand and evaluate Austin’s flood and drought conditions, the studio investigated the history of flood and heat events and their impact on the city.

Figure 7. Flash flood upon heavy rainfall event due to the poor drainage soil and hilly landscape.

that run down the slope and affect downstream communities.

Meanwhile, as population grows, unrestricted sprawl by zoning increases impervious surface, which not only compromises the tree canopy but also the city’s natural water drainage capacity.

All of these factors combine to leave Austin in a vulnerable position as water from the Colorado and its tributaries rushes down from the steep northwestern plateaus to the southeast Gulf Coast.

In addition to the Colorado River that winds through Austin, the city has many smaller creeks and waterways that permeate many neighborhoods. Among the largest are Shoal Creek, Williamson Creek, Onion Creek, and Boggy Creek (Figure 7).

Austin belongs to the Humid Subtropical Climate, which is characterized by long, hot summers and short, mild winters.1 Springs and falls are relatively short and warm. On average, 34 inches of rain falls on Austin annually, with May, June, and

Lakes and Creeks 100-Year Floodplain Parks Figure 8. Austin’s creek system and 100-year floodplain.

This map illustrates the ubiquitous nature of creeks across Austin. While this map only shows the floodplains of the Colorado River and the 10 major creeks, all of the tributaries to these waterways are included, demonstrating just how prevalent creeks are within every neighborhood of Austin. The floodplains included here are the previous 100-year floodplains, which have since been updated by Atlas 14 and greatly expand the areas under floodplains.

Atlas 14 Floodplain Study The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a US federal scientific agency focused on understanding and predicting changes in climate, weather, oceans, and coasts to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources.8 Within NOAA, the National Weather Service’s Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center began conducting studies, with the first volume published in 2004), on historical rainfall. This study, Atlas 14, provides precipitation frequency estimates for future hypothetical rainfall events.9 The Atlas is divided into volumes by 14 geographic sections of the country; Volume 11 captures the entire state of Texas and is based on data up to 2017. The Atlas 14 study showed that the frequency of rainfall will be increased from a 1 percent chance of 10.2 inches of rain in 24 hours (100-year storm) based on older estimates to 13 inches of rain in 24 hours (500year storm). The City of Austin updated its floodplain regulations to reflect that the existing 500-year floodplain is now the 100-year regulatory floodplain.10 Consequently, the number of homes at risk in the floodplain increased to 7,200, up from the 4,000 threatened by the previous 100-year regulatory floodplain.11

Existing Floodplain Area — 100-Year Floodplain Expanded Floodplain Area — 500-Year Floodplain (Atlas 14) Figure 9. Atlas 14 floodplain expansion.

Increasing Inundation and Flooding Flooding events have been a prevalent part of Austin history for decades. As the city grows and learns from each event, Austin’s response to flooding has transformed from a reactive position to proactive management. The first significant flood on record—11 feet above the Austin Dam—caused the collapse of the Austin Dam, destroyed 100 houses, cost 13 lives, and caused $1.4 million of damage in 1900.2 The city reacted by continuing to use the waterways as key assets, adding several large infrastructure projects such as new dams to the Colorado River. Austin was hit hard again in the First Memorial Day Flood of 1981. The event brought 11 inches of rainfall in three hours, which quickly overwhelmed major waterways and killed 13 people.3 While many blamed real estate development in the northeast for intensifying runoffs in urban creeks, the issue remained that the city and residents were under prepared for the onslaught of rain. This single event cost the city over $35 million in damages. The City responded by installing new technologies to alert people of dangerous high waters such as flood gauges, and opening emergency operation centers to train and equip staff for emergency evacuation events.

However, Austin suffered again in the 2013 Halloween Day flood that took four lives and left 745 homes destroyed. While Austin had spent millions in flood technologies, the capacity of staff to utilize the technology to its full extent was overrun during the emergency situation.

Most recently, another major flood hit on Memorial Day in 2015, causing 50 major roadways to be closed and flooding over 220 structures. The City’s Flood Mitigation Task Force reported

Second Memorial Day Flood 2015

Halloween Day Flood 2013

First Memorial Day Flood 1981

Flood in South Congress and Waller Creek 1935 & 1938

11 foot overflow from heavy rainfall crushed Austin Dam 1900

that all proposed flood mitigation projects would cost between $2 to $4 billion dollars to implement.4 With the rising costs of flood mitigation at the city and individual level and the increasing number of flooding events, the urgency of addressing resiliency within Austin is growing dire.

Hotter Days and More Severe Droughts The city’s extreme heat is a part of daily life for Austinites. Austin is considered “exceptionally dry” by Texas’s Emergency Disaster Proclamation.5 However, climate change is exacerbating the extreme heat

and droughts in the city. Austin reached a brutal record of 122 degrees in 2000 and 2011, illustrating the severity of the heat issue.6 2011 was one of Austin’s hottest and driest years on record and the city experienced 90 days of over 100 degrees.

Central Texas farmers suffered greatly from livestock and crop loss, while the Bastrop forest area burned. In urban areas, water supplies are more stressed as high heat days continue. The 2008-2016 Central Texas Drought was among the worst on Texas record and triggered the City’s contingency plans for water supply. The drought evaporated an amount of water equal to Austin’s entire water supply from the Colorado River and Highland Lakes.7 This highlights the long-term water supply risk Austin will face if another drought occurs. As climate change impacts worsen, these conditions are expected to affect Austin more intensely, leading to the need for proactive planning for resiliency.

Lowest Years of Inflow into Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan

Rank

Year

Annual Acre-Feet

1

2011

127,801

2

2014

207,535

3

2013

215,138

4

2008

284,462

5

2006

285,229

Figure 10. The above drought years had a rainfall volume far below the historic average: since the lakes were built in 1942, average annual inflow is 1,216,295 acre-feet per year.

Figure 11. Dried, channelized creekbeds during the 2008-2016 Central Texas Drought.

The drought made apparent the water supply issues that the city faces today and the water supply management that Austin will have to navigate to supply water to a growing population as climate change brings hotter and drier days in the future.

Central Texas Drought 2008 - 2016

Drought 1956

Texas Drought 1908-1912

Figure 12. Crop productivity dropped in the 2008-2016 drought and cost the state over $8 billion in damages.

Extreme Weather

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Cycles of Drought and Inundation The complex intersection of high heat and heavy rainfall, drought, and flooding require the city to respond with a more holistic climate plan. Along with Houston, Austin is one of the two Texan cities that are recognized as the top 10 most hazardous US metro areas.12 While Austin already has a history of droughts and floods, climate models for Austin predict hotter temperatures that result in increased evaporation as well as more intense rain events (Figure 14).

The increase in temperature and precipitation has already resulted in more extreme and more frequent drought and flood patterns. The main source of fresh water supply from Lakes Travis and Buchanan has reduced significantly in recent years due to longer, more severe drought. On the other hand, storms and floods are more challenging and risky because of rapid urbanization and population growth. New development continues to be built within the floodplain, placing more people

at risk for catastrophic impacts. According to Atlas 14, 10 percent of Austin is built on the floodplains.

Moving forward with the city’s comprehensive agenda, mitigation and adaptation measures to protect environmental integrity are the key to ensure its residents stay physically and mentally well, and the entire city stays prepared for the impacts of climate change. As the city has started to plan more proactively, collaboration between local and regional government, private and nonprofit organizations, multiple stakeholders, and experts is crucial. Together, they will continue to support diverse, innovative solutions and systematic thinking across disciplines. Citizen science and participation in planning will become the driving force to direct growth and equitable resource distribution.

Figure 14. Cycles of drought and flood, high heat, and heavy rainfall are projected far into the future.

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Keep Austin Resilient

Figure 13. Urbanization and population growth challenge flood drainage capacity.

Figure 15. Onion Creek residents evacuated, 2013.

The 2013 Halloween Floods led to unanimous City approval of floodplain buyout designations for 435 at-risk homes along the Onion and Williamson Creeks with $113 million of city funding approved.13

Figure 16. Cars stranded during the Memorial Day Flood, 2015.

People driving are most at-risk during flash floods.

Austin’s Watershed Protection Department (WPD) and Austin Water Utility (AWU) are the main water management agencies at the municipal level. Both agencies work on water supply and flood mitigation planning. However, WPD focuses more on flood mitigation, water pollution, and waterway erosion, while AWU secures the city’s water supply and quality with conservation enforcement and contingency terms during disaster condition. In addition to the water management agencies, the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) works in conjunction with WPD mostly for conservation and restoration projects that create open space and trail network.16 While there are many separate agencies, the Office for Sustainability strives to coordinate their relationship with other city development agendas. Nevertheless, interdepartmental coordination in terms of time, scale, and partnership in planning still needs more strength and attention.

Regional Water Planning

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) oversee water resources and stormwater management at the state and regional level. TWDB, under the state law, is responsible for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and reviews multiple regional water plans.14 LCRA creates the regional water plan for Lower Colorado River Basin, also known as Region K. Meanwhile, LCRA has overseen dam construction since the 1930s for energy and flood management.

In conjunction with the City of Austin, LCRA monitors important aquifers along the Colorado River, especially Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis—the major, long-term water supply source for Austin—to ensure water supply during the worst droughts.15

Figure 17. Some sections of Lake Travis is completely dry during the 2008-2016 drought.

Boats and dock structures are left untouched as water levels in Lake Travis drastically fell during the 2008-2016 drought. This drought was the worst in Texas’ history and caused upwards of $8 billion in damages.

Extreme Weather

9

Keep Austin Resilient

Planning Context Extreme Weather

Analysis

Site Selection Planning Strategies Recommendations Conclusion Acknowledgments Appendices

From top to bottom, left to right: University of Texas at Austin Texas State Capitol Building Torchy’s Tacos Live music at SXSW Austin City Limits Festival Austin’s street music scene Barton Springs in summer Paddleboarding at Town Lake 12

Keep Austin Resilient

Austin’s Culture Austin has a unique and lively culture that has contributed greatly to its growing popularity. Known as the live music capital of the world, Austin has street performances on almost every block. Small and local acts play nightly in bars and small venues across the city. Other large music events such as Austin City Limits (ACL) have put the city’s music scene on the map at a national scale. The famous South by Southwest Festival was originally a celebration of local musicians and focused solely on small concerts in local bars and venues during a week-long event. Today, with the influence of large tech companies and growing popularity, the festival has expanded to two weeks and includes sections for film, education, and technology.

Besides the music scene, Austin is famous for expansive city parks and recreational spaces. Barton Springs Pool offers residents a unique opportunity to cool off from the Texas heat in a natural spring. Zilker Metro Park, where ACL is held, is an expansive 350-acre park in the middle of downtown that boasts miles of bike and walk trails, open space, and a dog park. The Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail runs over 20 miles along the Colorado River, attracting people across the city to come.

Growing Population Austin has seen steady population growth since 2000. The city has been growing faster than the wider Austin region. In 2017, Austin was home to 950,000 people, which is a 45 percent increase from the 2000 population. In about three decades, Austin is projected to be home to 1.36 million people, a 21 percent increase from today, contributing tremendously to the metropolitan growth.

1.36 million 5.81 million

City of Austin, 2050 projected population

The rapidly growing population means a greater audience for and more contributors to Austin’s cultural landscape. New development and redevelopment follow increasing population and employment opportunities, often in the form of sprawl. In recent years, the city has attempted to manage this growth and improve resources allocation by designating specific areas for growth. Besides these growth opportunities, rapid population growth also means increasing pressure on the capacity of existing infrastructure and public facilities, strain on the city’s housing stock and affordability, as well as loss of environmental integrity due to more land being developed. Extreme conditions like natural disasters also challenge the city and community’s ability to remain resilient. In conclusion, the growing population is putting increasing pressure on everything from culture, economy, to institutions, and the environment.

Austin MSA, 2050 projected population

Austin is also the home to major educational and political institutions. University of Texas’ main campus is located in Austin, adding a population of over 55,000 students each year.

Saturdays in Austin are typically spent watching the Longhorns take on opponents The healthcare and university systems not only provide health services to the larger community, but also bring people together and provide many employment opportunities. As the state capital, Austin hosts the red granite State Capitol building, a beautiful historical and political landmark which provides the seat of the state’s legislature and governorship.

Austin’s food scene is as impressive as it is delicious. Locals will argue about the best breakfast taco places and TexMex restaurants. BBQ is a staple, and the famous Franklin’s BBQ commands lines a block long and sells out by midday. Overall, the combination of music, food, outdoors space, and institutions create a vibrant and unique culture in Austin that is fueling population growth.

Figure 18. Austin’s population growth over time.

Austin’s population has had a steady growth rate for decades, but in the past the city annexed more land to accommodate growth. Now, Austin’s growth is running up against issues of land capacity and the city is looking to densify as it prepares to accommodate almost 1.4 million people by 2050.

Analysis

13

Historic Growth Strategy Growing Outward Over time, Austin has been growing outwards into the counties that surround Travis County as the city has gained population.

This preferred strategy of annexation created the fragmented boundary of the city. With the fragile and important natural and water resources surrounding the city on the western edge and the need to protect open space for public enjoyment and the preservation of habitats, the City realized recently that annexation could not be the only growth management strategy going forward.

In 2012, the City adopted the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan laying out how Austin will grow and develop through 2039. The plan describes a compact, connected Austin full of “complete communities” that are interconnected, educated, and that value all residents and the natural and creative resources of the city.1 While the City has not completely pivoted away from annexation in the Plan, it will be a more strategic tool used sparingly and only when appropriate moving forward.

Figure 19. Annexation over Austin’s decades.

Austin has pursued annexation in the past decades to accommodate growth and development within the city. This strategy is made possible by the city-county structure of Texas and the rights distributed to each entity. Within the state, counties have little regulatory rights. As such counties do not have the authority to zone land and may only pass ordinances which the statute of Texas has given them express permission to do so. Cities, on the other side, have all of these powers invested in their charters. While city-county governments are not allowed in Texas, the state does allow entities to merge, which has led to many annexations by Austin over time.

Austin’s land use patterns are driven by its historical growth patterns, the rolling topography of the land, and historical segregation tactics that are reflected in the zoning and land use of today. As more land was acquired, the city developed in a lowdensity, suburban pattern. Like many other American cities, the demand for single-family housing skyrocketed after World War II. Relatively cheap land and federal investment in highways and roads fueled the development of Austin’s inner-ring suburbs.2 Today, the remnants of this mid-century housing boom are obvious with large residential lots of 0.25 acres or more dotting the landscape, wide roads, and neighborhoods with very little sidewalks.3 Approximately 43 percent of the land today is zoned for single-family use.4 Despite a strong annexation policy, only 11 percent of the city’s land is undeveloped, making growth difficult to accommodate without denser zoning and redevelopment.5

Historic Segregation in Austin

Figure 20. The segregationist plan of 1928 established a “Negro district� on the eastern section of the city as a way to limit the growth and spread of African American populations in Austin. The plan has in part contributed to the spatial patterns and populations that exist in East Austin today.

Figure 21. Historic redlining maps illustrate the institutional racism that has greatly impacted the eastern side of Austin, resulting in homeownership and family wealth disparities that persist to this day.

Analysis

15

Land Use The landscape of Austin has also determined the city’s land use patterns. The rolling hills of the west have attracted residential development; however, the critical natural resources in the area, including the Edwards Aquifer, has forced the City to adopt more restrictive zoning to protect drinking water supplies.

The eastern part of the city covers the flat Blackland Prairie landscape and the Colorado River meanders by. Both the landscape and water made East Austin an attractive place for industrial uses. Today, the majority of manufacturing and industrial uses, about 20 percent of the land, is focused in the east.6 Finally, Austin has a history of segregation that created persistent divides. In 1928, the City produced a comprehensive plan that established a “Negro” district in East Austin, strongly reinforcing racial segregation and legally enforcing racial inequalities.7 The racial and economic divides seen today are a direct remnant of Austin’s past land use planning efforts.

Figure 22. Existing Land Uses.

The existing land uses in Austin reflect the low-density, suburban development patterns that were common in post-war era. Much of the land is zoned for residential purposes and only about 7.3 percent of the land is used for commercial purposes. Many of Austin’s industrial and manufacturing uses are concentrated on the east, where vulnerable populations have historically resided.

Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan Adopted in 2012, Imagine Austin is the city’s comprehensive plan to guide growth and manage development through 2039.

The City’s plan is focused on connectivity, compact growth, and protecting the natural and cultural resources of the city. The major goals of the plan include: »» »» »» »» »» »»

Preserving livability Expanding transportation choices Tackling racial divides Protecting natural resources Promoting prosperity for all Collaborating regionally

A key recommendation of the plan is the Growth Centers that establish district where development should be directed in the future. These centers vary in size and density and are usually located along transit routes for better accessibility. One of the plan’s recommendations and main implementation tool was to rewrite the zoning and land development code of Austin.

However, this process of developing “CodeNEXT” has been long and controversial and almost five years later, the City has not adopted a new zoning code.

950,714 1,364,315

population, 2019 projected population, 2050

Figure 23. Imagine Austin Growth Centers.

After many decades of growing outwards to accommodate new population, the city realized that this is not a sustainable growth management strategy. Given the increasing need for protecting environmental resources, such as drinking water and open space, and the growing problems of congestion in the city, the Imagine Austin Plan includes a “Growth Center” concept. The centers are key areas identified to accommodate growth in the future to create a more compact, denser city. These centers are located near existing and planned transit routes, capitalizing on public transit to create a more sustainable and connected Austin.

$67,755

median household income

3.6%

average annual job growth rate since 2000

Booming Economy Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, with rising population, diversity, and economic disparities. While Texas a whole has seen an average annual job growth rate of 2.1 percent since 2000, the Austin Metro Area has seen growth of 3.6 percent per year.8 In that same time period, Austin’s population has grown by 45 percent, largely due to the growth of the technology sector in the city. Giant technology companies like Apple and Samsung have outposts in the city and are expanding further northwest within Austin along the Parmer Lane Tech Corridor. “Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services” are the largest employment industry in Austin at 13.7 percent, and is also the second highest paid industry with an annual salary of $72,092.9 Overall, Austin residents have a median household income of $67,755, higher than that of Texas ($59,206) and United States ($60,336).

While Austin’s high-paying job sector has grown, so has the number of low-wage service jobs that support the city’s growing entertainment and tourism scenes. This juxtaposition has led to a rapidly stratifying city that has not seen the benefits of growth equally distributed among all residents.

Figure 25. Austin has seen impressive job growth in recent years.

Figure 24. Median household income with poverty rate between 21 percent to 88 percent (the top quantile).

The poverty rate of Austin is 15.4 percent, meaning that one out of every 6.5 residents of Austin lives in poverty. Census tracts with high poverty rates are mostly concentrated east of I-35, which serves as a physical and social barrier.

The flipside to Austin’s dramatic growth is rapid demographic changes. The city is now a minority-majority city with the share of white population drastically decreasing and the rise of Hispanic populations. With the population projected to reach 1.364 million in 2050,10 more changes in the makeup of the city are expected.

Median household income varies sharply across the I-35 divide (Figure 24), with higher-income groups clustering in the west and the lower-income groups in the east. This is true for all racial groups, with the important exception of many African American households who, with the lowest median incomes in Austin, have moved even further away from the core and out of Austin proper. Austin’s increasing racial and ethnic diversity also comes with the shrinking Black share of the city’s population as residents leave historically African American neighborhoods for neighboring municipalities where they have more buying power.11

History The existing Interstate 35 (I-35) corridor spans approximately 550 miles across the state of Texas from the Oklahoma state line to the international border with Mexico. Constructed as part of the original Interstate Highway System in the 1950s, I-35 is nexus of transportation in Texas; the highway as it is today serves a variety of daily users including commuters, freight trucks, and business travelers. I-35 is the only Interstate Highway connecting Mexico and Canada through the US heartland, and the majority of North American Free Trade Agreement trade thus passes through Texas via commercial trucks and rail. In addition to serving many major population centers, the I-35 corridor is the backbone of the Texas economy and it plays a critical role in facilitating economic activity and business productivity in the state.

of these long-term solutions has resulted in severe congestion for many sections of I-35 in the Capital Area. Congestion on I-35 through Austin continues to increase as the area’s population continues to grow.

Interstate 35

Demographics in Flux

Growth I-35 is also one of the most important corridors in the state of Texas in terms of future growth and economic development. The diverse users of I-35 create substantial demand, with some sections of I-35 currently seeing over 200,000 vehicles per day. Eighteen segments of I-35 are on the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s “2014 Top 100 Most Congested Roadways List,” indicating more congestion than any other roadway in the state. Four Texas cities along the I-35 corridor (Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and San Antonio) are among the top 20 largest cities in the US. These cities are expected to see robust population growth in the future, which will place an even greater strain on the existing I-35 corridor.

Figure 27. East Avenue, the precursor to I-35, in the 1950s.

This photograph shows East Avenue towards the South from around the vicinity of present day Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

Capital Improvements In the capital area, improvements to the existing I-35 facility have not kept pace with increasing population and traffic demand. Previous improvement studies and recommendations for I-35 have primarily focused on large-scale, long-term solutions. Such recommendations present numerous financing, environmental, and political challenges when striving towards implementation. Delay in implementation

Figure 28. Clogged traffic along I-35 in Austin.

Figure 26. Austin has become more diverse over the past decades.

Analysis

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Racial Divisions Austin has a markedly segregated housing market, dating back to the city’s segregationist 1928 Master Plan that set aside a less desirable area in the east of the city for the residences of Black and Hispanic Austinites. That legacy, combined with the exclusionary development and selfsegregation of the wealthy in West Austin, has meant a history of racial and socioeconomic segregation, with East Austin now bearing the brunt of change and redevelopment.12 While racial residential segregation in Austin is not as high as it once was, it is still quite apparent. Further, Austin was named the “most economically segregated metropolitan area” in the US by the Martin Prosperity Institute in 2015.13 Because of the close correlation between wealth and ethnicity in the US, housing opportunities are often restricted so that racial disparities across neighborhoods persist to today.

Figure 29. Home ownership by race and ethnicity.

Disparities closely tied to segregation, including family wealth and access to fair credit, are other housing equity issues apparent in Austin’s wide racial homeownership gap between both African American and Hispanic and White households.

20 Keep Austin Resilient

Austin is in the midst of a housing supply and affordability crisis, heightened by the strength of the economy and growing number of jobs for individuals with specialized skills.

While real incomes have been essentially level in the past decade, both home prices and rents are rising.17 Austin’s economic revival means intense competition for a limited supply of housing and potential “up-filtering” of older naturally occurring affordable units, resulting in a dramatic deficit of homes affordable to low-income families. Prices are rising and

many working families are severely cost-burdened, putting them at risk of displacement; 12 Austin families are evicted every day.18 East Austin, which has been the center of both African American and Hispanic Austin for many years and provided market affordable housing, has seen an influx of higher-income households that are putting additional strain on the local housing market. House flips, visible new development, and rapid demographic change are shifting neighborhood character as long-standing residents are feeling the squeeze of rising housing costs.

Planning Goals

Rising Housing Demand

Austin has a number of strategic goals to increase economic opportunity and equity in the city:

Enhance Job Skills Austin hopes to address income disparities throughout the city by providing opportunities for people to enhance job skills for modern economies.14 Working with the local school district, the University of Texas, Austin Community College, major employers, and elected officials are identifying gaps in education programs and provide training in skills for current, emerging, and targeted job sectors.

Use Density To Reduce Costs Although median household and family incomes are higher than those of the rest of Texas, Austin’s high housing and transportation costs may consume greater proportions of household budgets when compared to other cities in Texas.

Austin aims to maximize the efficiency of existing land use by promoting development in compact centers, communities, or along corridors that are connected by roads and transit lines. These efforts are designed to encourage walking and bicycling, which can ultimately reduce healthcare, housing, and transportation costs for residents.15

Operationalize Racial Equality Austin has a long history of systemic racism and racial inequality that continues today. To address racial inequality, the City Council passed “Resolution No. 20150507-207” in 2015, which requires evaluating the impact of existing city policies and practices on racial equity, as well as developing an Equity Assessment Tool that can be used across city departments during the budget process.16 Additionally, Austin created an Equity Office in 2016, which strives to promote equity in all aspects of city operations.

Figure 30. Housing prices have been rising at a steep rate in the last decade as Austin grows in population and popularity. However, the median household income has risen only slightly in that same period, placing low-income people in vulnerable housing positions as they try to keep up with the rising cost burden of housing.

Analysis

21

110%

Households that own their home have a median income 110% higher than renting households

16%

of Austin households report being displaced in the past five years

47%

of renters pay more than a third of their income to housing costs

While home starts in the area are rising to meet demand from Austin’s growing population, it’s essential that development isn’t sited in floodplains or other environmentally sensitive areas. Current planning efforts acknowledge the importance of increasing the supply of subsidized and market-rate housing, but don’t contend directly with the equity issues inherent in the distribution of older and poorly maintained homes. Physical quality, weatherization, comfort, and utility costs can exacerbate the impact of extreme weather and reduce community resiliency. Deferred maintenance and housing instability in disinvested neighborhoods makes residents vulnerable to disproportionate damage, injury, as well as trauma from flooding, heat waves, and other extreme weather.

Austin has set ambitious goals for housing production: »» Austin’s Strategic Housing Blueprint sets an ambitious housing production goal of 60,000 affordable units and 75,000 market-rate units by 2025.19 »» The Strategic Housing Blueprint sets a goal of preserving 10,000 existing affordable housing units.20

Figure 31. “Uprooted” Vulnerability to Gentrification As part of a study on gentrification vulnerability and responses, University of Texas at Austin’s Uprooted team created a vulnerability index for Austin’s census tracts, based on the proportion of households which earned less than 80 percent of AMI, were people of color, had a head of household without a bachelor’s degree or higher, had children in poverty, or rented their housing.

Housing Typologies Austin has many different housing typologies of both older and recent development. For existing housing, there is a stark difference between those in the east and those in the east.

In East Austin neighborhoods, most of the housing is singlefamily detached with a regular lot size and housing conditions are generally well-kept. However, along the creeks, houses sit very close to the water, exposing residents to flood risk. There are several neighborhoods that have clusters of mobile homes as shown in (Figure 32).23 These mobile homes are situated in a part of their neighborhood where there is no road grid, but they cluster to form a grouped community.

Reflective of the wealth that is concentrated in West Austin, western housing types are often custom-built, larger in size, and are situated in generally larger lots. The houses are generally more landscaped and the road network is lined with old growth trees.

Figure 32. Existing housing typologies include manufactured housing, custom-built homes, and Texas-style tract houses.

These existing home typologies mirror the historic growth patterns of low-density residential development in Austin. Large front yards, driveways, and ranch housing are common among homes built before the 2000s.

New developments that have been built in the past a few years have had an impact on many neighborhoods. Yet, the styles and size of these new residential developments vary greatly.

The type of housing remains largely unchanged: a majority of new housing is single-family detached but the design is starkly different. Dotted across more traditional neighborhoods are new developments in the Texas Modern Farmhouse style. As East Austin as seen the greatest development pressure in recent years, more duplexes and flag lot developments are seen there.

In addition to new single-family housing, there have been some new multi-family developments. Multi-family is typically built three to four stories high with large parking lots in front to accommodate the ubiquitous personal vehicles.

Figure 33. Typologies of new housing development include multi-family housing developments; flag lot infill projects with two homes, and twins that create density on a formerly single-family lot.

New housing typologies have arisen as Austin has grown denser in some locations. Duplexes, flag lots that accommodate two houses on a traditional lot, and multi-family housing have been built to accommodate the growing population.

Analysis

23

Mobility Austin’s major highway system shaped the growth of the city and its surrounding suburbs. In the 1960’s, the city’s boundaries stretched north to south around I-35 and the MOPAC. As the city has grown, these two roads still serve as the major backbone to the city. This growth pattern has created a few problems that the city is still grappling with today. I-35 and the MOPAC provide road connectivity from north to south, but there are fewer roads that run east to west. At the same time, rapid population growth is putting more and more pressure on the road system, which is getting increasingly congested.

Land development based around the car also created a city that is hard to navigate for people walking or biking. Many roads are wide and fast-moving, which can be uncomfortable and unsafe for alternatives modes of transit. CapMetro, the regional transit authority, opened a new commuter rail line in 2011, the

Red Line, to complement 83 bus routes, including regular, commuter/express, university, and late night buses.21 However, this has not had a big impact on the city’s mode-share to work.

According to Imagine Austin 2016, 74 percent drive alone, 4 percent take transit, 8 percent telework, 11 percent carpool, 1 percent bike, and 2 percent walk.22 Recently, Austin has been making a concerted effort to increase access to multi-modal transportation and diversify mode shares. The City released the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan in 2019, an addendum to the Comprehensive Plan, which sets high goals for shifting the mode-share to 50 percent car and 50 percent non-car by 2039. As part of this goal, the number of bike lanes has increased significantly since 2010.23 CapMetro is also hoping to pass a new mobility bond in 2020.

The bond would help fund Project Connect, a plan to build new commuter lines and dedicated bus lanes for bus-rapid-transit ((Figure 36)). The city also recently introduced new micro mobility options, such as dockless bikes and scooters.24 Austin is also trying to improve traffic safety through a Vision Zero strategy to end all serious injuries and deaths on the roads.

According to their Vision Zero Plan, on average, an Austinite is killed in a crash every five days, and someone is seriously injured in a crash every 22 hours.25 Traffic safety issues are worse in areas of low-income and minority populations, both of which are concentrated on Austin’s east side. Historic underinvestment in this area of the city means that the east side is still underserved by sidewalks and transit. On average, Austinites that walk, bike, or take transit to work earn just 60 percent of the median household income.26 Low-income people are less likely to have access to a car and according to the 2019 Dangerous By Design report by Smart Growth America, people of color and lower-income people are twice as likely to be killed while walking than other groups.27

Figure 35. Austin’s high-injury network.

Just 8 percent of Austin’s street network contains nearly 70 percent of all serious injury or fatal crashes. Austin’s high-injury network is concentrated along the north-south corridors and are more prolific on the East, causing equity issues for low-income people without a car trying to navigate around safely.

24 Keep Austin Resilient

Improving road safety and shifting the mode-share and are even more important when thinking about issues of extreme weather. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), over 50 percent of flash flooding deaths occur when vehicles are driven into hazardous flood waters.28 Permeable surfaces, like roads and parking lots, also increase the amount of water rushing into creeks and rivers.

Those same roads and parking lots also increase the heat island effect in cities, which can worsen exposure to extreme heat.

Figure 34. Mode share in Austin today and CapMetro’s mode share goals for 2039.

Austin is a car-dominated place due to its comprehensive road network and sprawling development patterns. However, CapMetro has set ambitious goals of reducing singlepassenger car trips by 24 percent in the next 20 years, in favor of alternative modes and public transportation.

Planning Goals

Austin has set ambitious transit goals to create a safer mobility network and reduce climate impacts:

50/50 Mode Share The Austin Strategic Mobility Plan sets a goal of shifting mode share to 50 percent single-occupancy vehicles and 50 percent more sustainable modes.

There are many ways to combine other modes to reach 50 percent, but the plan proposes 16 percent transit, 14 percent telework, 11 percent carpool, 5 percent bicycle, and 4 percent walk to work.29

Increase Bicycle Lanes on Austin’s Roadways The Bicycle Master Plan recommends 900 miles of bicycle lanes (130 miles currently exist) and 350 miles of multi-use trails (50 miles currently exist).

When the plan is fully realized, there will be bicycle lanes on 21.3 percent of Austin’s roadways.”30

Construct Urban Trails According to the 2014 Urban Trails Plan, there is an effort to implement Tier I urban trails and identify alignments and designs for Tier II urban trails.31

Sidewalk Construction The City aims to construct all high- and very-high priority sidewalk segments and address ADA barriers and gaps in the sidewalk system.32

Figure 36. CapMetro’s future planned transit

Reduce Emissions from the Transportation Sector Austin intents to pursue strategies and collaborate with regional partners to reduce ozone and greenhouse gas emissions, including promoting sustainable transportation modes and improving traffic flow.33

Analysis

25

Health Disparities Austin is considered to be a relatively healthy city, trending better than national health outcomes as it relates to key areas including (but not limited to) obesity, smoking, physical activity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.34 However, while this is reassuring, Austin continues to see disparities amongst racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines within these same health outcomes. The City is also tackling many other public health and wellness issues such as improving sex education, addressing homelessness, creating a tobacco free environment, and prioritizing access to parks and open recreation spaces.

As Austin continues to experience rapid population growth, the city will become more ethnically diverse. The growth in population also presents economic disparities as well. Opportunity and health in Travis County are unequally distributed between households and by race and ethnicity.

In addition, approximately 25 percent of the Travis County population aged 18 to 64 does not have health insurance, as cost is a barrier to healthcare for many.35 Research illustrates that having a low income is associated with increased risk factors and worse health outcomes.36 With the continuing population growth, social determinants of health can affect specific populations disproportionately, and it is vital to understand and address these demographics shifts in order to reduce health disparities.

Figure 37. The percentage of adults in Austin who are obese rose by 21% from 2011 to 2016.

Figure 38. This indicator measures the percent of Travis County adults that participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week.

Figure 39. For the combined years 2011 to 2015 African American residents have the highest prevalence of cardiovascular disease, compared to that of White, Hispanics, and other race/multiracial adults.

Figure 40. Overall the percentage of Travis County residents with health insurance is increasing; however, lower income families are less likely to be covered. Low-income families are less likely to be covered: only 48.7 percent of individuals with an annual income less than $25,000 have health care coverage as compared to 96 percent of individuals with an annual income of $75,000 or more.

Unfortunately, another contributing factor to the Austin’s overall health outcomes is the city’s stark east-west divide.

Poverty disproportionately concentrates amongst various racial and ethnic groups as well as along geographical divides.

Access to various health resources also presents a challenge for many residents. For community members who do not have access to a personal or family vehicle, getting to and from medical facilities is difficult, and quality and reliable public transportation is a critical need. Physical activity is also an important factor in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

26 Keep Austin Resilient

As Austin continues to experience an increase in population, many residents are relocating to areas outside the city center.

Barriers associated with using public transportation such as access, travel time, and cost are significant to supporting healthy outcome initiatives for residents.

Figure 41. Tobacco is a major cause of death in Travis County.

Tobacco use was declining from 2011 to 2014 but rose again in 2015.

Major natural disasters such as flooding, hurricanes, and extreme heat also all have severe impacts on public health.

Public education on emergency preparedness is a strong focus area of the city’s Epidemiology and Public Health Preparedness Division.39 The cleanliness and upkeep of the built environment, including public and private spaces, was identified in the 2017 CHA as a health concern. Fixed-income seniors and renters noted issues with home maintenance, and many of the population expressed concerns about water quality and availability as well as air quality. The changes in the natural environment have already impacted and will continue to impact residents as it pertains to water quality and availability, especially for rural residents and the homeless community.

Health Programs in Austin

Unfortunately, access to safe recreation spaces is a challenge in many underserved areas in Austin.37 And creating more access to healthy food options is one of the city’s top priorities. In the 2017 Community Health Assessment (CHA), many residents noted that they have access to affordable healthy food near their home, but others said that unhealthy food is often closer and less expensive.38

A number of city and community agencies produce programs intended to address the social determinants of health:

Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan prioritizes health and active lifestyles Austin has recognized the importance of health and wellness for its residents. The comprehensive plan outlines a “Priority Program #7: Create a Healthy Austin” that seeks to create places where people can easily walk, bike, play, and find nearby healthy food options and healthcare.40

Healthy Austin Program The Healthy Austin Program seeks to improve community health and addresses how health risk factors are directly affected by our surroundings.

This priority program works to address key elements of community health, including physical activity, recreation, access to healthy foods, strengthening the local food system, tobacco-free living, access to healthcare, and improving the built environment to support healthy living.41

CHA/CHIP System Health is affected by many environmental conditions. In 2017, Austin conducted a Community Health Assessment (CHA) which identified the health-related needs and strengths of Austin and Travis County.42 After working with the community and partnering with many local public health systems, the CHA produced a Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) in 2018.

The CHIP determined major health priorities, overarching goals, and specific strategies to be implemented in a coordinated way across Austin and Travis County.43 The four priority areas of the 2018 CHIP include: Access to and Affordability of Health Care

Figure 42. The prevalence of diabetes in Austin has remained somewhat stable since 2011 with a notable increase in 2016.

Reducing diabetes is a major goal of the City, as it is linked to other risk factors such as obesity, poor nutrition, and lack of physical activity.

Chronic Disease Sexual Health (Teen Pregnancy) Stress, Mental Health, and Wellbeing 44

Analysis

27

Parks Access

19,000+

acres of parkland

227

trail miles

300+

parks

Austin has a wealth of natural and recreational resources, including many parks, recreational facilities, and community programs (Figure 43). The Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) manages these parks and facilities and is the key park planning voice in the region. Austin’s park system includes creeks and greenbelts that serve as valuable natural and recreational assets for the city. Many of these creek systems, including Shoal Creek Greenbelt, Williamson Creek Greenbelt, Barton Creek Wilderness Park, and Walnut Creek Greenbelt, were created between 1970 and 2017 as part of Austin’s broad plan for greenbelt acquisition along creeks and valleys.45 These creek and greenbelt systems hold great potential in their ability to act as important nature corridors, trails for pedestrians and bicyclists, and floodplains for excess stormwater.

Austin’s parklands and facilities have faced new pressures in the 21st century. Austin’s greenbelts experience flash flooding events during events of extreme rainfall, placing park users and adjacent homes and roadways in a position of danger. In light of environmental stressors including flooding and heat, the city’s parklands have become increasingly important resources to the population, both in terms of offering potential points of refuge from flooding, as well as by providing community facilities and services to provide cooling during heatwaves. With increasing development pressure, PARD is facing challenges preserving land for open space instead of housing development.

Despite the increasing need for park and recreational resources during these extreme weather events, Austin has been struggling to keep pace with growing demands. The city’s popularity is increasing and its population growing, resulting in just 19 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents in 2018, down from 26 acres per 1,000 residents in 1980.46 Austin is working to address these acreage gaps. For the 1.3 million people expected to live in Austin by 2050, PARD aims to acquire more acreage to maintain a ratio of 24 acres of parkland for every 1,000 residents.47 In these efforts, the city will need to be mindful of perpetuating disparities in resources between the east and west sides of town. Austin’s new growth has been noticeable on the east side of the city; however, access to some parks and recreation amenities has been slow to keep pace.

Figure 43. Austin PARD parks and facilities and Texas State Parks.

28 Keep Austin Resilient

Austin PARD parks, though distributed across the city, are not of equal quality and size. The Parks Department is facing challenges providing open space while development booms and is struggling to maintain the existing spaces with a decreasing budget.

Planning Goals

Parks as a Relief from Urban Life PARD recognizes that parks offer a distinct environmental shift away from the intensity of urban life, which can include hardscaped materials, excessive noise, and other human stressors. In the age of rapid population growth and urbanization, it will remain increasingly important to ensure that parks remain a point of refuge and relief for Austin’s many residents.

Expand and Improve Park Access As Austin’s new and current residents settle into neighborhoods, accessibility of parks and recreation facilities will become an increasingly relevant factor in ensuring appropriate opportunities for exercise, community socialization, and interaction with nature.

Activate and Enhance Urban Public Spaces Considering extreme weather vulnerabilities and population pressures, Austin’s parks have the need for more responsive and intentional design choices. These can include features that adapt to climate stressors or respond to a higher number or frequency of users.

Figure 44. Zilker Park in Austin.

Align Programs with Community Interest One of PARD’s key offerings, aside from parklands, is a robust availability of recreational facilities and community programming. As Austin’s community demographics continue to shift, park programs will in turn need to remain fluid and responsive to evolving needs.

Optimize and Improve Efficiency of Operations

Figure 45. Hike and Bike Trail along Town Lake in Austin.

Figure 46. Pease Park in Austin.

Of PARD’s many responsibilities, expanding upon and maintaining facilities is key. PARD’s ability to keep up with facility needs through efficient operations will become increasingly important as parks and recreation spaces are degraded through intense usership and weather damage.

Analysis

29

Conclusions Austin is facing challenges stemming from the worsening of extreme weather events, rapid population growth, and historic inequities that have ripple effects in today’s city.

The intensity and frequency of flooding events are increasing as climate change impacts grow worse. At the same time, water inundation is a concern and extreme heat and droughts in Austin are predicted to get worse. This juxtaposition of extreme weather events places stress on the city’s capacity and funding sources and exacerbates several of the other issues that Austin is dealing with.

A growing population is placing additional stress on key environmental resources including a dwindling water supply and critical open space that can manage floodwaters and provide recreation opportunities. Growing outwards through annexation is no longer a sustainable option for Austin’s growth. The pressures from population growth make it more critical than ever that Austin manages key resources and undeveloped land in a way that benefits all Austinites.

Finally, Austin’s legacy of racial segregation and the development patterns of major roads have resulted in a

significant east-west divide in the city. Decision-making at the city-scale about resource allocation, funding, and capital investments allocations have not been distributed equally across neighborhoods, creating inequities among populations.

As the population and job growth build wealth in certain areas, Austin is struggling to provide equitable benefits of growth to all individuals.

As these issues continue to plague the city, Austin must become more resilient to the impacts of extreme weather, population growth, and inequality. However, to be resilient in the face of these challenges, Austin must consider resiliency in a greater capacity than just environmental terms. To truly address the pressures in Austin, the city must consider social, environmental, and economic resiliency in all decision-making.

The future of planning for growth and development in Austin must be environmentally resilient to protect residents from extreme weather events, community-based in a way that puts people at the forefront of decision-making, and equitable to produce outcomes that support those who need resources and assistance the most.

Analysis

31

Planning Context Extreme Weather Analysis

Site Selection

Planning Strategies Recommendations Conclusion Acknowledgments Appendices

Methodology The goal of this studio was to address the growing pressures of extreme weather, rapid growth, and the east-west divide through a set of city-wide policies and two small area plans that could be prototypes for cross-system planning at the local level. After our analysis of existing conditions and planning context for the city at large, the studio needed to narrow the scope and determine which two high priority areas to focus on. To demonstrate this, we approached site selection with a five-step method: »» Collect data for seven systems »» Identify and spatialize critical elements for each system by census tract »» Determine highest priority tracts for each system

»» Layer and consolidate all seven system priority maps to identify tracts with highest cross-system priorities »» Refine final selection by applying neighborhood boundaries to contextualize existing planning boundaries

Parks Access

Health & Wellness

Data Collection Our quantitative data comes from the City of Austin; multiple open data sources, including Open Data Austin, State of Texas Open Data, US Census; and literature by major research institutions, such as UT Austin. Meanwhile, information from news and online forums informed our understanding of qualitative gaps and socio-political contexts throughout the city and specific neighborhoods. We chose to summarize all of our data based on census tracts as the normalizing geographic unit in our spatial analysis.

Housing

Critical Elements The critical elements that were chosen to determine system priorities ranged from factors that indicated disparities in resource access and distribution, existing resources in need of protection, and opportunities or need for intervention. Most factors were binary in prioritization (critical concern or not) and the resulting system priority areas layered the most critical concerning tracts.

Cross-System Priority Neighborhoods To identify the most critical census tracts across all seven systems, the seven system priority maps were layered to identify tracts deemed a priority by multiple systems. The highest number of systems triggered in a single tract was five systems in total. Layering on neighborhood planning boundaries that the city uses, we grouped the highest scoring census tracts into neighborhood groupings which resulted in the identification of 4 priority neighborhood groups, and two census tract groupings that are in the ETJ of Austin without formal neighborhood names. These areas are: 1. Sweetbriar, West Congress, East Congress

4. MLK-183

2. Parker Lane

5. Census Tracts 22.02 and 22.12

3. Pleasant Valley/Montopolis

6. Census Tracts 22.07

34 Keep Austin Resilient

Mobility

Demographics & Poverty

Land Use & Economy

Watershed & Environment

Watershed & Environment The Watershed and Environment System includes the biomass and quality of the environmental assets of existing ecosystems for both human and other species in the Austin area, especially sensitive aquatic habitats, and intersecting watershed planning areas. To improve system function and enhance ecosystem resiliency, improvements must protect sensitive habitats (such as salamander habitat and wetlands) from any form of development, as well as address erosion hazards, and cityidentified erosion sites on the funding wait list.1 Consequently, the two main concerns in this system analysis are to identify places that need to be protected from development and/or treated with conservation measures.

In addition, places that need protection from development include the 100-year floodplain, critical environments (grassland, prairie preserve, rock outcrops, springs and seeps, USDA prime farmland, wetland), critical habitats and their half-mile buffers, and erosion hazard sites. Places that need treatment to maintain integrity include “problematic creeks,� as identified by Watershed Protection Master Plan, that have never been funded, and the existing erosion sites that citizens or city staff have complained about. By reviewing these elements as a whole, the system analysis points the studio to areas where environmental problems are most concentrated and most urgent.

Lake and Rivers Creek and River USDA Prime Farmland Wetlands Erosion Hazard Zone (East Austin) Environmental System Priority Area

Figure 47. Watershed and Environment System Priority Census Tract.

The green highlighted census tracts have the most number of sites of concern, as identified in the Watershed and Environment System Analysis. The studio collected data from multiple sources provided by the government, including erosion problems highlighted from Watershed Protection Master Plan (2015),2 critical environments in Imagine Austin,3 the 100-year floodplain,4 critical habitats by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department,5 and a range of watershed erosion and quality data from Open Data Austin.6

Site Selection

35

Land Use & Economy The Land Use and Economy System assesses both the nature of land use regulation and economic development.

This system takes into consideration the impact of the emerging tech businesses and the Imagine Austin Town Centers.7 The Austin Tech Corridor in northwest Austin has been home to tech giants for decades, but Parmer Lane, which connects northwest and northeast Austin, has attracted companies such as Apple, General Motors, 3M, and Samsung.

Imagine Austin Town Centers are areas that the City of Austin identified in their comprehensive plan as areas to concentrate growth and development.

These factors contribute to job creation, intensification of development as well as faster development pressure. Ultimately, the identified census tracts reflect the significance of both existing and potential changes for land use and economics.

For Austin, these census tracts signals a sense of urgency and opportunity for cross-system planning interventions to facilitate community planning and create wealth for residents and prospective residents alike.

Parmer Lane Tech Corridor Town Center Land Use and Economy System Priority Area

Figure 48. Land Use and Economy System Priority Map. The red highlighted census tracts are facing the most imminent changes from land use and economic development. The studio collected data from Imagine Austin and Parmer Lane Tech Corridor designation.

36 Keep Austin Resilient

Demographics & Poverty The Demographic and Poverty System describes socioeconomic status, such as income disparity and poverty level, of current residents. The census tract analysis and selection considered the most severe cases of poverty as a system priority, since it best summarizes the need for wealth creation and resource allocation. Census tracts whose population are in the top quintile of poverty (between 21 and 88 percent) were chosen.8 The concentration in East Austin is consistent with historic disinvestment in minority neighborhoods. The studio looks to facilitate the equity, resilience, and wealth building in these areas by improving community assets, resource access, and resiliency upon crisis.

Demographics & Poverty System Priority Area

Figure 49. Demographics and Poverty System Priority Map The purple highlighted census tracts are the poorest in Austin city boundary. The studio collected data from existing 2017 American Community Survey 5-year data.

Site Selection

37

Housing The Housing System analysis considered both opportunities for development to provide housing and areas of greatest need for housing stability. City-owned sites that have been marked for development have potential to develop affordable housing in an increasingly competitive real-estate market. In addition, a UT Austin study,9 conducted a gentrification analysis that rated a neighborhood’s vulnerability to displacement that informed the housing system prioritization as well. The studio aims to improve the housing affordability and equity issues in these areas susceptible to change.

Vulnerability to Gentrification Vulnerable, More Vulnerable, Most Vulnerable (UT Austin Study)

City of Austin Development Sites Short-Term Planning Sites Long-Term Planning Sites Housing System Priority Area

Figure 50. Housing System Priority Map The yellow highlighted census tracts are where residents face the highest vulnerability to gentrification as well as where the city is already targeting redevelopment on city-owned land. The studio collected data from a UT Austin study as well as the City of Austin Redevelopment Manager.

38 Keep Austin Resilient

Mobility The Mobility System describes the travel modes available for people of all age groups, the accessibility of local trails for residents, as well as the quality of CapMetro’s transit system.

The City has increased efforts in diversifying transit options and efficiency for people, as noted in Austin’s Strategic Mobility Plan10 and CapMetro’s Project Connect,11 both of which emphasize public transit and urban trail connections. However, many of these improvements are planned for the future or are ongoing. To access the existing network, this analysis looked at the quality and quantity of the existing trail network and prioritized areas with poor/missing sidewalk, trail and transit access.12 Census tract were considered a priority area if trails and transit lines or stops were not within a walkable, 15-minute travel time. This concern for connectivity and accessibility is critical for residents’ physical and social mobility. Improving sidewalks, trail access, and transit access can be a key driver to equitable development.

Transit Hubs Transit Routes Critical Creeks Existing funded trails Proposed trails along creeks Land Use and Economy System Priority Area

Figure 51. Mobility System Priority Map The pink highlighted census tracts show the least walkable and transit-accessible neighborhoods. The studio collected data from Austin’s Strategic Mobility Plan, CapMetro’s Project Connect, and Austin Open Data on sidewalk condition.

Site Selection

39

Health & Wellness The Health and Wellness System analysis combined the highest quintile of the following factors: health concerns, lack of preventive services, and unhealthy behaviors. The specific health concerns included were: arthritis, asthma, cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diagnosed diabetes, chronic kidney disease, coronary heart disease, physical health, mental health, and all teeth lost. Lack of preventative services took into account a number of factors including: lack of health insurance, fewer visits to the dentist or dental clinic, medication for high blood pressure, cholesterol screening, mammography use, and older adults aged above 65 years who are not up to date on a core set of clinical preventive services. Unhealthy behaviors included in this analysis were: binge drinking prevalence, smoking, and no leisure-time physical activity. By prioritizing these areas, the studio aims to build healthier communities that could stay resilient and positive.

Health and Wellness System Priority Area

Figure 52. Health and Wellness System Priority Map The red highlighted census tracts represent areas with the most concerning health outcomes in terms of disease concern and occurrence, and unhealthy behavior. The studio collected data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 500 Cities Project’s Healthy Austin Indicators.13

40 Keep Austin Resilient

Parks Access The Park and Recreation System describes natural and recreational resources in Austin, including the quantity, quality, and accessibility for residents. The system analysis looked towards the city’s existing Parks and Recreation Long Range Plan that assessed and determined parks that are of high priority for investment, development, and growth.14 The Long Range Plan’s analysis and planning process already conducted an assessment of the state of Austin’s current park systems, vision for future parks, and considered future growth and development to inform park system prioritization.

Rather than reinventing the wheel, these areas were used to inform our studio’s priorities to be in line with the existing work that has been done by the city. In general, these areas present the best opportunities for improving existing park and trail system.

Parks and Open Space System Priority Area

Figure 53. Park System Priority Map The green highlighted census tracts have the highest potential for trail and park system improvement and opportunities.

The studio collected data from the Parks and Recreation Department’s Long Range Plan.

Site Selection

41

Ground-Truthing Each of the system priority maps were layered on top of each other to capture census tracts that hit multiple system priorities.

Figure 54 shows census tracts that trigger three or more systems. The greatest number of system priority layers in a single tract was five. To make the systems analysis most applicable to local planning efforts, census tracts were grouped into official Austin neighborhood planning boundaries. This resulted in the selection of six cross-system priority neighborhood groupings (Figure 55).

In addition to the quantitative data that was used in this site selection, it was important for us to include qualitative research and ground-truthing to support our final two small areas. During out trip to Austin, the studio learned about local history and extreme weather issues that may not necessarily be reflected on data collection.

After our initial day of touring the city and a presentation, city staff and members of AIA Austin helped us narrow our sites from six to four. Once we had those sites, we partnered with University of Texas Urban Design students for an intensive, twoday charrette process to develop concepts for small area plans.

We presented our work from the two-day charrette and the feedback after presenting to representatives of the city, members of AIA Austin, and UT Austin, was critical in clarifying the final two neighborhoods. While similar challenges may be shared among all four neighborhoods, ultimately the final two neighborhoods demonstrated the greatest urgency and opportunity for cross-system planning on the local level.

To appreciate environmental resources and address resiliency problems, the two priority area boundaries were altered to capture the primary creek that serves as a backbone and to capture key community assets that affect resources availability to the people in these areas.

Figure 54. Final priority census tracts with neighborhoods planning boundaries

42 Keep Austin Resilient

Final Focus Areas The final two priority areas are Williamson Creek (1) and Tannehill Branch (4).

Opportunities for Impact Informed by the seven systems and local knowledge, Williamson Creek and Tannehill Branch both have opportunities with future transit line plans provided by CapMetro. Imagine Austin planned Growth Centers, combined with city-owned land and open space open up opportunities for redevelopment proposals, commercial/cultural corridors, and park systems.

Moreover, both areas have a plenty of community assets that programming, and policy effort could work with, as well as rich histories that have been and will continue to be heart and souls to the community.

Neighborhood Area Challenges Both Williamson Creek and Tannehill Branch are experiencing rising housing prices and housing development pressures, creek flooding, and challenges of social cohesion with demographic changes. Both of these areas are microcosms reflecting larger city-wide trends and are at different stages of change.

Williamson Creek has already been experiencing the pressures of development and flipping of industrial sites along South Congress Avenue. Tannehill Branch, on the other hand, has experienced demographic shift over the recent decade largely due pressure from new developments from north and east (downtown).

While Williamson Creek residents have experienced displacement from severe flooding that led to the enactment of buyout plan, Tannehill Branch residents are bothered by the flood and drought due to lack of vegetation and its downstream location. In addressing rapid population growth, east-west disparity, and extreme weather, these two areas serve as problem-solving prototypes of different scales and neighborhood characteristics.

Figure 55. Final focus areas.

Site Selection 43

Keep Austin Resilient

Planning Context Extreme Weather Analysis Site Selection

Planning Strategies

Recommendations Conclusion Acknowledgments Appendices

Planning Strategies Austin is a vibrant city consisting of complex human, natural, and technical systems.

When planning for the three pressures identified in the Analysis section—extreme weather, rapid growth, and the east-west divide—the studio devised a set of goals that address each pressure individually. These goals provided the basis for determining the strategies to guide recommendations and implementation for more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive communities.

The first goal is Resiliency that directly relates to the issue of extreme weather. The second goal of Community encapsulates the solutions to the pressure of rapid growth, ensuring that Austin continues to be a people-focused city. The last goal, Equity, will guide strategies that improve upon the east-west divide.

After establishing goals to address Austin’s main pressures, the studio determined four planning strategies that guide the recommendations for change. These strategies include: Placemaking and Placekeeping, Creating Wealth, Building Connectivity, and Fostering Diversity.

Goals Resiliency refers to the ability of systems to bounce back to stability in the face of economic, social, and environmental strains.

Community refers to the lived experience of residents being placed at the forefront of planning and decision-making.

Equity refers to the fair and just way that opportunities and resources should be distributed to those who need it most.

46 Keep Austin Resilient

Strategies Placemaking & Placekeeping refers to strategies that aid a community’s creation of spaces (“making”) and efforts to maintain and preserve existing spaces over time (“keeping”).

Creating Wealth refers to strategies that target a community’s ability to create economic opportunities and retain those financial gains locally and over time.

Building Connectivity refers to strategies that seek to improve a community’s ability build relationships and connections through social networks and physical infrastructure.

Fostering Diversity refers to strategies that work to diversify a community’s collection of social, economic, and natural assets while encouraging inclusion and celebrating identity.

Figure 56. Colorado River.

Goal #1: Resiliency

Goal #2: Equity

Placemaking & Placekeeping

Placemaking & Placekeeping

Placemaking and placekeeping strategies aim to preserve community gathering places and protect critical habitats in response to stressors. The goal is for Austin’s places to remain economically, socially, and environmentally functional despite shocks, such as a flood, heat wave, or other rapid changes.

Placemaking and placekeeping strategies aim to ensure that social, economic, and natural resources are fairly distributed within communities, fostering locally-powered places and entities in a diversity of neighborhoods. The goal is for communities to not view newcomers as threatening, as residents will have had the resources to establish tenure in their spaces and make local places centered around their visions and priorities.

Creating Wealth Creating Wealth strategies aim to reinforce the workforce and economic base of Austin to be responsive to climate events or downturns in the market. The goal is for Austin communities’ wealth to be preserved despite rapid changes or stressors in a neighborhood.

Figure 57. Austin’s creek represent the backbone of communities, as markers of identity and key assets.

Creating Wealth strategies aim to orient local investment to support community development and benefit traditionally under-served populations, through initiatives such as building workforce skills, improving educational attainment, and increasing incomes. The goal is to close racial and spatial wealth and homeownership gaps long-term.

Building Connectivity Building Connectivity strategies aim to ensure that physical connections, such as roadways, and social connections, such as community relationships, prevail in the event of environmental stress. The goal is for the city’s connective infrastructure to withstand extreme weather and for communities to maintain social networks and support systems when rapid changes occur.

Building Connectivity Building Connectivity strategies aim to ensure communities will have meaningful, equitable access to social, economic, and natural resources through quality infrastructure networks and social connections. The goal is for Austin residents to feel secure in their neighborhoods and feel meaningfully connected to their community and city.

Fostering Diversity Fostering Diversity strategies aim to provide a greater diversity of tools to Austin communities in their work to manage extreme weather and emergencies. The goal is for Austin to have a diverse combination of development types, economic activities, community groups, and natural resources to provide the social, economic, and environmental assets needed to withstand rapid change.

Fostering Diversity Fostering Diversity strategies aim to plan for a diversity of ethnic, racial, and economic groups, while encouraging an equitable mix of land uses and development types. The goal is to create vibrant, multi-cultural communities with access to a diversity of built and natural landscapes.

Figure 58. Development along the Colorado River has been booming as of late.

48 Keep Austin Resilient

Creating Wealth

Goal #3: Community Placemaking & Placekeeping

Figure 59. The counter at Jo’s whips up delicious coffee and tacos along South Congress.

Placemaking and placekeeping strategies aim to ensure that changes to a place preserve or enhance the visions and priorities of existing communities rather than erasing them to accommodate another population. The goal is for communities to identify with and feel a sense of ownership of local places, and for new places to be created (made) and existing places maintained (kept) with local cultures, languages, and histories in mind.

Creating Wealth Creating Wealth strategies aim to focus investment at the necessary neighborhood-scale to provide locally-based improvements and opportunities. The goal is for investment to improve existing community infrastructure while creating community opportunities such as local jobs and education resources.

Building Connectivity Building Connectivity strategies aim to recognize the social connections between a community’s unique cultural and economic groups, while respecting a community’s unique needs for connective infrastructure. The goal is to maintain robust community relationships that connect members, leaders, and organizations, while providing the appropriate, context-specific infrastructure to ensure that residents can be productive and successful in their communities.

Figure 61. As the Live Music Capital of the World, performers are common on many street corners, providing a unique identity and vibrancy to the city.

Fostering Diversity

Figure 60. Austin’s highway system creates a distinct divide in the city’s landscape.

Fostering Diversity strategies aim to recognize every community’s unique assets, such as values, traditions, historical events, art forms, language structure, and other characteristics that make a group of people proud of their identity. The goal is for Austin to foster an inclusive and diverse city by encouraging resident participation in community-building activities and elevating community assets in the planning process.

Figure 62. Urban gardens, like Urban Roots, help foster diversity in food types connect the community through shared space.

Planning Strategies 49

Planning Context Extreme Weather Analysis Site Selection Planning Strategies

Recommendations

Conclusion Acknowledgments Appendixes

Policy Interventions Austin is known as a progressive city in a conservative state. In many ways, the city is a microcosm of the American urban and suburban political schism, with a more diverse liberal core and wealthier, fiscally conservative households siloed in the hill country to the west of the city. This impacts how policies are created and resources are allocated, as political power is concentrated in the west. In 2012, the structure of the City Council of Austin changed; instead of an at-large system where all Austinites elected councilmembers, the city is now divided into council districts which directly elect representatives. This allows for a more even distribution of power and decision making throughout the city and can increase minority representation on Council.

Austin’s mayor, Stephen Adler, and many of the city’s councilmembers are quite liberal and put out progressive directives on urgent equity issues, such as displacement. However, implementation and funding to match that zeal is a challenge. Further, because the Texas legislative majority is conservative, cities in the state are constrained in how they can tackle policy issues. For example, cities in Texas are prohibited from implementing mandatory inclusionary zoning for affordable housing production, so Austin has introduced a voluntary density bonus with the hope of increasing the supply of affordable units.

Policies and recommendations at the city-wide scale are critical in driving change in the decisionmaking processes that allocate resources, establish programs, and determine many outcomes in Austin for decades to come. For these reasons, our studio has included a set of policies to drive change at the city scale as well as to provide the mechanisms for implementing physical interventions at the neighborhood scale. To propose city-wide changes for the City of Austin, we steered our ideas towards policies, programs, and realignments that address the studio goals of resiliency, community, and equity. Keeping these goals in mind, we looked to peer cities across the US experiencing similar challenges for best practices and precedents. We arrived at seven policy packages that address climate and equity issues within the city and connect to our strategies for implementation.

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Healthy Food Overlay

»» Right to Counsel »» Integrate Housing Resources in Schools »» Housing Emergency Fund

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»» Floodplain Replacement Housing »» Right to Remain/Right to Return »» Office of Housing Stability

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Floodplain improvements contribute to placemaking and placekeeping by providing a built environment that proactively responds to flood risks. The potential new uses of the land left behind by the flood buyout program also provides an opportunity for the city and neighborhoods to think of innovative ways to live with nature. Improvements can also contribute to individual wealth by raising house values and reducing insurance costs.

Floodplain Management Flooding from extreme weather events has become an increasingly urgent issue in Austin. The Atlas 14 study shows that Austin is likely to face more severe flooding in the future as the updated 500-year floodplain expands to cover more neighborhoods. According to the study, 7,200 structures are now at substantial flood risk, almost doubling those at risk according to the existing 100-year floodplain. The City has taken some actions to mitigate the impact of floods and to protect property and lives. However, there is a lack of urgency and proactive planning in the City’s floodplain management and building continues to occur on the floodplain, placing more residents at risk.

Austin already has a small suite of policies that work to protect residents from the onslaught of dangerous flooding. New findings by the Atlas 14 study triggered amendments to the zoning code in Austin. The changes, published in August 2019, revolve around using an interim 100-year floodplain, based on the current 500-year floodplain, to regulate development. It includes a new special exception that will allow for administrative approval of improvements to an existing residential building in the floodplain that reduce flood risk. Currently, this often requires approval by the Austin City Council. It also proposes an increase in the freeboard height requirement for buildings from one foot to two feet. This means that the finished floor elevation of the building must be at least two feet above the 100-year floodplain.1 In addition to some regulatory changes, the City of Austin has successfully executed more than a thousand flood-related buyouts since 1999. In the Williamson Creek area, where there were serious flooding events in 1998, 2001, and 2013, the Watershed Protection Department implemented a voluntary buyout program. So far, there have been a total of 66 buyouts of residences, 51 of which were bought by the City.2 The buyout program identifies qualified houses with first floors lower than the predicted 100-year flood depth.3 Those with higher expected flood depths are prioritized over lower expected depths.4 The program has been operating on a voluntary basis in Williamson Creek and will continue to do so unless directed otherwise by Austin’s City Council. After buying the property, the city demolishes the structure and the lots are regraded and revegetated and designated as open space in perpetuity.5 In the 54 Keep Austin Resilient

short-term, the city manages the vegetation and in the long term, the city plans to work with the community to develop a long-term maintenance plan to repurpose the land, including trails, community gardens, wildflower meadows and open space.6 To aid in the buyout and associated relocation process, the City has adopted the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Act of 1970 (URA) requirements to provide relocation benefits for all mandatory buyout projects that utilize federal money, although the City is not required to adopt URA for voluntary buyout projects. Under the URA, a replacement housing payment is the financial assistance provided to displaced owners to buy a home when the cost of a comparable home is more than the original home, such that replacement housing payment = cost of a comparable home – the cost of the original home. While each buyout project has a relocation policy approved by the City Council, there is no citywide policy to provide relocation benefits for voluntary flood buyout projects.

Austin decided that using URA requirements as a best efforts standard for voluntary buyouts would ensure residents would have the assistance needed to relocate. Austin’s interpretation of these standards mean that displaced owners are eligible for either capped assistance up to $31,000, or additional assistance if a comparable replacement home cannot be found within the cap of $31,000.7 While finding and providing comparable housing for residents is the right thing to do to ensure equitable outcomes, this level of assistance is costly for the city and places an additional burden on an already financially-tight situation.

Despite attempting to use URA requirements to their best ability, the City’s relocation assistance process is dependent on staff capacity, funding and the ability to find comparable housing in Austin’s competitive residential market. While the city’s efforts in relocating people and adjusting the zoning code have been impactful, residents in Austin will continue to be put in danger if continued development is allowed in the floodplain. Not only are people living in the floodplain put at risk but additional impervious surface cover built within the floodplain displaces the water volume that is usually managed by open space, putting other residents living adjacent to the floodplain at greater risk.

Continued building on the floodplain will eventually lead to the need for more buyouts as the floodplain increases and flooding becomes more intense in the future. As buyouts are a complex and costly process that cause upheaval in the lives of residents, the City should be more proactive in their regulations to avoid building in the floodplain in the first place.

Policy

To curtain dangerous and costly development in the floodplain, Austin should draft a zoning ordinance amendment to curtail development pressure on the floodplain and amend the building code to include flood-resilient design. The Floodplain Overlay zoning amendment should: »» Create a moratorium on new development within the 100-year floodplain, regardless of use »» Within 200 feet of the floodplain, new development must conform to an updated building code that includes flood-resilient design guidelines (e.g., elevate two feet above BFE, move mechanical equipment above the flood level) »» Revise Austin’s building code to require homeowners to install passive flooding building designs. These requirements may include installing flood openings in foundation and enclosure walls located below the BFE that allow automatic entry and exit of floodwaters to prevent collapse from the pressures of standing water; elevating building utilities by using elevated pedestals or platforms for outdoor equipment, moving equipment to higher floors or attic spaces, and building an elevated utility room.8 Dry flooding measures include installing a passive dry floodproofing system. The coating or covering must be impervious to floodwater and certified and constructed to a maximum of 3 feet above grade (ground level). Funding support for the cost of private property renovations can be provided by the city and Federal funds.

In the near-term, Austin should also direct its current Community Rating System coordinator to communicate its floodplain and stormwater programs to FEMA to reduce National Flood Insurance Policy costs for residents. The Community Ratings System (CRS) is a voluntary community incentive program to benefit homeowners who are required to hold flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.9 The program discounts insurance rates in communities that implement comprehensive floodplain management strategies towards reducing flood damage to covered property. The cost of flood insurance in Austin is typically upwards of $600 per family per year,10 which disproportionately impacts low-income populations that are already placed in vulnerable positions by living in the floodplain.

Austin is currently one of 62 CRS communities in Texas, and receives relatively low discounts (10% - 20%) as Class 6 community. Austin can tie its infrastructure, social connectivity, and education interventions to its existing CRS program to improve their class rating and access deeper insurance discounts that will be translated to savings for families in the floodplain.

This is an intermediate way to protect residents before longterm flooding solutions such as buyouts can occur while providing a concrete commitment at the city-level towards reducing the high costs of flood insurance. The CRS coordinator can also run insurance sign-up events to sign homeowners up for flood insurance through outreach in areas where homeowners are now required to carry it.

Precedents

Building on the existing flood buyout program, the City can expand the scope of potential areas suitable for buyout programs based on the 500-year floodplain. The new Office of Housing Stability (See Office of Housing Stability recommendation) can assist displaced residents with finding comparable homes that are affordable, similar in size and housing typology, near residents’ current school, and located near their threatened home but are not in or within 200 feet of a floodplain.

King County, WA King County maintains one of the only Class 2 Ratings in the nation’s entire Community Ratings System.

This corresponds to a savings of 10% - 40% on National Flood Insurance Program policies for eligible homeowners. The majority of King County’s rating points come from preserving more than 100,000 acres of open space in floodplains and maintaining the floodplains’ natural states; adopting strict zoning and building code requirements; updating GIS and mapping resources annually; and sharing high quality information with the public. NFIP holders in King County receive about $830,265 in savings every year, about $578 per policy.11

New York City, NY After the destruction of Superstorm Sandy in 2012, New York City put forth progressive revisions to the building code and zoning that aim to reduce damage from future flood events, support long-term resiliency, and potentially save on long-term flood insurance costs. The proposed changes impact regulations on applicability, height allowances, building envelopes, and streetscape design.12

Figure 63. Conserved open space in King County, WA, contributes to the jurisdictions Class 2 Rating through the NFIP’s Community Ratings System.

On the open space created by buyouts, environmentally responsible designs and site activations should be considered in addition to leaving the land as open space to provide community-benefits as well as environmental protections. The land could be used for educational purposes and agricultural uses like community gardens or recreation uses. The specific use of the land shall be decided with local neighborhoods and put forth within a policy of the Watershed Protection Department.

New York’s floodplain designation before changes spurred by Superstorm Sandy.

New York’s floodplain designation after changes expand applicability of zoning requirements.

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These stormwater policies, in aggregate, create livable and resilient places for Austinites, build better connectivity, and grow the city’s green economy. These policies will reduce long-term drainage costs while incentivizing green and blue infrastructure that has triple-bottom line benefits, creating wealth while improving the landscape. Neighborhood- and property-scale improvements like green streets, rain gardens, and green roofs also create opportunities for placemaking by improving the public realm and the quality of the built environment. Watershed level approaches to stormwater management build connectivity between diverse upstream and downstream communities.

Stormwater Management As climate projections predict more frequent and intense high temperatures and rain events, Austin is set to face even more of these effects. Austin has also had issues maintaining water quality in waterways due to the growing amount of stormwater runoff. Austin does not have strong policies working towards collective action managing stormwater, instead relying on reactive gray engineering solutions to mitigate runoff and damage from large rain events. Key changes are needed to improve stormwater management: incentivize stormwater management practices on private property; emphasize solutions with dual functionalities to hold and supply water; prioritize efforts with greater consideration for more equitable and proactive outcomes; improve measurement and performance reporting to meet regulatory compliance requirements.

Figure 65. Poor drainage in neighborhoods such as on Newport Avenue in North Austin puts places at higher risk of flooding when rain events occur.

One of Austin’s key stormwater management techniques is a drainage fee scheme. Austin’s Watershed Protection Department (WPD) currently charges a drainage fee that funds programs that prevent, mitigate, and correct drainage issues such as flooding, erosion, and water quality. The current drainage fee has a monthly base rate, then fluctuates according to the amount of impervious cover and percent of property with impervious cover.13 There is no set charge and the drainage fees are subject to change as the three factors determining one’s drainage charge must be decided and approved by the City Council each fiscal year.14 A reduced charge based on need is available for low-income households that qualify under Austin Energy’s Customer Assistance Discount program.15 Moreover, there is a rebate that provides an incentive for all property owners to manage water beyond existing development requirements. There are four qualifying project types: rainwater harvesting systems, rain gardens, green roofs, and stormwater ponds.16 However, the city’s ordinance caps the discount at 50% of impervious cover and only allows credit equivalent to the overall value of the voluntary stormwater control measures to reducing runoff.17 Discounts are valid for two years and customers must complete a renewal process;18 this is to ensure that the stormwater systems are well maintained before renewal.

Importantly, drainage charges are the primary funding mechanism for the City’s watershed protection activities.19

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Because of the relationship between fees and department funding, discount rates are set so they do no offer enough of an incentive for private property owners to manage stormwater; for example, a 5,000 square feet property with 50% reduced impervious covered using a 1,000 gallon tank saves only $2.90$4.90 per month.20 To decide how to utilize their drainage fee funds, WPD references the Watershed Protection Master Plan which prioritizes improvements through four factors: creek flooding, local flooding, erosion control, and water quality.21 “Problem Areas” for watershed protection prioritization are determined using the best available technical and citizen reported data and focus on highest quantity of structures and roads at risk of flooding,22 as opposed to a holistic watershed management approach. Given this, priority areas are concentrated in the urban core, due to a higher concentration of existing development that is at risk of damage in floodplains and the presence of more people to report concerns. From an equity Figure 64. Overwhelmed stormwater drainage systems on Guadalupe Street contribute to localized flooding issues in Austin.

Policy Austin currently has little synergetic effort between the two separate water management entities, WPD and Austin Water, and the city would benefit from their consolidation. WPD primarily deals with flooding mitigation, erosion, and water quality.24 Austin Water is the water and sewage utility that serves the Austin metropolitan area in providing water and sewage services in addition to protecting water supply. While the primary threat to the water supply in Austin is drought,25 flood waters risk overwhelming the city’s filtration system and make drinking water unsafe due to the large amounts of silt and residues that can be swept in.26 At the same time, flood waters can serve as an opportunity to address water supply concerns moving forward.

Each entity currently has separate incentive structures and policies around tools such as rainwater harvesting systems to capture stormwater for non-potable uses. Stormwater and flood management practices that hold water can reduce demand on potable water by serving as a non-potable water supply. A WPD and Austin Water consolidation will allow Austin to streamline a currently complicated incentive structure for stormwater management and water conservation, pool funds for overlapping goals and holistically plan for more reliable, sustainable, diversified water management.

Precedent

perspective, this clear spatial bias towards the central business district raises concerns about how the city allocates its public funds while areas in East Austin have antiquated drainage systems, or no appropriate drainage at all.23

Philadelphia, PA The City of Philadelphia’s stormwater fee is not determined by City Council, but rather approved each fiscal year by the Water Department’s dedicated Board, according to the City’s code. Philadelphia law requires the creation of a comprehensive Financial Stability Plan and consideration of financial stability of customers. Rates and charges cannot be more than the total appropriation from the Water Fund to the Water Department and to all other departments, boards or commissions, plus a reasonable sum to cover unforeseeable or unusual expenses, reasonably anticipated cost increases, or diminutions in expected revenue. In addition, rates are to be equitably allocated among the various classes of consumers.27

Figure 66. A schematic of a stormwater garden adjacent to sidewalk from the Philadelphia Water Department.

Further, Austin can pursue the way that drainage fees are collected and projects are prioritized to produce more equitable and impactful outcomes. To more effectively manage the City’s water and flooding issues, the city should make several changes:

»» Drainage Fees and Incentives The Code of Ordinances

should be rewritten to have drainage fee rate charges determined not by City Council but by a committee or board of key stakeholders representative of water leaders from entities such as WPD, Austin Water, LCRA, and the Office of Sustainability. Water professionals who are also public servants of the city would be more informed on water rate, drainage charge structures, and appropriate incentives.

In addition, the code should omit the 50% impervious cap on stormwater management discounts. This code was created likely due to the financial dependency of WPD on the

drainage fee fund for operations, which fails to consider the triple-bottom line benefits beyond water holding capacity of green and blue stormwater infrastructure. Further, the new board determining fees should consider different drainage charge rates for residential versus commercial land uses. Commercial land uses, large-scale developments, and associated parking lots are primary contributors of impervious surfaces. Higher drainage charges would increase the importance of water management as a cost for development.

»» Stormwater Capital Improvements Prioritization The WPD’s current policy is reactive in how it determines prioritization based on reported incidences of flooding, erosion, water quality concerns. While addressing the worst conditions is critical, WPD must also change its policy to prioritize neighborhood scale green or blue stormwater infrastructure that holds water upstream within more of the city’s watersheds to manage water before damage can occur in more dispersed neighborhoods. By better prioritizing small and upstream interventions, the impact of damage in the CBD can be reduced while neighborhood flooding concerns are given appropriate and equal consideration.

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Climate Education and Green Jobs In the age of extreme weather, Austin would highly benefit from a more modern and relevant science curriculum for youth. The city’s unique weather patterns and abundant creeks and greenspace further support such an innovative curriculum. Further, as Austin must take a more holistic approach to watershed management and adaptation to increased flooding, there is an opportunity to build a green workforce focused on smaller-scale GSI improvements.

As part of the recent AISD School Change Plan, the district is creating a new Outdoor Learning Program. According to the school district’s recommendations, the goal is to reform four elementary schools and one middle school into “Outdoor Leadership Schools.” The schools would leverage nearby natural resources, parks and green spaces to offer experiential learning, and provide additional cognitive, physical, academic, mental, and emotional benefits to students through increased time spent outdoors.28 Widen Elementary in the Williamson Creek area is one of the proposed school sites to be transitioned into an Outdoor Leadership School for the 2020-21 school year.

This school curriculum shift creates an opportunity to grow the next generation of climate-aware youth that can teach their parents and neighbors about the impacts of climate change in Austin. Growing a youth coalition focused on climate leadership for years to come is integral in shifting the culture in Austin towards one that places social and environmental resiliency at the forefront.

At the same time, Austin should take proactive measures to educate the general population about the devastating impacts of climate change and the flooding events in Austin. Several times in previous flooding events, residents seemed unaware or surprised by the destructive nature of the small creeks and waterways that wind through their neighborhoods. By moving forward with climate education for adults, the City can better prepare residents for the increasingly intense and frequent flooding that will occur and ensure residents understand the force of the environment.

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Finally, the green job sector has been growing tremendously in the US in recent decades. As Austin builds out the green infrastructure and renewable energy sources needed to keep the city resilient, a workforce dedicated to implementing and maintaining these structures is key. STEM careers and opportunities in the green job sector provide quality jobs that will help build the intellectual and financial capital of Austin’s youth.

The City’s Office of Sustainability should launch a climate awareness campaign that focuses on educating the population on the impacts of flooding and worsening heat. The campaign could include television ads, billboards and signs, and fliers included in utility bills sent to residents. The effort should include information on the assistance provided by the city for residents experiencing the impacts of extreme weather, day to day behavioral changes that can help combat climate change, and points of refuge that residents can use when extreme weather events occur.

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AISD’s Outdoor/Climate Education Program creates wealth by preparing students for the next wave of green and STEM job opportunities and creates place by retrofitting neighborhoods.

It fosters diversity by enriching the food access and power of disinvested neighborhoods, and a GSI-focused ACCTech program can provide avenues for diverse Austin citizens into an important emerging industry.

San Francisco Bay Area, CA The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Protect Your Climate curriculum is an adaptable teaching resource for 4th and 5th grade classrooms with 16 hands-on lessons. Experiential topics include the basics of climate change and their effects on human health and the environment, energy creation and a home energy audit, a classroom waste audit, a recycling lesson, and a car tallying exercise.29

Policy

Los Angeles, CA

With City of Austin support, AISD should continue to expand the Outdoor Learning Program, and focus its programming on climate change education and developing leadership skills through climate and community advocacy. Students should gain practical skills for urban agriculture and small-scale environmental interventions and a holistic understanding of the impact the climate has on their neighborhoods, homes, and health.

Figure 67. CDTech students.

As students advance in their education, they should be able to elect to begin a technical dual credit with Austin Community College (ACC) geared towards green stormwater infrastructure training. Through ACC’s existing ACCTech program, this would help students save on their college expenses and give them practical skills and experience to keep them employed.

A partnership between AISD and ACC focused on green stormwater infrastructure would ensure that the workforce and economic benefits are equitably distributed as the industry grows. With these efforts towards diversity in the GSI-tech pipeline, the City of Austin can set ambitious MWBE goals for future flood mitigation projects to ensure that economic benefits are equitably distributed as the industry grows. With these efforts towards diversity in the GSI-tech pipeline, the City can set ambitious MWBE goals for future mitigation projects.

CDTech (The Community Development Technologies Center) founded its Green Corps program in 2008. The program, aimed at out-ofschool youth aged 18-30, provides multi-faceted exposure to different green-collar jobs through courses at the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College.

The program curriculum consists of 36 hours on the basics of green building and energy, water, and waste policy. Critically, students also gain 260 hours of field experience in the Vernon-Central neighborhood of South Los Angeles focusing on weatherization and consumer education.30

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To address the city’s unsafe streets, Austin’s City Council adopted a Complete Streets Policy in 2014, which was an important step toward realizing Imagine Austin’s vision of a vibrant, compact, and connected community.31 Complete streets are designed to enable safe use and mobility for all users, including pedestrians, bikers, and users of all ages. The term “Green Streets” is specifically called out in the City’s resolution as an integral part of Complete Streets.32 A green street is a stormwater management approach that incorporates vegetation (e.g. perennials, shrubs, trees), soil, and engineered systems (e.g., permeable pavements) to slow, filter, and cleanse stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces (e.g., streets, sidewalks).

During the implementation of the City’s Complete Streets policy, a Green Streets program was introduced in 2015. The program is a collaboration amongst several Austin departments including Parks and Recreation, Transportation, Planning and Development Review, Watershed Protection, and the Office of Sustainability. Though the City has been proactive in thinking about the combination of safety and stormwater management in road construction, much more can and should be done to curb the stormwater polluting waterways and the safety of many roads in Austin.

The Living Streets policy helps to build connectivity by providing safe and enjoyable streets for pedestrians and bikers to navigate around the city. By providing these pathways, more people will be encouraged to utilize alternative modes of transportation. Additionally, the green infrastructure interventions included in this policy will help to create unique and interesting places that contribute to the strategy of placekeeping and placemaking.

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Maplewood, MN Maplewood, MN adopted its Living Streets policy in 2013. The high-level goals of Maplewood’s Living Streets policy are to encourage people to travel by foot or by bike; enhance the safety and security of streets; create livable neighborhoods; maximize the infiltration of stormwater; improve the quality of stormwater runoff; enhance the urban forest; improve the aesthetics of streets within the community; and reduce life cycle costs. The policy includes different design templates for flexibility and to respond sensitively to different neighborhood contexts, such as improved biking and walking conditions along connector routes.33 One of the first Living Streets pilots in Maplewood, pictured below, helped to reduce stormwater runoff entering the drainage system by 90 percent.

Policy Building upon their commitment to Complete Streets, Austin should pursue a policy of Living Street infrastructure improvements in many of its neighborhoods. The policy should be focused on streets that are missing sidewalks, are very wide, or are along the High-Injury Network. Working on these areas first, which are usually within low-income neighborhoods, will provide equity benefits by providing safe and beautiful areas for people to walk and bike.

Taking a Living Streets approach would require a paradigm shift in the way Austin views its streets, from a mostly singlepurpose to a comprehensive (multi-benefit) approach. Living Streets combine the goals of green infrastructure to naturally manage stormwater and improve water quality, while Complete Streets aims of providing safe access for all modes of travel and encouraging community activity in public spaces. Living Streets promotes environmental health by improving livability and walkability, while also retrofitting key infrastructure in neighborhoods to adapt to climate change and increased extreme weather.

Figure 68. Maplewood’s Bartelmy-Meyer Street Improvement project was a successful implementation pilot.

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Equitable development promotes community-centered investment, which creates wealth at the household and neighborhood scale. By better connecting residents through equitable mobility, people have greater access to resources and opportunities that are distributed throughout the city. Accessible transit is also key to successful employment for low-income residents. By allowing residents to remain in their neighborhoods through supportive housing policy, the city is fostering diversity and practicing placekeeping, creating mixed-income and mixed-background places.

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Equitable Growth New residents are moving to Austin, resulting in an affordability issue within the city. The housing pressure is most intensely felt in East Austin, where vulnerable populations are being pushed out as neighborhoods change. To protect those vulnerable to displacement in a competitive housing market, the City should introduce innovative policies to secure affordable housing resources for local communities. The policy should be carried out as a joint effort of the City and local nonprofit organizations to leverage more local resources.

The City of Austin has been making efforts to address housing affordability issues. A S.M.A.R.T. (i.e. Safe, Mixed-Income, Accessible, Reasonably Priced, and Transit-Oriented) Housing program has been applied to stimulate production of affordable housing. Meanwhile, density bonuses are available for developments reserving 10percent of the entire square footage of the development for affordable housing. Height bonuses are available for developments saving 25 percent of their space for such housing. Developers may also pay a in-lieu fee to a Housing Assistance Fund to receive the density exemption where they are unable to provide the residential units.34 However, the City must also pursue complementary policies that preserve existing affordable housing, whether it be through market-based or subsidized units. This is essential to the City’s goal of preserving 10,000 units of existing affordable housing by 2025.35 Because of Austin’s booming technology industry and entertainment scene, incomes in the city are stratifying between intelligence economy and service workers. While Austin has a $15 hourly wage minimum paid by the City to all temporary and regular employees, minimum wage in Texas is set at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.36 The rise of low-paying service jobs and increasing housing prices ensures that inequities are prevalent throughout the city.

Austin has long had a car-dominant urban form and streetscapes that do not equitably serve pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users. Further, East Austin, where most

60 Keep Austin Resilient

of the High Injury Network is concentrated, bears the brunt of unsafe conditions. Providing easy and equitable mode choice through investments in transit and bike and pedestrian infrastructure is key to building connectivity in the system. This requires the City to place a greater priority on funding local connectivity improvement projects. Instead of only having “big money going into big projects,” the city should dedicate a significant portion of transportation funding to neighborhood-scale projects. Moreover, these projects should particularly serve disadvantaged communities and aim to improve equity by better access and safety.

In 2016, Austin approved $720 million in bonds for mobility improvements across the city. The majority of that, $482 million, is distributed to the Corridor Mobility Program that targets Austin’s most frequently used corridors.37 A total of $137 million will be spent on the Local Mobility Program that incorporates sidewalk, safe routes to school, urban trails, bikeways, and intersection safety projects. These are primarily ongoing programs in the city, such as the Sidewalk Program and the Active Transportation program.38 More efforts are needed at the local level to ensure residents have safe and comfortable access to transit, walking and biking and that low-income communities are served by these improvements.

Figure 69. Neighborhoods without sidewalks and wide roads put pedestrians and bikers at risk.

Policy As Austin continues to grow and additional development and construction comes to the city, there are several policies that will improve the equity outcomes of this development and ensure that all communities within the city are benefiting from Austin’s growth.

First, to help with the rising cost of housing and scarcity of affordable units, Austin should adopt a Community Opportunity to Purchase policy to preserve existing affordable housing in changing communities. Right of first refusal dictates that the owner of multi-family housing developments or large-lot vacant parcels that could support multi-family housing development alert area nonprofits before marketing the property, and offer terms they would accept to the nonprofit; these terms do not have to be comparable or reasonable within the market. This policy would give nonprofits better access to property in the neighborhoods they service that are often built at a density that would not be permitted by zoning today; this policy also directly protects tenants from displacement at the time of sale.

Further, the City should establish a Land Bank of cityowned and tax-delinquent39 properties, of which there are many, to transfer to nonprofit or private sector partners for affordable housing or other productive, community-serving purposes for nominal amounts. Austin may also choose to retain ownership over the land, developing affordable housing with their public sector partners such as the Housing Authority of

Additionally, the City should implement a “Heads-Up Policy” for tax-credit funded housing developments. Owners of residential properties that used low-income tax credits to construct the project have 15 years of eligibility during which they receive tax credits for building affordable units. Once the tax credits run out, the project flips to market-rate and lowincome people usually must move from the property. The headsup policy would require owners of tax credit projects to provide notification to the City two years in advance of the tax credit eligibility. Then the city and nonprofit organizations have the chance to plan to purchase the property, cooperate with eligible developers who are committed to long-term affordability, or assist in relocating tenants.

Raising real wages will also help address displacement and spatial and social inequities. Austin should pursue the following policies: »» Housing Wage Raise its living wage for City employees to the “housing wage,” an income that accounts for the high costs of living in the area, including housing, and automatically adjust it for inflation every year. A sufficient guide to the true costs of housing is the National LowIncome Housing Coalition’s one-bedroom housing wage for the Austin-Round Rock MSA, $20.88.40 »» Living Wage Certification Approve a voluntary certification program for businesses to show they practice fair employment standards and attract socially-minded customers. The program would be operated by a nonprofit partner, such as SCOREAustin or Peoplefund. This would highlight businesses that pay their employees a living wage and alert Austinites to these places, allowing them to “vote with their wallets” and support local businesses that have good labor practices. The opt-in program would build on the lifestyle boom in Austin and spread the benefits of that economic development among traditionally low-wage workers.

Finally, to address the issue of connectivity in low-income neighborhoods and ensure that local transportation projects serve communities, Austin should prioritize funding projects that increase mobility equity using the mobility bond. There

Precedents

the City of Austin. This will infuse new affordable housing into neighborhoods while also alleviating blighted, abandoned, and bank-owned properties that are harmful to community health and property values.

Portland, OR Property owners in Portland, OR who plan to opt out of a federal project-based rent assistance contract must give the City and affected tenants advance notice of at least 210 days for opt-outs from a long-term contract and 150 days from a oneyear extension. If the change in use will result in the loss of housing affordable to households with incomes up to 80 percent of the area median income, the owner must provide 90 days notice, during which the City has the exclusive right to make an offer to purchase the property or to coordinate the purchase by an owner who will maintain affordability.41

San Francisco, CA San Francisco’s Community Opportunity Purchase Act obligates the owners of residential properties with three or more units, or vacant land that could accommodate three or more units, to give nonprofits either right of first refusal or right of first offer. The Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development keeps a short list of qualified nonprofits which the owner must notify.42 The law was passed to reduce direct displacement and promote the preservation of affordable housing in San Francisco.43

Seattle, WA Seattle which devised a Racial Equity Toolkit, has successfully integrated equity into transportation project prioritization.44 The Seattle Department of Transportation (Seattle DOT) collaborated with the Neighborhood District Councils to reach underrepresented communities in the City’s Neighborhood Projects Fund process. Moreover, Seattle DOT established social equity criteria to assist in the prioritization of transportation improvements. Although the Racial Equity Toolkit does not go so far as participatory budgeting, it does prioritize equity and community engagement in decision making.

Washington, DC DC’s Living Wage Certification Program, instituted in 2019, is a response to the high costs of housing in the District which far exceed even the minimum wage.

The program is administered by Think Local First DC, a nonprofit, with a grant from the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development. While the program is still being implemented, Think Local First D.C. are challenged by looking at compensation holistically, such as balancing the value of benefits versus take home pay.45

should be staff dedicated to comprehensive planning and effective coordination among the multiple programs of local improvement. In this way, the City can leverage the opportunity of the mobility bond to build communities fully connected to resources and communities. For example, every part of a community should be well connected to schools, parks, and other assets through complete sidewalks, trails, and bike lanes.

To prioritize projects that meet community needs and provide equitable mobility the most, more community engagement

Figure 70. Businesses on key corridors in DC provide living wage to employees.

should be incorporated into the Local Mobility Program funding allocation decision making process. To facilitate the process, the City can set up a metric to assess and maximize equity, which should include accessibility, affordability, connectivity, and safety. By referencing equity indicators, low-income communities and communities of color can identify and prioritize transportation modes or projects that best provide positive health outcomes and economic benefits.

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Policies that keep families in their homes and neighborhoods treat housing as a platform that ensures secure and housing stability tenure, greater health, access to education, broader and deeper social connections, and workplace opportunity. By reducing housing instability and turnover, the policy package builds connectivity that is essential for community resilience and promotes continuity of place.. Individual families are able to create and grow their wealth, and by providing affordable housing in many types of neighborhoods, the policies foster a diversity of housing types and affordability levels to create housing access for many different types of households.

Office of Housing Stability Rising housing costs and macroeconomic trends of wage stagnation and growth of jobs for high-wage workers are putting intense pressure on housing availability and affordability in Austin. Especially in East Austin where family incomes are lower and communities have experienced long-standing disinvestment, the risk of displacement from redevelopment or rising rents is high. Sixteen percent of Austin residents report being displaced in the last five years,46 and 12 families in Austin are formerly evicted every day.47 Housing instability is hugely detrimental to family prosperity, workforce participation, childhood development, and social cohesion.

High turnover in vulnerable communities harms both individual and family resiliency, as well as the social cohesion and community resiliency in the face of disasters. Moreover, lowincome and otherwise vulnerable residents are more likely to be in older, poorer-quality housing that can be detrimental to their health, beyond just the impact from high housing costs.

This recommendation includes both an influx of new resources and rights for Austinites to stay in their homes, and a centralized Office of Housing Stability to integrate all resources and new city capacity.

Austin’s Anti-Displacement Task Force, based on the policy platforms of neighborhood advocates, has already made a suite of recommendations to reduce the strain of housing costs on low-income families using an equity lens. The next challenge is moving those recommendations into implementation. Further, in the spirit of integrating and streamlining city services to better serve Austinites, the new office established through this anti-displacement policy can provide much-needed emergency capacity when displacement comes from extreme weather instead of high housing costs.

62 Keep Austin Resilient

Figure 71. Increasing development pressure is placing low-income residents in vulnerable positions.

Policy Austin should institute best practices for protecting tenants’ rights to bring residents and communities all the multi-fold benefits of stable housing and communities, based on a fundamental “Right to Remain and Right to Return.” Policy interventions should include new cash and advocacy resources for tenants, including: »» Floodplain Replacement Housing Any floodplain buyout project or redevelopment should ensure 1:1 replacement of housing units, giving displaced residents a choice between different housing types of equivalent or greater desirability.

Replacements should be offered in the resident’s previous neighborhood or other equivalent and desired areas. »» Right to Remain/Right to Return Residents threatened by displacement or who have been displaced should be given priority for any city-subsidized or privately-produced affordable housing units (rental and ownership); nonprofits and CDCs should be permitted to make more stringent, neighborhood-specific Right to Remain and Return plans for their developments. Areas in East Austin have a high susceptibility to change; this program (plus the existing voluntary inclusionary program) make sure that some affordable housing is replaced at a higher quality and is accessible to residents, especially African Americans displaced from Austin, even if they have moved from the jurisdiction.

Figure 72. A family in Austin is served an eviction notice.

»» Establish a Office of Housing Stability A new City Office of Housing Stability (OHS) should integrate all services for vulnerable renters and homeowners and provide recommendations and counseling to make sure that residents are taking advantage of all available reliefs for threats to their housing stability. This office will administer housing relief programs for displaced residents on a day to day basis but can also function as an emergency displacement resource center after flooding events that also displace residents. The new office can be the central agency to implement several of the recommendations put forth by the city’s Anti-Displacement Task Force in November 2018.

»» Integrate Housing Resources in Schools Lawyers and advocates provided by the Right to Counsel should also be used to provide tenants with upstream intervention by resolving landlord-tenant disputes before they ever reach eviction proceedings. Lawyers and advocates should be accessible both in schools and via the newly created OHS and should resolve disputes on rent and critical housing quality and health issues. Schools provide a direct way to access especially vulnerable households and act as a clearinghouse for many resources for families. »» Housing Emergency Fund Austin should also create a “Housing Emergency Fund” from which the OHS can provide cash assistance to tenants and homeowners who are at risk of displacement or experiencing housing instability.

This assistance should be used either: »» To cover emergency expenses that would otherwise result in a resident missing a rent, mortgage, or utility payment and being threatened by displacement; or »» To provide or recoup the cost of moving to tenants displaced by redevelopment, rehabilitation, code enforcement, or a rent increase of 5 percent or more.

Additionally, the OHS should provide case workers to help relocating tenants find a comparable and affordable home, move their belongings, switch schools, and find reliable transportation to their jobs. It is essential to have a set of skilled workers who can then pivot in the case of flooding or a community buyout to then assist those displaced residents to find and purchase comparable homes.

Precedents

»» Right to Counsel Austin should dedicate funding to enshrine a Right to Counsel for tenants threatened by eviction. The Right to Counsel will provide lawyers for tenants below 150 percent of AMI in eviction court, and based on programs in San Francisco and New York, should provide considerable cost savings on the cost of sheltering and providing other direct services to evicted families.

Portland, OR Portland has a Right to Return program in North and Northeast Portland from where many black Portlanders have been pushed out by eminent domain, redevelopment, and, recently, rapidly rising housing costs. The program is structured around a preference policy: the policy gives the highest priority to people directly displaced by eminent domain for specific infrastructure and economic development projects backed by the city since the 1960s; then, prior residents displaced indirectly or for other reasons gets priority for new affordable units in those neighborhoods.

San Antonio, TX In 2018, San Antonio introduced a $1 million, first in class Risk Mitigation Fund split into a Resident Relocation Assistance Program and Emergency Assistance for Housing Stabilization; administered by two employees, the Fund provides cash assistance to residents forced to move because of redevelopment, rehabilitation, code enforcement, or a rent increase of 5% or more; also receive housing counseling; one-time cash assistance is available for emergency hardships that would result in missing rent, mortgage, or utility payment. The assistance is capped at $3,500 for housing cost payments and $1,500 for utility costs.48 Within its first six months, the Fund had already helped 112 households stay in their homes.49

New York City, NY

Figure 73. Urban renewal projects in North and Northeast Portland, such as I5, displaced residents of primarily minority neighborhoods.

New York City’s Right to Counsel Program, established in 2017, provides an attorney to tenants below 200 percent of the poverty line. Although it is still rolling out to all zip codes in the city, the initial phase allows for a study contrasting impacted and unimpacted areas, showing the program’s substantial effect: »» Across the whole city, 1 percent of tenants had attorney in the FY 2013; in FY 2018 Q4, 30 percent did; in FY 2018 Q4, 56 percent of tenants in the zip codes targeted by the program had attorneys in eviction court »» The program served 22,000 tenants in FY 2018; 84% stayed in their homes50

Atlanta, GA Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation is a longstanding advocacy group which decided to improve its efficacy on eviction prevention by targeting families in schools starting in 2016; this makes the school a platform for broader social services. Beyond evictions, the lawyers and advocates also assist tenants in improving the quality and health of their homes by advocating towards landlords.51

Figure 74. Clients of the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation meet with their lawyer.

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Food access regulations create wealth by increasing job opportunities and improving health and wellness. When the community is in better health, residents miss less school and work and are better able to stay employed. By also incentivizing community gardens and retailers to stock healthy and culturally appropriate food options, the policy changes help to build connectivity across cultures and within the community.

Healthy Food Overlay Healthcare is one of Austin’s largest and fastest growing industries yet the city faces multiple challenges in providing affordable healthcare and healthy environments, including nutritional food access, to its population. The rapid population surge has not only put pressure on health resource allocation, but also revealed that many communities lack access to fresh, healthy food. As the public health crises are exacerbated by extreme weather, vulnerable populations that have less access to resources are in worse health and face tougher challenges. Building individual and community resiliency comes from the bottom up, from creating a healthy food access network, proactively encouraging healthier lifestyles, and eventually retrofitting neighborhoods to adapt to climate change. Creating a healthy food network would improve economic opportunities as well by providing jobs in the food sector, building a healthy work environment, and supporting therapeutic activities through infrastructure and programming such as urban farming and community coop initiatives.

The city has existing programs that target training, food provision, and circular economy education. Some of the initiatives provide ways to develop new collaborations to address food access and affordability. These include the Austin Health Adolescent program, a youth leadership program meant to engage youth in advancing the health of their communities; Austin Public Health Homeless Assistance, a homelessness resolution focused on providing shelter and food pantry services to the city’s homeless population; Healthy Vending Policies, a

Figure 75. Small markets and dollar stores like RR’s Grocery in Tannehill Branch typify food access in many areas of Austin.

64 Keep Austin Resilient

set of rules to promote workplace healthy food choices; and the Austin Resource Recovery set of programs, which encourage food recovery and composting activities in neighborhoods and restaurants.

Besides complying with federal regulation on SNAP and WIC, the Austin/Travis County Health and Human Services Department has identified priorities in their Community Health Assessment and Community Health Improvement Plan. This plan seeks to increase the number of low-income residents who live within one mile of a grocery store, and more generally, promotes healthy food and beverages in retail settings and purchasing choice. Under this plan, there are several opportunities to bring together all the City’s initiatives and momentum to meet the goals established in the plan. Partners in implementation include the City of Austin, the Major’s Health and Fitness Council, the City of Austin’s Small Business Department, and the Office of Sustainability.

Policy Austin should establish a Healthy Neighborhood Initiative and Healthy Neighborhood Overlay District to carry out several of the recommendations from the Community Health Assessment and to provide better food access to fresh and healthy options in neighborhoods across Austin. These regulatory tools address the existing equity issue in healthcare and food access within Austin’s context of rapid population growth and climate challenges.

A Healthy Neighborhood Overlay District (HNO) is a specific land use measure to be used in conjunction with the existing initiative program. It aims to promote fresh, whole, and healthy food trading and to enhance local health system resiliency to produce positive individual wellness outcomes.

Specific policies include: »» Identify Food Deserts and Build Partnerships The city should designate neighborhoods for the HNO based on the Food Security Report by Travis County52 or the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Access Research Atlas.53 »» Determine Overlay Requirements The HNO is an overlay district that would restrict dollar stores located within one mile of another dollar store through a dispersal rule in the overlay. The overlay would also include a requirement that dollar stores and other entities stocking food must stock at least 15 percent of food items be fresh, healthy options. »» Provide Incentives Within the HNO, zoning policies should be amended to reduce the parking minimums for grocery store uses. Garden and open space should also be permitted throughout the HNO to encourage community gardens and other community-stewarded open space. »» Healthy Food Initiative The Department of Economic Development and the Travis County Tax Office should also work together to support small, healthy food and nutrition businesses within the HNO by providing tax incentives such as property and business tax abatements and fee waivers, offering small grants for initial business startup costs, and enrolling business owners in a citywide health/healthcare business network.

Precedents

Mesquite, TX A City Council study in Mesquite, Texas found that residents have less access to nutritious food, compared to prevalent fast food and convenience stores. Consequently, in 2018, the city made dollar stores (defined as a “variety store” in the city code) a “conditional use,” meaning that any dollar store has to go through a review and permit-obtaining process in order to open. To achieve this permit, the store has to dedicate a minimum of 10 percent of the floor area of the variety store to fresh produce, meat, and dairy products. This is in addition to a dispersal rule where dollar stores need to be at least 5,000 feet away from any existing dollar store.54

Tulsa City, OK The northern side of Tulsa, Oklahoma has a concentration of dollar stores, which outcompete other types of retail businesses and discourages resident’s access to fresh meats, fruits and vegetables. A number of measures were implemented under Healthy Neighborhoods Overlay District, where a diversity of retailers and access to fresh foods through community-based approach are encouraged.55 In order to build competition for local fresh food businesses, the city requires dollar stores that might otherwise undercut the grocery store market to be at least one mile away from each other. In addition, the city incentivizes alternative development, such as grocery stores, by reducing the parking requirements by half. Tulsa also made the policy discussion a community-driven activity by taking in public feedback asking the city to place a temporary moratorium on dollar stores.56

Figure 77. Food access in North Tulsa.

Figure 76. Dollar Stores and Demographics in Tulsa, OK.

Figure 78. Protesting Dollar Stores in Tulsa, OK.

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Neighborhood Recommendations To guide the implementation of each recommendation, the studio considered the timeframe needed to complete each idea as well as the cost associated with the recommendation. The timeframes and costs were proposed with thought towards the existing and future capacity of Austin City Government and the opportunity to build partnerships with other private and nonprofit partners.

The cost structure is built out as: »» Low (between $0 and $100,000) »» Medium ($100,000 to $500,000) »» High (above $500,000) The timeframes are presented as: »» Short (up to two years) »» Medium (up to 10 years) »» Long (up to 30 years) It is important to note that the timeframes all start at year zero to reflect the urgency of several of the issues facing Austin. While some long-term recommendations will take several years to complete, the City can take action now to put these recommendations into motion.

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Placemaking in the Age of Extreme Weather

Williamson Creek and Tannehill Branch Creek These areas represent prototypes of transferable solutions that Austin can implement in other neighborhoods and areas around the city to address the pressures that the city is facing. Each neighborhood represents a unique combination of city-wide trends and neighborhood-specific issues.

Though they are similar in many ways, the focus areas differ in scale, pressures, and historic approaches to flooding.

Williamson Creek is a large area in the southern half of the

city. The area has been facing pressures from development causing rapid neighborhood change and impacts from severe flooding events. On the other hand, Tannehill Branch is a smaller area that is undergoing pressure from the expansion of downtown Austin impacting the neighborhood over time. This area has experienced more frequent, but less intense, flooding events that are reflective of the local flooding issues many neighborhoods in Austin face.

Williamson Creek Scale: 8.5 square miles Pressure: East-west divide Community: Long-standing Latino population Contributions to change: South Congress and new transit Approach to flooding: FEMA voluntary buyout program

Tannehill Branch Creek Scale: 3.5 square miles Pressure: Shifting demographics over time Community: Strong African American and Latino history Contributions to change: Proximity to downtown and new transit Approach to flooding: Creek channelization and small-scale interventions

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Williamson Creek

8.5

square miles

54,500

total population, more than doubled since 2000

West

East

$60,000/$46,500 median household income, below the city-wide median

Legend

The Williamson Creek area is made up of three distinct neighborhoods: East & West Congress, Sweetbriar, and Dove Springs. To the west of I-35, West & East Congress has a vibrant commercial scene, with no shortage of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and Sweetbriar is a workingclass neighborhood with malls and big box stores. Dove Springs is a family-oriented community and a Hispanic immigrant hub. There is a strong light-industrial presence that is gradually flipping to commercial and mixed-uses.

Focus area Building footprints City parks 500-year floodplain Creeks

Williamson Creek location in Austin

Figure 79. Williamson Creek focus area.

The Williamson Creek area is located south of Downtown Austin. The area is about 8.5 square miles, with roughly 55,000 residents. The actual Williamson Creek runs through the area from west to east, and I-35 splits the area in half running north to south.

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Neighborhoods in Williamson Creek The neighborhoods that make up the Williamson Creek area are split by two major boundaries—I-35 and Williamson Creek—that result in distinct demographics, lived experiences, assets, and community character. The overarching analysis of this area found the most distinctive differences occurring between the west and east sides of I-35 and will be frequently addressed comparatively in this manner.

Neighborhoods in Williamson Creek

Changing Demographics 47%

East and West Congress

Sweetbriar

West Dove Springs

East

9% 11%

1%

45% Hispanic

78%

5%

White

Black

1%

Other

The eastern part of Williamson Creek has a large Hispanic immigrant population in Dove Springs that is reflected in the demographic differences to the west.

East & West Congress

Sweetbriar

Dove Springs

East and West Congress line either side of South Congress Avenue, a major road that connects directly to Downtown Austin to the north and houses the CapMetro South Congress Transportation Center. In these neighborhoods, you’ll find a burgeoning commercial scene with bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. East and West Congress has been seeing more mixed-use development and redevelopment of the lightindustrial land as development interest comes down Congress Avenue from the north. At the same time, South Congress passes through Williamson Creek and therefore is vulnerable to flash flood impacts as development interest conflicts with the floodplains.

On the other side of Williamson Creek is Sweetbriar, an ethnically diverse, working-class neighborhood. This neighborhood includes mostly suburban-style, single-family homes with large yards as well as big box stores, shopping centers, and restaurants. Larger chain stores such as H-E-B, Burger King, Pop-eyes, and a Regal movie theater are collected on the east site of the neighborhood near I-35. A large number of homes in this neighborhood are in the floodplain on the south side of Williamson Creek.

Dove Springs is a large suburban community that was first developed in the 1960s and 70s.1 This neighborhood is one of the most rapidly growing Hispanic immigrant neighborhoods in Austin, and though Dove Springs had struggles with crime and poverty in the past, it is now transitioning into a more familyoriented community with neighborhood recreation centers and several community-based nonprofits.2 Still, this neighborhood sees very different levels of access to resources such as health services, full-service grocery stores, transit, or commercial space. Dove Springs therefore is dependent on the west side of I-35 for many everyday necessities.

Figure 80. South Congress Avenue.

Figure 81. Sweetbriar.

Figure 82. Dove Springs.

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Bergstrom Air Force Base

Existing Community Assets The community assets in the Williamson Creek area are reflective of the distinctive neighborhood characters.

The area west of I-35 sees a larger institutional presence and a higher concentration of assets such as grocery stores, health services, and commercial corridors as well as eclectic artistic attractions. The area east of I-35 sees much more family-oriented, community programming.

While the communities have strong existing assets, there is an imbalance of assets that reflect historic disinvestment on the east.

The neighborhood of Dove Springs is located on the former site of historic air force base housing for the Bergstrom Air Force Base. In 1993, the base closed, which later created an opportunity for affordable housing for Austin residents. Since then, the Dove Springs area has grown in popularity and is home to a significant Hispanic population. However, the neighborhood’s military past did not make it conducive to commercial land uses directly serving the community.

South Congress Avenue

Cathedral of Junk A unique structure comprised entirely 60+ tons of used furniture, home goods, and other junk.

St. David’s Medical Center

Austin Community College

Figure 83. South Congress Ave facing north towards Capitol Building in 1939 before it became the cultural mecca that it is today.

Congress Avenue used to be the primary road to connect Austin to San Antonio, through downtown in the 1800s, and was the first road to be paved in Austin. The road became an artistic mecca soon after and is now Austin’s trendiest strip that has already begun to spill into the western Williamson Creek neighborhoods due to its proximity to downtown.

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Crockett High School has been approved as an Early College High School (ECHS) campus, making college accessible, immediate, and free (!) to rising 8th and 9th graders.

Austin Independent School District The AISD Headquarters is located within the Williamson Creek area, along with several elementary and middle schools. Additionally, the AISD Science & Health Resource Center is located in Williamson Creek; the Center provides supplementary science materials and live animals to AISD campuses and serves as a professional development location for teachers.

The ECHS program is a collaboration between Crockett High School and its neighbor, Austin Community College (ACC). At high school graduation, students completing the ECHS program receive both a high school diploma and an associate degree from ACC. Graduates of ECHS typically complete their college career at a four-year college/university or go directly into the workforce.

Dove Springs Recreation Center The Dove Springs Recreation Center opened its doors on March 28, 1998 to provide citizens of the Dove Springs community recreational and educational resources. The facility contains a full court gymnasium, weight room, arts and crafts room, computer lab, and dance studio. The Austin Parks and Recreation Department recently renovated the facility in 2019 to upgrade and expand resources.

River City Youth Foundation River City Youth Foundation (RCYF) is Austin’s longest running locally founded youth organization. Primarily serving Dove Springs residents in addition to all Austinites.

The organization provides youth and family oriented programs focused on technology training, college and career readiness, mentoring, wellness, and community development. The organization also prioritizes offering bilingual services and resources.

St. Elmo’s Industrial Re-Use Commercial District This newly redeveloped site on the west site of I-35 used to be a light industrial space and is now a vibrant commercial district filled with breweries, coffee shops, restaurants, residences and office space. St. Elmo’s is representative of the neighborhood change coming down South Congress and of the larger trend of industrial spaces flipping into mixed-use.

Nadamos Dove Springs: A Dance for a City Pool and its People Presented at Austin’s Dove Springs Pool, the free performances showcases neighborhood residents and pool users alongside Aquatics staff for an audience of over 2,000. Accompanied by live original music and underwater lighting design, participants and audience alike experienced a joyous celebration of the public gathering space of Dove Springs Pool.

Recommendations

Figure 84. Contributors to change in Williamson Creek.

As it sits south of Downtown Austin, the Williamson Creek area is seeing increased development pressure from the north. The Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan has identified two major growth centers in this area, and there are several pockets of city-owned land as well as changing industrial and commercial hubs. Additionally, the new proposed Orange Line streetcar system is fueling an influx of new mixed-use development.

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Neighborhood Challenges Shifting Demographics The area has a rapidly growing population that has nearly doubled in size in the last decade.

Additionally, the area is home to a large Latino population with the east side more than 75 percent Hispanic or Latino.3 This area is reflective of the increasing racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity that Austin will continue to experience at it attract more newcomers.

Connectivity I-35 is a dividing line throughout the city of

Austin and the division is especially stark in Williamson Creek.

In addition to the large wall it creates, there are also no safe crossing for people without a car. The physical barrier also creates social disparities and divisions.

Rapid Development The new proposed Orange Line

streetcar is bringing a lot of buzz and new development is already occurring in the area. Specifically, the area along South Congress is already the site of a lot of change. There are new buildings being built, many proposed, and some of the local industrial uses are already flipping.

Floodplains Currently there are about 900 homes in the

floodplain. Given the demographics of the areas within the floodplain, it is mostly low-income and minority people who will likely be hit the hardest and have the least resources available to bounce back after disasters. This creates an urgent issue with the Williamson Creek area.

Fewer Community Assets in the East As investment generally flows to the west of I-35 in Austin, Williamson Creek has a wide spatial gap of community assets, household wealth, and social equity. The Dove Springs area continues to lag in staple resources such as access to fresh food and quality healthcare options. School performance is coming under scrutiny as AISD revamps its academic goals and community support initiatives for bilingual families. And lastly, as Austin continues to build out towards the east, these communities are becoming more threatened by displacement.

Flooding History South Congress and Waller Creek, 1935 & 1938

First Memorial Day Flood, 1981

Oct 1998

Central Texas Drought 2008 - 2016

Second Memorial Day Flood, 2015

Nov 2001

Back-to-back floods on October 13 and October 31, 2013 In 2013, there were two major back-to-back floods that devastated the Williamson Creek area. The floods occurred on October 13th and Halloween Day, ravishing several neighborhoods along Williamson Creek and neighboring Onion Creek. Over 600 homes were destroyed, and several lives were lost.4 In the aftermath, the City decided to take more aggressive action towards flood management strategies within the area. Leveraging federal funding, Austin implemented a FEMA Voluntary Buyout Program. To date, over 66 homes have been bought out and the city continues to rely on this as their main flood management strategy in the Williamson Creek area.5

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Recommendation #1: New Park & Trail System

Recommendation #2: Near-Term Creek Intervention

Recommendation #3: Emergency Warning & Wayfinding Strategy

Recommendation #4: South Congress Resilient TOD

Recommendation #5: Industrial Redevelopment Site

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Williamson Creek Intervention Overview These recommendations respond directly to issues and opportunities around water management, community assets and services, demand for housing, the floodplain, and creating assets out of neighborhood creeks. The interventions for the Williamson Creek area include a new park and trail system, a range of near-term creek interventions, an extreme weather hazard plan, resilient transit-oriented development along South Congress, and an industrial site redevelopment.

A new park and trail system includes buyout parks and proposed trail and park programming. It is urgent that the City start planning to move people out of the floodplain and rehouse people so as to eventually achieve safety.

In the meantime, small-scale and creek interventions can improve connectivity along the creek and between the two sides of this neighborhood. The interventions touch on improving stormwater management in the existing buyout areas, a golf course conversion, and a new connection under I-35.

Honing in on community-centered solutions, the extreme weather hazard plan includes community-focused points of refuge, a flash flood warning system, and wayfinding signage to improve connectivity and alleviate the risks of social and physical isolation in event of extreme weather.

Recommendations along South Congress will help the new transit-oriented development be resilient and can leverage the existing popular bus route and plans for expanding the public transportation in Williamson Creek. The TOD encourages density to alleviate development pressure and protect affordability.

Finally, an industrial redevelopment site leverages its location with multiple critical intersections and assets, becoming a transition zone between industrial and residential land use.

It would serve as a major source of relocation housing in conjunction with the long-term buyout program.

Figure 85. Williamson Creek intervention overview.

Five strategies work in tandem to support a more resilient, equitable, and community-oriented neighborhood.

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Recommendation #1 New Park & Trail System The New Park and Trail System recommendation creates a park and trail network that connects neighborhoods to their creeks and provides new spaces for placemaking, public gathering spaces, and park programming. The park and trail network work together to connect the neighborhoods to the east and west physically, socially, and culturally.

This recommendation leverages a voluntary buyout strategy, aiming to convert the entirety of the floodplain area into open space that can manage the increasing flooding, as well as provide cooling and shading during the extreme heat.

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New Park System Williamson Creek is one of two creeksheds that Austin’s city council approved for floodplain buyouts. City council approval was instigated by the severity of damage caused by two back to back flooding events in October 2013. More than 100 homes were damaged in Williamson Creek during the first October 13 flood and the historic Halloween Floods which impacted both Williamson and nearby Onion Creek causing four deaths and damaging more than 745 homes.6 Approximately 900 homes are in the floodplain along Williamson Creek, and with the findings of NOAA’s Atlas 14 study, the frequency of these high intensity rain events are expected to only increase and inundate more homes. The floodplain will likely expand and affect more homes in the future with climate change intensifying extreme weather events. The severity and cost of damage to homes in the floodplains requires strong public action to keep residents safe.

Innately tied to the need to take strong public action is education and engagement on the local impacts of climate change and measures for safety. In this long-term buyout park proposal, community education and participation in deciding

Figure 86. Flood emergency response team on October 31, 2013.

what becomes of the new permanent open spaces that the demolished homes become, as well as being informed through out the buyout process, is critical.

A new park system made up of voluntary buyouts is part of a long-term vision for the eventual relocation of homes from life-threatening and flood hazard zones to create a floodable park that can hold and manage water in a way that creates a new public amenity. This must be done with a major public awareness and education campaign on the importance of stormwater and flood planning for community buy-in.

With Williamson Creek’s history of severe flood damage that is only projected to increase in frequency and intensity, it is imperative that there is a long-term vision put in place to relocate families that are most vulnerable to destruction and to proactively manage flood water.

This long term proposal coincides with the recommendation to rehouse people, a decision that does not come lightly.

Currently, only 66 homes have been bought out in Williamson Creek and the City has not reassessed floodplain buyout Figure 87. Road sign on bridged road crossing Williamson Creek.

Figure 88. Most buyouts in Austin are voluntary.

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eligibility since the new Atlas 14 study that projects an increase in the number of people at risk.7 This long-term strategy is to offer fair compensation to all homeowners in these flash flood danger areas and find alternative housing for the approximately 900 homes in the floodplain. These areas can then be used to create new floodable parks to manage water more effectively in ways which could not be possible if families were to continue residing in flood zones voluntarily.

Figure 89. Neighborhoods before buyout program.

This recommendation is also in line with the community’s recommendation after the 2013 floods. Austin’s City Council created a Flood Mitigation Task Force in 2015 to review existing flood mitigation and preparedness strategies such as buyouts and variances; financing of projects and operations, planning practices and regulations; stakeholder collaboration; and community communication.8 The Task force found that if current owners do not yet want to sell, it is often because they are availed of sufficient information around the implications.

The Task Force, which was set up to assess the current floodplain buyout program and operations in Austin, recommended that, not only is it critical to ensure that property owners fully understand the complicated process to make a wellinformed decision, it is also important to plan long-term for the eventual buyout of all properties of critical areas of concern.9

New Floodable Buyout Park

New Development

Figure 90. Neighborhoods after buyout program.

The floodplain buyout areas are re-envisioned as a floodable buyout park and housing is relocated to higher grounds.

Congress Park As the western buyout area is located more upstream along Williamson Creek, it is uniquely suited to manage flood waters before reaching more vulnerable communities downstream. At its current state, this location experiences severe erosion and incisions along the stream banks due to the high impact of flash floods into the bends of the creek. This buyout area has potential to be renamed (possibly to Congress Park to tie the location to its neighborhood) and be redesigned to be intentionally floodable (Figure 89, Figure 90). New floodable areas will hold and slow down flood waters, reducing impacts downstream. In addition, this park would be functional as an active public space with strategic use of native vegetation that provides opportunities for shade during extreme heat and drought when dry.

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Figure 91. Williamson Creek flooding

Figure 92. Williamson Creek flooding

Home in Williamson Creek infiltrated by flooding waters during the October 2013 floods.

Williamson Creek area residents survey damage following the October 2013 floods.

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Figure 93. Proposed buyout park plan.

Proposed Mendez Creekbend Park and Congress Park will consolidate purchased lots in the floodplain and create new public open space. At the same time, the plan puts new housing on higher ground, as shown in dark gray building footprints.

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Mendez Creekbend Park With the suggested naming of Mendez Creekbend Park after the local middle school that is located nearby, this new proposed park area connects Williamson Creek to the Onion Creek trails, the Onion Creek Soccer Complex, the underutilized Roy Kizer Golf Course, and Dove Springs District Park. The park plan reclaims decommissioned roads in the buy-out areas to create a park trail system to improve connectivity to the new public asset (Figure 94). Given that the Dove Springs neighborhood also gets flooded by water that backs up into the area from Onion Creek, the lower ground portions of the topographically diverse landscape will serve as a floodable park to hold water before causing damage to homes in Dove Springs.

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Policy Connections »» Community Rating System »» Floodplain Buyout Program »» Office of Housing Stability

Agencies and Partners »» »» »» »» »»

Figure 94. Access to the Mendez Creekbend Park.

Watershed Protection Department Office of Real Estate Services Parks and Recreation Department US Army Corps FEMA

Entry points of the Mendez Creekbend Park are identified by red arrows.

Precedent

Funding Sources »» FEMA »» Watershed Protection Department

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Long-Term Intervention

The Mueller Redevelopment revitalized the Blackland Prairie ecosystem that supports native plant species resilient to natural disturbances of flood and drought.

These shrubs and trees absorb water and provide beautiful landscaping and shade.

Precedents

Mingo Creek (1984) Tulsa, OK Tulsa purchased and relocated 284 homes using FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and a 25% local march. A flood control, buyout park was created through major public education campaigns and citizen approved sales tax and bond issue funds of $120 million, stormwater fee, and $80 million in federal funds.10

Figure 95. Memorial Day floods in 1984 along Mingo Creek.

Panorama Park Murals, Bakersfield, CA To help liven up the park, local artists could enliven the space. In Bakersfield, CA, Local artists painted items around the park (including drinking fountains, trash cans and electrical boxes), transforming them into public murals that celebrates Mexican culture and the natural landscapes in the areas.11

Figure 96. Local artist contributing to Bakersfield’s Park Murals with motifs of Mexican American Identity

Figure 97. Centennial Park created after acquiring flood vulnerable private properties.

Figure 98. Painted park objects sharing motifs of Mexican American identity.

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Trail & Park Programming

Figure 99. A high water mark could educate trail users about the historic flooding.

Figure 101. Fitness equipment is planned for programming along trails.

Figure 100. Dog areas are planned for bigger parks.

Figure 102. Community gardens are planned for smaller parks.

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Buyout Parks Programming A large outreach and education campaign about flooding and the voluntary buyout program will need to carried out in order to work intentionally with every family to identify and build comparable housing, but also to gain community input and support for the new floodable park.

Congress Park is likely more suited for smaller-scale park programming due to the shape and form of the area. Park designs that require less programming such as placement of benches, community gardens, picnic areas, community gathering spaces are a suitable designs for community-based programming that can occur at this scale (Figure 102).

However the specific design and uses should be informed by the immediate community.

With the new permanent open land, the city can lease portions of the public land for temporary uses such as urban agriculture as an additional source of revenue to program the buyout parks.

Mendez Creekbend Park Programming In the Mendez Creekbend Park, there are opportunities to host multi-lingual environmental education programs to engage the Dove Springs community who will be most affected by this buyout park. These programs could prioritize education on local issues around flooding, ecology, and climate change as the community is also engaged throughout the buyout process.

The scale of the creekbend park is large and has potential to host playgrounds, larger shaded areas, seating around picnic tables and grills, exercise equipment. The trail system can include walking/biking, running trail, distance markers, health education signage and flooding history education signage (Figure 101).

Regional Expansion With the new parks and improved connectivity through trail connections, not only is movement around and thorough Williamson Creek more accessible, it also connects the neighborhoods to a larger, regional system of parks and trails.

The Williamson Creek area also has a number of issues related to poorer health outcomes and lack of health services. These thoughtfully designed buyout parks can serve as a welcoming

Figure 103. Regional park This new park and trail system will major link between Williamson Creek and surrounding green spaces like McKinney State Falls and the Onion Creek Greenbelt.

gateway for the community along Williamson Creek to enjoy the outdoors, have access to high quality amenities that incentivize healthy living, and have opportunities for free fitness programs.

Strengthening the trail system allows the green network to expand its benefits and prevent any one community from isolation and car dependency. Flood management and environmental justice are not only locally specific but matters

of regional concerns. The regional expansion of this visionary greenway can unlock many opportunities for community gathering and events that celebrate the diversity of all the neighborhoods that surround this area.

Recommendations 83

Recommendation #2 Near-Term Creek Interventions While the larger, new park and trail system is being pursued, a number of near-term creek interventions can improve flooding and connectivity along the creek.

Specific components of the recommendation include; widening the creek beds to slow the velocity and intensity of the flooding; creating a trail under the I-35 highway for new multi-modal connections; and converting the Roy Kizer Golf Course for downstream water management near Onion Creek.

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Near-Term Creek Interventions While it is necessary to have a long-term plan and vision to secure the safety of residents, the severity of the back-to-back October 2013 floods in Williamson Creek make it evident that immediate, impactful change must occur to manage water and protect lives. This is especially the case for those who chose not to opt in for the voluntary floodplain buyouts through the City and chose to stay in a flood risk zone. The feelings of anxiety about what the buyouts mean for their neighborhood, community, and safety as well as concerns for plummeting property values and insurance costs still remains unanswered.12 A series of more incremental and practical interventions to manage water today while incrementally working towards the larger buyout parks are possible. Interim strategies to address flood risk urgency include smaller-scale water management in voluntary floodplain buyout areas and decommissioning golf courses for alternative uses.

Flood Plain Buyout Areas Currently, the oxbow bend, or Heartwood Drive portion of the future Congress Park, contains occupied homes in the voluntary buyout areas (Figure 107). Even though the buyouts were voluntary along Williamson Creek, there must be stronger initiatives to inform residents of the flooding risks in the area and action must be taken to reduce the risk to people who remain.

This is especially imperative in the context of climate change and Atlas 14’s finding of increasing frequency of rainfall events in the future that predicts more homes to be at risk than originally thought.

Figure 104. Williamson Creek resident who opted for a voluntary buyout watch as water flood his yard.

The vacant, open lots of former homes of property owners who chose to opt-in for the buyouts can be leveraged to strategically manage water and reduce the risk of those who choose to stay in their homes. In the buyout area, the buyout park concepts of native landscape restoration can be scaled down to the lot level and utilize the drought and flood resilient vegetation of the native Blackland Prairie, which offers shade and absorbs water, as a first phase towards the larger Congress Park plan.

Figure 105. A vacant lot remains after a voluntary buyout home is demolished.

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Progressive flood management can occur in larger consolidated lots by borrowing the Dutch design concept of “making room for the river”13 and expanding waterways to redirect, slow, and hold more water (Figure 108). Expanding the creekbed not only manages the water by slowing the velocity and intensity of the water, but also creates more space to restore the eroding stream banks in the open spaces between the homes and the creekbed.

For the existing households themselves, the immediate strategy is to develop evacuation plans (see the Extreme Weather Hazard Plan recommendation) so residents are prepared to evacuate and find refuge in the event there is another flash flood emergency. In addition, the homeowners can be encouraged to implement green and blue infrastructure such as retention ponds and rainwater harvesting tanks to help decrease the area’s impervious surface area and improve drainage, with the added benefit of having a source of nonpotable water to reuse that will be especially helpful during drought periods.

Figure 107. Remaining homes along Heartwood Drive after the voluntary floodplain buyouts, shown with the Atlas 14 expanded floodplain.

Homes within the floodplain are shown in red and other homes that could be included in the voluntary buyout program to create the park are in yellow.

Existing Homes

Figure 106. The City of Austin’s plan for voluntary buyouts in this area of Williamson Creek. The yellow are properties that are eligible for buyouts but have not yet been completed.14

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Managed Buyout Area

Williamson Creek

Figure 108. Flood management strategies in the voluntary buyout areas.

For existing homes, create an evacuation plan for flash floods and incentivize property-level green stormwater infrastructure. In managed buyout areas, improve design so areas can hold water and create active public space when not holding water. Along the creekway, expand the waterway to redirect, slow, and hold more water, and stabilize stream banks from erosion.

Figure 109. Existing conditions of area sited for flood management in existing voluntary buyout areas.

Policy Connections

Precedent

Implementation

The far left photo shows a single remaining home in the distance surrounded by vacant lots after homes were demolished. These photos show the opportunity for waterway expansion to slow and hold more water in the space between the creek and existing homes.

»» Community Rating System »» Urban Farming Ordinance

Agencies and Partners »» Parks & Recreation Department »» Watershed Protection Department »» Nonprofit Partners (Urban Roots)

Funding Sources »» Drainage Fee »» Watershed Protection Department Capital Budget »» Parks & Recreation Capital Budget

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Room for the River, Netherlands

Short-Term Intervention

The Dutch design concept of Making Room for the River is internationally recognized as an innovative and successful way of managing flood waters in a way that prevents damage. This design concept takes advantage of areas on and around the river banks to widen and deepen areas for intentional flooding. This concept was developed to reduce the costly need to increase the height and size of dykes as flood risks grew. The graphics to the right show two strategies that can be extrapolated and scaled down for Austin’s creek flood management in the floodplain buyout areas.15

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Interstate 71

I-35 Trail Connection

Stassney Road

William Cannon Drive

The greatest opportunity for better connectivity across I-35 is through improved creekside trails along Williamson Creek as it passes under the highway.

I-35 is an extremely challenging barrier that has perpetuated the east-west divide in terms of race, income, investment, opportunities, and resources since its construction. Although I-35 serves the important function of conveying high volumes of traffic through Austin, it is difficult for neighborhood traffic to cross and alternative roads are limited. I-35 creates deadends by walling off many side roads, with few connection points available in the Williamson Creek neighborhood. Figure 110 shows the only formal street connections across I-35 within Williamson Creek; Interstate 71, Stassney Road, and William Cannon Drive (Figure 110). All three state roads are autocentric and inaccessible and unsafe to pedestrians.

These intersections are the only connection points between the east and west sides of Williamson Creek. The limitations for pedestrian accessibility and general car dependency are challenges that make I-35 one of Austin’s greatest barriers.

car dealerships, debris, and construction vehicles used for the highway and frontage road bridge. However, there is substantial room to create pathways that would lead to the proposed regional trail network identified. These new paths would direct pedestrians along Williamson Creek and meander under I-35’s bridge. Chicano Park in San Diego and a nearby trail along an Onion Creek underpass serve as precedents due to their

successful integration of recreational uses under otherwise uninviting structures.16 The new trail would seek to transform Williamson Creek’s steep limestone edges and the structure of I-35’s support columns into a unique pedestrian experience, while creating a safe, inviting path underneath the highway infrastructure (Figure

Precedents

Despite the challenges of connectivity across I-35, the portion of Williamson Creek that passes under I-35 provides an opportunity for intervention. At its current state, this portion of the creek is completely inaccessible—blocked off behind

Figure 110. Existing conditions of connections across I-35 within William Creek planning area

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Chicano Park, San Diego, CA

Onion Creek Soccer Complex, Austin, TX

A formerly desolate and neglected underpass of San Diego, Chicano Park was transformed into a pedestrian-oriented, art space that celebrates the local heritage of the area’s residents.17

Connecting to trails along the perimeter of Onion Creek Soccer Complex, this path provides a recreational resource beneath the underpass of East William Cannon Drive.

111). The development of this creek trail and transformation of the underpass portion will create the first pedestrian connector points between the eastern and western sides of Williamson Creek area.

Implementation

Due to its focus on improving connective infrastructure, while creating new gathering spaces for recreation, this project most closely exemplifies the strategies of Building Connectivity and Placemaking. The project’s implementation would involve coordination between Austin’s Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of Transportation in the rehabilitation of I-35’s creek underpass and creation of new trails and pathways. The project would require a moderate cost for construction of new trails and underpass improvements, and would take a moderate time frame due to dependence on the successful implementation of the regional trail network also proposed in this plan.

Policy Connections »» Living Streets »» Equity in Mobility Bond Usage

BEFORE

Agencies and Partners »» Parks & Recreation Department »» Texas Department of Transportation »» Austin Transportation Department (ATD)

Funding Sources »» Mobility Bond »» ATD Special Projects »» Federal and State Grants

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Figure 111. Existing creek conditions (top) under the 1-35 underpass compared with a vision for the new creek trail (bottom).

Recommendations 89

Golf Course Conversion This project transforms the municipally-owned Roy Kizer Golf Course for improved recreation and community purposes, while better connecting trails within the Williamson Creek and Onion Creek regions.

Implementation

Roy Kizer Golf Course is located east of the Dove Springs neighborhood and bridges Dove Springs District Park, Onion Creek Soccer Complex, and McKinney Falls State Park, all of which are valued local public recreational resources. Despite the presence of these large-scale recreational resources, there is a distinct lack of accessibility and connectivity between the sites. Although Roy Kizer Golf Course is in character with the other resources in that it is an open space, the site is isolated from general public use, aside from those paying to play golf. The site’s networks of pedestrian paths are contained within the golf course, either dead-ending at the property lines or locating away from surrounding recreational uses.

Despite the lack of pedestrian connectivity between the golf course and surrounding amenities, Williamson Creek and Onion Creek wind through the site creating natural paths. These creeks could offer a primary means of connection, elevating the golf course land as valuable open space and realizing the vision for a regional recreational network. As discussed in the floodplain buyout park plan and trail network plan, a regional parkland and trail network would create a key recreational resource that will connect residents in the greater Williamson Creek and Onion

Creek watersheds. A key step in realizing this regional goal is a golf course conversion to create new parkland and improve trails near and along the creeks.

This proposal outlines minor, acupunctural changes at the site level, with the main alteration being a conversion in use. Existing golf cart paths would be converted to pedestrian trails and extended to connect with trails in Dove Springs District Park, Onion Creek Soccer Complex, and McKinney Falls State Park.

The Shenandoah River Campus in Bluemont, VA offers a useful

Policy Connections »» Floodplain Overlay »» Parks and Recreation Department Acquisition

Agencies and Partners »» Watershed Protection Department »» Parks & Recreation Department »» Austin Parks Foundation

Funding Sources »» Parks & Recreation Department »» Private Partnerships

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Short-Term Intervention Figure 112. Roy Kizer Golf Course shown next to Onion Creek Soccer Complex, Williamson Creek and Onion Creek.

precedent for using the space to host environmental education programs (Figure 113).18 The golf course use would become general parkland, allowing the public to enter and traverse the space without paying for a golf course package as currently required. In addition to offering improved trail connectivity, the new parkland could accommodate new uses that better respond to neighborhood needs. Additional green stormwater infrastructure facilities could be established in site areas that fall within the creek floodplains. This would further bolster Dove Spring’s ability to keep excess flood water away from homes during extreme weather events. Additionally, the new park space could support community farming ventures supplemental to those proposed

in the Site Redevelopment. Riverview Gardens in Appleton, WI offers a precedent. Riverview Country Club was converted to farming land and now houses an agriculture oriented job-training program (Figure 114, Figure 115).19,20 Altogether, the converted golf course would create new places for community recreation, improve trail connectivity, and establish farming ventures to create wealth.

The golf course conversion will first require a change in designated use by the City of Austin. The land is currently owned and run by the city, who would need to re-establish Roy Kizer Golf Course for general park purposes. Phasing out golf course uses could take the City a few years. Once the land has been reallocated for general public use, the city could next convert

golf course facilities, such as existing paths and buildings, for park use. The city should seek to connect golf course paths with existing trail networks in Dove Springs District Park, Onion Creek Soccer Complex, and McKinney Falls State Park. Once infrastructure is in place, the city could explore installation of green stormwater infrastructure within the creek floodplains.

Additionally, the city could work with community partners, such as Urban Roots Farm and Aqua Dolce Hydroponic Farm, to establish additional farming infrastructure and programs.

Overall costs will be moderate as construction funds will be needed for conversion of golf course paths and facilities, as well as for establishment of new stormwater and farming infrastructure.

Figure 114. Before conversion: golf course of the Riverview Country Club in Appleton, WI.

Figure 113. Golf course land reimagined as environmental education classrooms.

Figure 115. Post conversion: Riverview Gardens with farming greenhouses and job-training program.

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Recommendation #3 Emergency Warning & Wayfinding Strategy The Emergency Warning and Wayfinding Strategy seeks to learn from prior flooding events in Austin to ensure that all members of the community around Williamson Creek have a plan and place of refuge in the event of extreme weather emergencies.

The emergency warning and wayfinding strategy is a multi-layered approach that combines placemaking, technology, wayfinding, and the community.

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Emergency Warning & Wayfinding Strategy This project addresses flooding and heat risks by establishing evacuation strategies, while creating points of refuge within an existing network of community assets.

During the devastating floods of 2013, city officials found that critical infrastructure, like the flooding alert system, had failed for the residents of Dove Springs and nearby Onion Creek.

A number of gauges were submerged in water and damaged because they were not waterproof.21 Furthermore, in the Dove Springs neighborhoods, many residents were left confused and uncertain on how to reach safety due to the lack of bilingual accessible information, lack of responders coming to the neighborhood at all, and many who simply did not know to call 311 for bilingual operators for flood assistance. Even if residents knew of shelter on high ground, the shelters were far, their cars had been washed away, and people were walking through debris . There were significant failures in the emergency response of the city and lack of communication on post-disaster assistance.22

Williamson Creek’s historic flooding patterns and foretasted Atlas 14 floodplains put East and West Congress, Sweet Briar, and Dove Springs at continued risk of inundation. Additionally, Austin’s increasingly intense drought patterns contribute to greater risk of heatwave across the City. In these events of extreme weather, communities are at risk not just from water and heat, but from the physical and social isolation of sheltering in homes away from public resources.

Figure 116. Bilingual disaster relief assistance shelter at the Dove Springs Recreation Center for Austin.

Extreme weather can quickly disorient and compromise residents’ existing networks of people and places on which to reply. This intervention seeks to reinforce existing physical and social networks through the lens of emergency planning, ultimately ensuring that residents can become alerted to weather hazards, evacuate, maintain access to resources, and shelter with other community members.

Figure 117. Austin police chief apologizes to 500 community members for poor flood response in Dove Springs.

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Proposed Regional Trails

Proposed Evacuation Trails

Proposed Flood Sirens

Proposed Points of Refuge

Figure 118. Proposed Extreme Weather Hazard Plan.

The plan integrates a network of evacuation trails and flood sirens with points of refuge established within existing community assets.

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School Asset

Health Asset

Non-Profit Asset

In addition to the buyout program, evacuation routes, warning sirens, and points of refuge are proposed (Figure 118). The project builds on planned regional trails, which travels through the neighborhood by way of Williamson Creek. Warning sirens are established along the trails and streets in the floodplain to alert residents of impending flash floods. A series of evacuation routes lead from these trails along streets to refuge. Points of refuge were established using a suitability analysis of the highest, flattest areas away from flood waters (Figure 119). Each point of refuge is centered around an existing community asset that is well-equipped to handle emergency sheltering. St. Elmo Elementary School and the SE Branch Public Library each have large spaces for gathering, parking options, multiple restrooms, and are owned by the City of Austin, which makes these assets ideal for shelter mobilization. While located to avoid flooding, refuges could double as cooling shelters during heat waves.

Wayfinding, Warning, & Management The Extreme Weather Hazard Plan involves a series of strategies that employ physical infrastructure and community organizations, at both the neighborhood level and city-wide.

The first step in implementing this recommendation is a wayfinding strategy. A comprehensive route of signs is proposed to connect flooding creeks and homes, roadways, and points of refuge (Figure 120).23 Signs are integrated with the proposed

evacuation routes, providing clear visual cues about evacuation procedures and conveying a sense of urgency. High water mark signs are located along the floodplain, featuring information about historical flooding events to contextualize risk. Signs located along roadways use multiple strategies, from flashing lights, to water gauges, to caution messages. Last, signs located at refuge centers are intended to be bilingual to accommodate the neighborhood’s large Spanish-speaking population. Such bilingual signage would communicate presence of shelters, availability of medical and cooling resources, as well as share emergency preparedness education (Figure 121).24

St. Elmo Elementary School

Suitability Value for Refuge Low High Figure 119. Suitability Analysis used to determine locations of points of refuge.

St. Elmo Elementary School and SE Brunch Public Library are suitably located outside of the floodplain and have ideal physical layouts to accommodate residents sheltering from water or heat.

SE Branch Public Library Recommendations

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Building on the signage strategy, a proposed network of sensors seeks to improve the neighborhood’s capacity for flood warning. Although the City of Austin Watershed Protection Department currently has a Flood Early Warning System, the system’s water gauges and cameras do not comprehensively cover the Williamson Creek floodplain. The creek’s potential for future flooding requires further investment at the neighborhood scale. This project proposes the development of an additional floodplain-level warning system located along Williamson Creek.

The new warning system would be modeled after the approach used by Rice University’s Severe Storm Prediction, Education, and Evacuation from Disasters Center. Rice’s Flood Alert Systems (FAS4) use real-time radar data to measure rainfall levels and generate predictive flood maps at critical locations (Figure 122).25 This precedent system uses technology that alerts sirens and sends warnings through phone apps.

Establishment of a similar system could radically improve the quality of local data and provide Williamson Creek neighborhood residents with more specialized advance warning of flash flooding.

In addition to the physical strategies established by evacuation routes, sirens, points of refuge, signage, and warning systems, this project recommends a management strategy to ensure long-term viability of extreme weather preparedness in Williamson Creek. The Wesley Center for Family and Neighborhood Development, an existing community organization, could be expanded to manage disaster response strategies in the Williamson Creek neighborhood.

The organization’s current role as a resource for community initiatives makes it ideal to help disseminate information about the proposed Extreme Weather Hazard Plan (Figure 123).26 The Center could partner with points of refuge assets to create a transition plan for emergencies, maintain evacuation routes, and house a new technology team to manage the neighborhood Flood Alert System.

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points of refuge signage

roadway flooding signage

creek flooding signage

Figure 120. Signage strategy leading from flooding creeks to points of refuge located on higher grounds.

Figure 121. Bilingual signage design strategies.

Proposed signs located at points of refuge would be bilingual and educational to better accommodate and prepare Spanish speakers.

Altogether, this project exemplifies the strategies of Building Connectivity and Placekeeping, in that it strengthens social and infrastructure networks in events of extreme weather while maintaining critical places for community refuge.

Based on the project’s complex physical and organizational aspects, implementation could take up to 10 years to fully realize with a moderate cost anticipated. Funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency would be sought for assistance with all aspects of the project that could be eligible.

Figure 122. Flood Alert Systems (FAS4) detecting flash floods from Rice University.

Implementation

FAS4 can be applied along Williamson Creek’s floodplains to detect and warn flash floods before they happen.

Policy Connections »» City-Wide Climate Education Program

Agencies and Partners »» Watershed Protection Department »» University of Texas at Austin »» Wesley Center for Family and Neighborhood Development

Funding Sources »» Watershed Protection Department

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Short-Term Intervention

Figure 123. Wesley Center for Family and Neighborhood Development holding kids activities.

The Center would continue their work as a community leader by providing emergency preparedness resources and by implementing and maintaining the proposed Extreme Weather Hazard Plan.

Recommendations

97

Recommendation #4 South Congress Resilient TOD The South Congress Resilient TOD recommendation encourages resilient transit-oriented development along the new proposed Orange Line. Within this new transit corridor, there is an opportunity to provide new housing on high-ground away from flood waters, as well as retrofit buildings and infrastructure for better stormwater management.

Included in the recommendation is a proposal for new streetcar stations, implementation of a TOD overlay zone, introduction of a new floodplain overlay policy, and leveraging of active transit construction sites for complete street redesign.

98 Keep Austin Resilient

South Congress Resilient TOD This plan aims to facilitate the transition of the current car-oriented South Congress Avenue to a human-scale, transit corridor with flooding-resilient design, with new mixed-use development along the corridor.

South Congress Avenue in Williamson Creek highlights some of the biggest tensions in the community. There is already new development under construction and many projects in the pipeline that are hoping to bring many new residents to the area.

In addition, CapMetro’s proposed Orange Line streetcar system promises to fuel further rapid growth. However, the streetcar line runs directly through the growing floodplain. This conflict between new development and floodplains is common in many neighborhoods in Austin.

feet. With a much shorter distance, the transit line can provide residents and employees with easier access to the streetcar line and the neighborhood will be better connected internally and to downtown. Better local access will also potentially increase property values along the South Congress Avenue and therefore incentivize TOD. In addition, the city needs to be proactive in attracting dense, mixed-use development that both provides new housing for a growing neighborhood and provides street-level commercial frontages to encourage biking and walking. This can happen

through a TOD Overlay Zoning, a zoning overlay that the city already employs. Enacting this overlay before the streetcar system is installed is the proactive approach the city needs to take in this corridor.

This new mixed-use and transit-oriented corridor can provide a range of housing types for a range of incomes, provide some housing for relocation out of the floodplain, and by encouraging biking, walking, and transit-use it can promote a more sustainable lifestyle for everyone in the community.

This recommendation capitalizes on the growing interest in development along South Congress to provide the city with a set of ideas for how to ensure this development is resilient, community-oriented, and human-scale.

New Stations and TOD Overlay Zoning In CapMetro’s original plan, there are only two stops in the Williamson Creek neighborhood—one at the intersection of Ben White Boulevard and South Congress Avenue, and the other at the intersection of Stassney Lane and South Congress Avenue.

These two intersections are both major road and are more than 1.5 miles away from each other, about a 30 minutes walk.

This makes sense for a commuter rail system, like CapMetro’s existing Red Line, but a streetcar system needs to be more human-scale to be successful.

This proposal sites five new proposed stops at several intersections with local roads along the avenue, all within a 10 minute walk-shed of each other. After adding five stops along the way, the distance between two stops will be around 1000

Figure 124. Existing new development on South Congress.

Precedent

Future growth should be concentrated along this fast-growing corridor, so existing residential communities in the neighborhood will be less challenged by the development pressure infiltrated from downtown.

Figure 125. Existing car-oriented roadway of South Congress.

Lancaster Corridor, Dallas, TX Southern Dallas, which was physically and economically separated from downtown after the construction of I-30 in the 1960s, is undergoing a renaissance focused on TOD. One of Dallas’s first GrowSouth projects is Lancaster Urban Village, located seven miles south of downtown, on the Lancaster Road commercial corridor across from the VA Medical Center and the DART VA Medical Center station.27 Developed by Dallasbased Catalyst Urban Development and City Wide Community Development Corporation in partnership with the city, 193-unit mixed-income apartment complex on 3.5 acres opened in 2014.

Recommendations

99

Moratorium on building in floodplain

Floodplain Overlay Policy

Raise buildings 2 feet within 200 ft buffer of floodplain

As mentioned above, there is a clear tension along this corridor between new development and the floodplain. That tension is exacerbated by the proposal of a TOD Overlay. However, another zoning policy that overrides the TOD Overlay can correct the imbalance.

New Proposed Stops

Figure 127. Permeable pavement.

Figure 128. Rainwater harvesting.

This area is an example of where the city might implement the proposed Floodplain Overlay Policy to manage growth around the floodplain. This Floodplain Overlay will impose a moratorium on new buildings in the floodplain shown by the hatched pattern on the map (Figure 126). Within a 200 foot buffer around the floodplain, there will be requirement for buildings to be raised by at least two feet. In addition, floodable design is required, such as ground floor parking structure and a rainwater harvesting system as shown by the precedent pictures. The pavement should also be made from pervious materials. Although the plan encourages development along the South Congress Avenue, these restriction and requirements ensure flooding-safe properties that protect future residents in the neighborhood.

Implementation

City-Proposed Stops

Policy Connections »» Floodplain Overlay »» TOD Overlay »» Mobility Bond

Agencies and Partners »» CapMetro »» Austin Transportation Department

Funding Sources »» CapMetro »» Texas Department of Transportation »» Private Partnerships

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Figure 126. Interventions along South Congress: streetcar stations, TOD incentive area, and floodplain overlay.

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Medium-Term Intervention

Leverage Construction for Stormwater Management CapMetro has proposed the Orange Line Streetcar as a center-running line down South Congress. In order to build this new capability, the city will need to take major steps to pull up and redesign the entire street. This provides an opportunity to leverage existing capital improvements to increase resiliency in the long-term.

When the project is underway, the city could install stormwater management both at street-level and below streetlevel to help offset more water than new development might be able to offset with permeable pavement and rainwater harvesting (Figure 132).

In addition to the roadway, the sidewalks could be widened to improve the street experience for people walking and street trees could be added to provide shade and refuge during the heat of the summer. Given the opportunity to substantially increase water management capacity along the avenue, this opportunity should not be missed.

6ft

5ft

10.5ft

10.5ft

12ft

10.5ft

10.5ft

Sidewalk

Bike lane

Drive lane

Drive lane

Turn lane

Drive lane

Drive lane

5ft

6ft

Bike Sidewalk lane

Mixed-use building

Figure 130. Transit bioswale, Portland, OR. Transit stop Bioswale

Street-level retention

Floodwater detention

Figure 132. Proposed transit corridor resilient streetscape design.

Figure 131. Bioswale, Salt Lake City, UT.

Recommendations 101

Recommendation #5 Industrial Redevelopment Site The Industrial Redevelopment Site recommendation targets several parcels of undeveloped land throughout the Williamson Creek area.

The recommendation identifies industrial areas near city-owned land as well as Imagine Austin’s growth centers, which are used to strategically locate new development. The industrial redevelopment seeks to provide housing options for flood buyout recipients, create a green job center, and establish a community hub.

102 Keep Austin Resilient

Industrial Site Redevelopment This light-industrial redevelopment provides space for new housing, stormwater management, a much needed community hub for the Dove Spring community, and urban farming and outdoor education opportunities.

This industrial site currently has light-industrial uses such as storage facilities and is subject to change due to its adjacency to designated Imagine Austin job and neighborhood centers. This is already an area where the city owns property and is targeted for redevelopment. Ecologically, this site is located at the upper reaches of multiple creek tributaries that flow into Williamson Creek, providing a great opportunity to proactively manage water. In addition, this site can serve as a transition zone between the industrial activity north of the site and the Dove Springs residents south of the site.

Surrounding the redevelopment site (Figure 133), there are nearby schools and institutions that this site can improve connectivity for local residents to access. Furthermore, there are future plans for a new BRT blue line that will run right through this site. All these factors make this industrial redevelopment site a critically important component in planning for the Williamson Creek neighborhood.

Housing With a high demand for housing and housing costs increasing, this industrial redevelopment site provides space to build much needed homes at varying price points to meet the needs of the lower income residents in need of housing stability in Dove Springs, and provides new housing in anticipation of the incoming job center.

Figure 133. Critical sites.

The critical sites highlighted above show publicly-owned land, key institutions such as schools or an urban farm, and intersections where the redevelopment will improve connectivity to these existing assets. A proposed Blue Line BRT runs right through the site.

Recommendations 103

Figure 134. Phases one and two.

Phases one and two prioritize redevelopment of the city-owned lot and proactive stormwater management planning.

Figure 135. Phases three and four.

Phases three and four work to improve connectivity to other roads and to the surrounding neighborhood.

104 Keep Austin Resilient

Figure 136. Final site plan land uses for the redevelopment site.

The site plan shows a gradient of land uses, allowing for residential, mixed-use residential, and mixed-use office and industrial spaces.

Varying density levels, as well as park spaces and stormwater roads are shown on this site plan too.

Precedent

Relocation Housing The redevelopment site would also serve as a major source of relocation housing in conjunction with the long term buyout strategy (Figure 141). The city needs to assist homeowners who are relocating to find nearby housing and priority of subsidized housing will be given to displaced residents. This will be in accordance with the recommended housing policies.

Mixed Land Uses Keeping in mind the need for this space to serve as a transition zone between competing industrial and residential land uses, the redevelopment plan prioritizes a mix of land uses in addition to residential housing and allows for varying densities (Figure 136).

This creates a gradient of land uses and provides opportunity for much needed community assets and commercial businesses that are walkable and serve the residents who live in Dove Springs.

Langs Community Hub Cambridge, Ontario Established as an organization in 1978, Langs established a community hub in Cambridge in 2012 that hosts approximately 25 service agencies with a wide array of services, including an early childhood education resources, adult and senior citizen programs, and health and wellness education programs.28 All programs operate within an impressive 58,000 square feet of green space.

The Langs Hub co-locates several community organizations that connect the dots between diabetes education, mental health services, and other social services organizations working on challenges that relate to housing, employment, education, social support, food security, and environment.

Community Hub In order to establish, deliver, and distribute resources in a fair and just way, especially to those who need it the most, creating a community hub within the redevelopment site is key to strengthening this neighborhood area. Community hubs offer a number of benefits to respond to several of Austin’s neighborhood challenges: »» Enhance learning opportunities and wellbeing for students. »» Offer a very concrete way that families can access a range of services. The collaboration between different community agencies and service providers puts residents first and is what makes this model truly unique. »» Provide improved access to services and better outcomes for people. »» Co-locating and/or providing wrap-around services through a community hub provides individuals with access to a broader range of services through increased connectivity leading to improved results.

The community hub would dedicate building footprint as well as green space at the core of the site. Based upon a fair assessment in identifying the unique gaps in assets specific to the Williamson Creek community, several suggested anchor tenants would

Figure 137. Community hub.

include those providing quality healthcare facilities and services; delivering easy access to quality fresh foods; creating critical working space for local nonprofits and other community organizations; and establishing warm and inviting public gathering spaces. Given that Dove Springs has many Hispanic residents, this hub is centered around a public square that locals expressed in community meetings are desired features in their neighborhood that are prevalent as gathering spaces in their home countries.

Additionally, it is vital to involve community members in every step of the decision-making process to ensure that the center benefits the needs, wants, and wishes for those who will greatly benefit from the asset.

Overall, the community hub would serve as the central nerve to the redevelopment site by creating vibrant centers of community life that generate economic and social benefits.

Figure 138. Langs Community Hub Center.

Recommendations 105

Due to the fact this redevelopment sits at the head of multiple tributaries that flow into Williamson Creek, it is critical that the design of this site manages significantly more water than it does displace. Figure 136 shows the identified locations of existing green spaces that can be turned into bioretention ponds to create a public amenity and serve the environmental functions of managing water. In addition,the site plan identifies opportunities for green streets along new road construction that can hold and convey water into the new bioretention ponds as well.

In conjunction with the stormwater management strategies, improved connectivity to residents, and new relocation housing, the redevelopment site creates opportunities for various urban farming and educational partnerships with nearby schools.

Second Street Detention Basin & Park, Champaign, IL

For example, Agua Dulce is the state’s first large scale aquaponic farm and Urban Roots is the only farm-based youth leadership organization in Austin.29,30 Both organizations could partner with AISD in creating a school sized hydroponic farm or community garden located on the new redevelopment site as a supplemental teaching tool to classroom curriculum. Students would take field trips to the site for learning exercise, educational tours, as well as regularly monitor and nurture their growing gardens.

A seven phase restoration redevelopment project to restore Boneyard Creek created the Second Street Detention Basin.31 The design created a new recreational public space that simultaneously expanded the area’s stormwater holding capacity and enhanced ecological function. The detention basin connects to a larger park system that links to downtown and universities through open space, trails, and pedestrian pathways, while providing 100year flood protection.

The project would establish an environmental education program with adjacent AISD schools such Rodriguez Elementary School, as well as other local charters schools and early childhood programs. Using small pockets of green space on the redevelopment, nearby urban farming and agriculture organizations could leverage these spaces as “pilot plot” which would allow them to provide hands-on education tools for students.

Figure 140. Urban Roots youth education program.

Implementation

Education & Farming

Precedents

Stormwater Management

Policy Connections »» Office of Housing Stability »» AISD Outdoor Program Expansion

Agencies and Partners »» Master Developer »» Parks & Recreation Department »» Department of Economic Development »» Urban Foots Farm, Aqua Dulce Hydroponic Farm »» Rodriguez Elementary School

Funding Sources Tax Increment Financing Community Development Block Grant Home CHDO FEMA

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»» »» »» »»

Figure 141. Housing relocation strategy.

One of the greatest barriers to floodplain buyouts is the availability of comparable, nearby homes for relocation. The redevelopment site accounts for relocation housing for the Williamson Creek residents in the floodplain (shown in red) and also future work force housing that will be needed with plans for the job and neighborhood center underway.

Recommendations 107

Tannehill Branch

3.5

square miles

13,300

total population, an increase of 4,000 people since 2000

$42,300

median household income, about $20,000 below the city-wide median

Tannehill Branch is made up of several diverse neighborhoods outside of the core of the City of Austin.

The area’s built environment is characteristic of an inner-ring suburb, though many parts of the Tannehill Branch area are industrial. While the western, more residential half of the area was part of the City of Austin at mid-20th century, the most industrial eastern part was annexed into the city from the 1960s to 1980s.

Tannehill Branch location in Austin

Legend Focus area Building footprints City parks 500-year floodplain Creeks Figure 142. Tannehill Branch focus area.

Tannehill is half of the size of Williamson Creek in area with a total population around 13,000. This focus area is bordered by Boggy Creek, Webberville Road, Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, and state highway 183. Springdale Road is a major thoroughfare of the Tannehill Branch area.

Tannehill encompasses a few neighborhoods, namely MLK, MLK-183 to its east, and Govalle neighborhood to its south. The railroad line in the south of the area will carry CapMetro’s planned Green Line commuter rail.

108 Keep Austin Resilient

Historic Minority Neighborhoods An extension of the original segregated plan for Austin that designated much of the area east of I-35 the “Negro district,” much of Austin’s African American history going back to the 19th century is sited in the Tannehill Branch area. As is true across Austin, the black population share in Tannehill Branch has declined in recent decades as African American families have moved out of the city. Today, the area represented a number of diverse enclaves.

Changing Demographics 41%

MLK MLK-183

2000 49%

22% 49% 14% 0.2%

2017 27%

1%

Govalle Hispanic

Neighborhoods in Tannehill Branch

Figure 143. Bethany Cemetery is the first African American cemetery in Austin.

Tannehill Branch has two historic African American cemeteries, Bethany Cemetery and Plummers Cemetery, which date back to the 1800s. These cemeteries were built at a time when racial segregation kept African Americans from being buried in Austin’s central cemetery.

White

Black

Other

The neighborhood has undergone a racial shift overtime as the African American communities have left the city and white residents have moved in.

An African American Community at Mid-Century

Figure 146. Volma Overton, an African American leader in Austin and MLK-183 resident.

Figure 144. Calle Limon in the Govalle neighborhood.

The Limons are a Mexican American founding family of Austin.

Over five generations of the family still live in Govalle today.

Figure 145. Publicity for a 1950s subdivision for African American families along Springdale.

The locally-designated home of Volma Overton, head of the Austin chapter of the NAACP for many years who was instrumental in integrating Austin’s public schools, is located in the Tannehill Branch area.

Recommendations 109

Annexation and Development

Existing Community Assets

Figure 147. State Route 183, circa 1954.

Blair Woods Nature Preserve The Blair Woods Nature Preserve is a Travis Audubon-operated, 10-acre nature preserve. It offers free access to a nature loop and family programing.

Figure 148. Renaming of MLK Boulevard.

In 1975, 19th Street was renamed Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

110 Keep Austin Resilient

Givens District Park on Springdale Road Givens District park is a well-programmed and well-equipped community park in the MLK neighborhood. It has recently undergone capital improvements.

Austin Community College, Eastview Campus Austin Community College is located on the far western edge of the neighborhood and provides academic and technical education. The campus includes a daycare center and a workforce development nonprofit.

Housing First A number of housing resources are located in the Tannehill Branch Area. The Austin’s Women and Children’s Shelter, LifeWorks (a resource center and shelter for youth and young parents), and a new “housing first” facility with integrated care, Terrace at Oak Springs, are all situated in the area.

Austin Public Library, Willie Mae Kirk Branch An Austin Public Library Branch is one of several community civic assets.

Congregation of the Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church Greater Mount Zion is a historic congregation with nearly 90 years of history. It is one of more than 30 churches in the Tannehill Branch area, many of which are historically African American or Hispanic.

Recommendations

111

Figure 149. Contributors to change in the Tannehill Branch area.

The Tannehill Branch area is dotted by recognizable new development adjacent to older tract homes, including in the floodplain. As is true throughout Austin, development pressure is moving eastward. The area’s proximity to the Mueller redevelopment and downtown is driving interest in this area. Additionally, the planned Green Line commuter rail will bring opportunities for connections, and further burden the area with a new and potentially wealthier population.

Neighborhood Challenges As a community going through rapid change, the Tannehill Branch area faces a number of challenges:

Shifting Demographics Though a historically African American area of Austin, the Black share of the population has declined in the last few decades as the white population share has risen. Further, the population is aging; 14 percent of the Tannehill Branch area is over 65, compared to about 11 percent across Austin.

New Artist Population The Tannehill Branch focus area has

seen an influx of local artists to the area, especially concentrated on the southern part of Springdale Road. Several large industrial buildings have been converted to gallery and work spaces and a large nonprofit hub was recently built in the area. Although the area welcomes new residents and celebrates diversity, the swing in population could pose challenges in terms of housing costs and neighborhood identity.

Flooding History Central Texas Drought 2008 - 2016

First Memorial Day Flood, 1981

The flood led to the channelization of Boggy Creek, impacting the Tannehill Branch area.

Recent Flood History Tannehill Branch is roughly 1.5% of the land in the city, yet it accounts for 2.3% of flood complaints this year.

Road Safety Many of the streets on the west side of Tannehill Branch are on Austin’s High Injury Network, which presents a major safety issue for pedestrians and bikers.

Floodplains There are several clusters of homes that are

located within the Atlas 14 500-year floodplains. Additionally, about 11 percent of the buildings in this focus area are within these floodplains, specifically concentrated along Tannehill Branch Creek, Boggy Creek, and Fort Branch Creek.

Despite the major residential areas that were located in the Atlas 14 500-year floodplain areas, there is still a fair amount of development occurring within the neighborhoods. This new heightened development threatens the future safety of those who may be impacted during Austin’s pattern of heavy rainfall and flooding.

School Closures The Austin Independent School District (AISD) is planning to close several schools across the city. In the Tannehill Branch focus area alone, there are four elementary schools that will be impacted by the 2019 AISD School Change Plan. Specifically, Sims Elementary will be closed and the other elementary schools will experience changes in their enrollment as a result.

Limited Transit The Tannehill Branch focus area currently

has several bus stops, but could greatly benefit from CapMetro’s planned future bus route extension and the addition of high frequency bus routes.

Food Access There is a lack of fresh food options within the

neighborhoods in the Tannehill Branch area. Although there are several small markets, there is no larger, full-service grocery store option within the Tannehill Branch focus area boundaries.

Recommendations 113

Recommendation #1 New Park and Trail System

Recommendation #2 Short-Term Interventions

Recommendation #3 Living History Culture Walk

Tannehill Branch Intervention Overview Similar to Williamson Creek, all of the recommendations for Tannehill Branch work together towards the goal of a resilient, equitable, community-centered neighborhood.

However, different from Williamson Creek, the interventions in Tannehill represent suggestions on a smaller-scale that are more targeted to specific sites and work around many existing community assets. The interventions for Tannehill Branch include a new park and trail system, short-term stormwater interventions, living streets, a culture walk, and a series of site-specific neighborhood redevelopments.

There is currently no voluntary buyout program offered in the Tannehill Branch area. The New Park and Trail System and Buyout Program would propose a new park system which would serve a dual purpose of managing stormwater in upper reaches and in the expanded Atlas 14 floodplain and connecting residents north to south.

Short-term interventions seek to improve connectivity and flooding before the larger buyout program is completed.

Included in this is a set of stormwater interventions and a series of living streets to improve safety.

To celebrate existing history while embracing new cultures, the Living History Culture Walk would celebrate the African American and Latinx legacies of the area and encourage the current community to create their own cultural identity.

Recommendation #4 Neighborhood Site Redevelopments

114 Keep Austin Resilient

Finally, new site redevelopments and infill projects will leverages existing vacant and City-owned land in Tannehill Branch to address different needs of existing neighborhoods based on issues ranging from demographics, transit and flooding.

There are three proposed sites: the Red Bluff Redevelopment, Bolm Road TOD, and Sims Grocery Development.

Figure 150. Overview of Tannehill Branch interventions.

All of the recommendations work together to address neighborhood-specific issues while also working as prototypical solutions for issues that Austin is facing in several neighborhoods.

Recommendation #1 New Park and Trail System The recommendations focus on providing long-term solutions to the dangerous flooding situation in the area. By relocating residents out of the floodplain to safer, comparable housing, the floodplain can be reverted to open space that can manage flood waters.

New floodplain parks connect residents to recreational assets through new parks and trails while doubling as a flood control measure that will protect the neighborhoods for decades to come.

New Park System Proposed Trail Environmental Signage

New Park System A new park system in the Tannehill Branch Creek area is a long-term vision for large-scale flood protection and heat reduction. The park system will be made up of a collection of parcels that will be slowly acquired through voluntary buyouts in the floodplain.

A recommendation of this scale requires collaboration from many different city-agencies to: »» Manage outreach and education on the urgency of flooding and the opportunity to participate in the voluntary buyout program through the proposed city-wide climate education campaign »» Work with every single family to identify and build comparable housing in the neighborhood »» Remediate the land once the family has been successfully relocated.

Buyouts are an iterative process and support should also be provided to existing homeowners and renters during the transition to ensure continued stability. The final expanded park system will be an asset to the community that can offer recreation, social, and educational opportunities.

Due to the poorly draining soil and the increasing storm events, residents in the Tannehill Branch area are regularly affected by flooding. The heat and drought also create challenges to maintaining the vegetation and tree canopy, which is already deficient in the area. In 2019, 57 cases of flooding complaints originated from this area alone.1 Residents’ lives and property values are and will continue to be threatened by flood risk if nothing is done.

Overall, 11.5 percent of buildings are currently standing on floodplain, according to the Atlas 14 study,2 which more than doubled the size of the floodplain in this area. Almost half of those 717 building footprints are now officially at risk of more serious flooding since they were incorporated into the floodplain that is between Givens District Park and East Boggy Creek Greenbelt.3 In the long-term, the floodplain will continue to grow as climate change worsens and affect more neighborhood properties.

The buyout park not only helps the Tannehill Branch area adapt to climate change, but also creates additional recreational opportunities by increasing open space and extending trails.

Currently, the parks and open space account for around 11 percent of the land use here.4 This is 21.6 acres per 1,000 residents, which is lower than the 22.1 acres across the city,5 indicating room for improvement.

Figure 151. Tannehill Branch Creek and Fort Branch Creek.

Both of these creeks have sections that are channelized and natural. Atlas 14 greatly expanded the floodplain for both creeks.

Recommendations 117

Buildings in floodplain

Ultimately, this proposal is about improving quality of life for residents in Tannehill. Moving out of a home is be a stressful process and this process should not be taken lightly. However, all Austinites deserve to have a safe home that is not at risk of flooding.

The voluntary buyout program in Tannehill Branch Creek should be seen as a proactive and forward-thinking approach to full-scale flood management. By beginning this process now, the city has the ability to do outreach and education and plan relocation before a major flood damages homes and costs lives.

This long-term park buyout strategy is an integrated solution for flood management, recreational activity and ecosystem planning. The trail proposal targets the need for enhanced trail connectivity within the neighborhood and considers the residents here as primary beneficiaries of the regional greenbelt trail system. For residential areas nearby, property values will also be enhanced. As a result, the buyout park is multi-functional for both people and environment, by strengthening the community resiliency in the face of flood, heat, and drought.

New development

Expanded park in floodplain

Policies and Partners The new park system cannot happen without support from the City and partners in the neighborhood. The proposed Office of Housing Stability would be integral to managing the relocation of families from the floodplain into newly build and comparable homes within the neighborhood. In some cases, replacement housing can be customized to correct housing size mismatch and address obstacles to older residents aging in place. The Office of Housing Stability’s comprehensive programs would also ensure that the new park system is an asset to the community and benefits surrounding residents instead of displacing them.

Figure 152. Sections of the new park shows how the floodplain would no longer impact any homes and new development could be located outside the floodplain.

The AISD Outdoor Program Expansion and city-wide climate education campaign could also be critical sources of education and outreach for the buyout program. This multi-generational educational approach can help families understand the severity of flooding impacts and how likely it is that a flooding event have disastrous impacts in their neighborhoods.

As a benefit for the neighborhood, a buyout park is one of the largest contributors to the Community Rating System point system. This is important because buyouts will take decades.

Over the 30-year phased timeline, all existing families will still need affordable flood insurance. This will recommendation will be a major move towards getting a cost reduction.

118 Keep Austin Resilient

Figure 153. Homes in the 500-year floodplain before buyout.

Figure 154. New Park System after buyout.

Existing Park System New Park System Figure 155. The new Park System after the buyout.

The buyout process and transformation of open space offers long-term protection to residents while providing a key source of shade and recreational opportunity in the neighborhoods.

Recommendations 119

Figure 156. This new trail system will officially connect Givens District Park (below) with the larger Souther Walnut Creek Hike and Bike Trail (right).

This will provide residents in Tannehill with new access to parts of the city via walking and biking.

New Trail System A new trail system will connect communities within the Tannehill Branch Creek area and connect to Austin’s wider trail network.

There are existing trails that run through the Boggy Creek Greenbelt and along Walnut creek to the east of the neighborhood.6 The City has also attempted to connect the Tannehill Branch area with the planned regional trails through neighborhood parks, such as the proposed Southern Walnut Creek Trail that connects the newly refurbished Govalle Neighborhood Park.7

Sou

ther nW alnu

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Trail

However, these existing and proposed trails are on the edge of the area and do not provide enough connections through the area. Local connection within the neighborhoods, both trails and sidewalks, are poor, despite the fact that the area has been growing.

Proposed Trail Environmental Signage

Figure 157. Proposed Urban Trails and signage locations for Tannehill Branch Buyout Parks.

Signs will educate users about the dangers of flooding and the community flooding history.

120 Keep Austin Resilient

The trails proposed here aim to improve connectivity within the neighborhood and to existing trails. Following the creeks, these trails lay mainly north to south, creating a holistic trail system through Boggy Creek Greenbelt, Govalle Neighborhood Park, Givens Park, and the Morris Williams Golf Course.

Together with the Buyout Parks, the residential area southeast of Givens Park will become a crucial trail connection between Boggy Creek Greenbelt and Givens Park.

Such an extensive trail network not only improves resident’s access to existing park and open space resources, but also to regional trails (e.g. to the West branch of Boggy Creek Greenbelt) and to other community assets (e.g. Austin Community College on the west side, and Springdale General on Webberville Road and Alf Avenue).

Trail & Park Programming Neighborhood Park Programming Simply providing more green spaces is not enough to activate this new park and trail system. The best way to activate public spaces is to layer different programs, activities and amenities to enable more social connection in Tannehill. The new park should be a neighborhood-based park that can accommodate the needs of all users and ages. Givens District Park has several established programming options that can be expanded to the new parks. Potlucks and BBQs for family and friends, dog parks for dog owners, arts and crafts nights for seniors and kids, and outdoor exercise events for every Tannehill resident will ensure equitable activation of the new park space.

Figure 159. Proposed education signage.

Environmental signage along the trail can educate users about flooding, drought, water quality, recycling, and trash, as well as the history of flood management in the area.

Trail Programming Policy Connections

Implementation

Trail programming is also a critical aspect of ensuring that trails are well used and that communities are aware of all that their local trails have to offer. The multi-use new trail system will provide recreational and educational opportunities throughout new park system. Trial programming in Tannehill should improve the trail user experience, promote recreational trail use for transportation access and connections, and protect the environment by directing visitors onto designated trails.

Interpretive environmental signs and wayfinding allow both Tannehill residents and visitors to get to know the environmental resources and recreational systems in the area. The interpretive signs should be designed to educate users about natural features and natural history along the trail. These signs better connect residents to their creek by communicating the history of channelization and the city’s historic approach to water management, as well as educating people about the buyout parks. Other signs could more generally educate people about runoff, water quality, and the impacts of trash on the creeks.

Wayfinding signage can also help people in Tannehill or visitors reach their destinations through the new trail system easily and distance markers can encourage longer recreation.

»» Community Rating System »» Floodplain Buyout Program »» Office of Housing Stability

Agencies and Partners »» »» »» »» »» »»

Watershed Protection Department Park & Recreation Department Office of Housing Stability Office of Real Estate Services US Army Corps of Engineers FEMA

Funding Sources »» FEMA

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This new park and trail system can include a range of programmed and unprogrammed spaces for people to have picnics (top), run with their dogs (second to top), exercise (second to bottom), or simply sit along the creek (bottom).

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Figure 158. Proposed trail activities.

Long-Term Intervention

Recommendations 121

Recommendation #2 Short-Term Interventions Short-term interventions in the area will help manage stormwater runoff that is polluting waterways as well as addressing the issue of flooding before the buyout park can be fully implemented.

The short-term recommendations include building out stormwater detention capacity in existing park spaces and implementing Living Streets to create safer streets for all users—walking, biking, or driving.

Floodplain Existing Park System Living Streets Conveyance

Agencies and Partners »» Watershed Protection Department »» Parks & Recreation Department

Funding Sources »» Watershed Protection Department »» Parks & Recreation Department »» Drainage Fees

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In these new ponds, the Watershed Protection Department could work with the Park and Recreation Department to conduct detailed watershed analysis and hold neighborhood meetings to seek additional insights for the recreational value of the ponds.

»» Community Rating System »» Drainage Fee Revisions

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Detention ponds are a typical engineering solution to capture and slow down water flow from upstream to downstream, preventing flood overflows. Fortunately, Tannehill Branch has good existing park resources to provide space for these stormwater interventions—Morris Williams Golf Course and Givens District Park. Opportunity exists for implementation of detention ponds, especially because the Givens District Park Master Plan specifics that open space and buffers are planned along the Tannehill Branch.9

Precedent

The expanded 500-year floodplain almost doubles the number of residential households in the floodplain along Tannehill Branch between Boggy Creek Greenbelt and Givens District Park.

In 2019, flood complaints were heavily concentrated in this area compared to other parts of Tannehill. While converting buyout land to parkland is a long-term strategy, creek-level

interventions are necessary to protect households in the short-term.

Implementation

The creek management intervention builds up flood management capacity in the upper reaches of Tannehill Branch Creek in order to slow the flow of water and flooding into the existing floodplain area. This can help reduce the impacts on neighborhood residents in the near-term as the voluntary buyout program is pursued.

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Creek Management

Murray Parkway Golf Course, UT More frequent and severe storm events challenge golf course’s ability to absorb water and maintain a resilient landscape. Utah’s Murray Golf Course is public land. A series of upper stream ponds captures silt and trash, while the ponds near the end of the series harvest stormwater for landscape irrigation.8 Murray also promotes environmental stewardship by adding educational signs and a showcase rain garden.

Figure 161. Detention Ponds in Murray Parkway Golf Course.

Figure 160. New Pond Design in Givens District Park that will help manage stormwater and flood events.

Recommendations 123

Living Streets Living Streets is a combination of Complete Streets and green streets aimed at increasing safety, creating a pleasant walking environment, and providing on-street stormwater management.

As discussed in the Policy Interventions, Complete Streets are designed to enable safe use and mobility for all users, including pedestrians, bikers, and users of all ages. A green street is a stormwater management approach that incorporates vegetation (e.g. perennials, shrubs, trees), soil, and engineered systems (e.g., permeable pavements) to slow, filter, and cleanse stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces (e.g., streets, sidewalks).

Many of the roads in the Tannehill Branch area have been identified as part of the Austin’s High Injury Network, roads in the city that have the highest number of serious injury or fatal crashes. Many of the roads in Tannehill Branch are also missing sidewalks.

At the same time, streets are a major source of impermeable surfaces and adding in street-level stormwater management like bioswales can help with water quality before the water reaches the creeksheds.

Major Roads and Neighborhood Roads Floodplain Existing Park System High Injury Network Missing Sidewalks

Figure 162. Tannehill Branch has a number of roads included in Austin’s High Injury Network.

Just 8 percent of Austin’s street network contains nearly 70 percent of all serious injury or fatal crashes.

124 Keep Austin Resilient

The Living Streets policy can be implemented at two different scales in this area. The interventions along the major roads can focus on safety improvements like street calming, bumpouts, improved crossings, and hardened centerlines to reduce speeds.

Interventions along neighborhood roads will provide traffic calming as well as stormwater interventions.

At the arterial scale, the streetscape can be engineered to increase bike and pedestrian safety and increase connectivity within the neighborhood. The key arterials for improvement are Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard that connects to downtown, East 12th Street that connects to Boggy Creek, and Springdale Road that connects to Little Walnut Creek Greenbelt and Colorado River Metro Park and divides the area.

Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

East 12th Street

Existing Park System Major Roads Living Streets Neighborhood Roads Living Streets Conveyance

Govalle Ave

Figure 164. Living Street interventions on arterial and neighborhood roads.

Figure 163. Existing conditions of select major roads and neighborhood roads show the opportunities for safety and stormwater management.

Recommendations 125

Currently, the major thoroughfares act as barriers for resident movement because of lack of pedestrian crossings and high traffic speed. At right (Figure 166) the intersection at Springdale Road and Oak Spring Drive demonstrates this intervention.

This is a key intersection because in the future it will connect two major green open spaces in the neighborhood, the Givens District Park and the new Buyout Park system. Adding traffic calming infrastructure and providing pedestrians with more road space will also increase safety. The proposal also includes adding sidewalks, creating bump outs at the intersection, and installing raised crosswalks.

Deloney Street demonstrates the Living Street concept (Figure 165). Deloney Street travels along Tannehill Branch Creek and is located between Morris Williams Golf Course and Givens District Park. Deloney Street has a substantial slope with the east being higher and the west being lower. It has one lane of parking and two-way traffic. To adopt the concept of living street, the parking should be moved to the east, creating a sidewalk on the west where the slope is higher. This leaves one lane for shared use traffic. As pedestrian space on the road is increased and traffic flow slows down, the street becomes a more pleasant neighborhood living street.

Figure 165. The existing conditions along Deloney Street illustrate the needed safety improvements as current residents walk in the roadways.

Beyond safety improvements, both major roads and neighborhood roads will include street-level stormwater management improvements that will help manage rainwater and water quality before water flows into the creeks. Implementing Living Streets on both major and neighborhood roads will improve safety and water quality in the Tannehill Branch Creek area.

Figure 166. Springdale Road and Oak Springs Drive intersection intervention: before (left) and after (right).

126 Keep Austin Resilient

»» Living Streets »» Drainage Fee Revision

Agencies and Partners »» Watershed Protection Department »» Office of Sustainability »» Austin Transportation Department

Funding Sources »» Mobility Bond »» WPD Capital Improvements Program »» State and Federal grants

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Mississippi Watershed Management Organization demonstrated a design concept for a “living street” that includes green stormwater infrastructure. The street is equally shared by pedestrians, cyclists, and low-speed vehicles. Stormwater is collected and filtered within the streetscape. For example, there can be infiltration basins and plants filtering sediments and pollutants. Shared streets are designed to calm traffic and adopt multiple purposes. Shared streets have been proven to be safe and effective where they have been implemented.

Policy Connections

Implementation

Living Street Concept, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization

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Precedents

Figure 167. Springdale Road & Oak Springs Drive intersection intervention: before (left) and after (right).

Figure 168. Existing conditions of the intersection of Springdale Road and Oak Springs Drive shows the faded crosswalks and opportunities to add in stormwater bumpouts and street trees.

Recommendations 127

Recommendation #3 Living History Walk This recommendation is aimed at celebrating the African American and Latinx cultures that have been in this focus area for decades. It will also provide opportunities for new and diverse generations that are within the neighborhoods today to write their own narratives in this area.

This recommendation speaks directly to the strategy of placekeeping.

This strategy focuses on identifying community resources and assets, and enhancing those through site activation, protection and preservation, and well as celebration and appreciation.

History Walk Historic Sites

Living History The first step in building out this recommendation was to do research into the many assets in the Tannehill Branch area. When performing research and touring around the neighborhood, we found multiple existing historic and meaningful assets and landmarks that speak to the histories of both populations.

One of the most prominent landmarks is the Bethany Cemetery on Springdale Road. Built in 1893, it was Austin’s first African American cemetery, built at a time when racial segregation kept African Americans from being buried in Austin’s central cemetery. Other landmarks include the Sahara Music Lounge, one of Austin’s oldest active black performance spaces, and 4605 Leslie Ave and 1403 Springdale Road, two of the area’s historic houses of civic leaders.

There has also been a significant Latinx presence in this neighborhood for decades. The street sign in (Figure 170) is named after one of Austin’s oldest and most famous Mexican families, the Limon family, and in fact the Govalle neighborhood in the south of the Tannehill area is home to more than five generations still living in the area.

The area at the bottom of Tannehill Branch, where Springdale Road and Airport Boulevard intersect, was an area originally known as Hungry Hill. The neighborhood was settled by Black residents and named for the lack of resources and city investment in the area. As the demographics have shifted and more Latinx people have settled here, the neighborhood has been referenced by the Latinx population as “La Loma,” or “the hill.”10 This is just one example of the changing cultural connections and identity within the area.

As more change puts pressure on the area, it becomes more vital to acknowledge and celebrate the people that have been in this area for decades.

Figure 169. Top: Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Middle: Plummers Cemetery. Bottom: Sahara Music Lounge

Figure 170. Top and Bottom: Gatherings of the Limon Family.

Middle: Street named after the Limon Family.

Recommendations 129

»» Six Square »» Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Initiative »» Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center »» African American Cultural and Heritage Facility »» Austin History Center

Funding Sources »» Parks & Recreation Department »» Local artists support

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One precedent is the Oakland Cemetery Tours in Atlanta that provides tours of the cemetery that include an option for dialing in to call numbers that speak through the history of the public grounds and the unmarked grave sites of former slaves and Civil War veterans. Both of these populations are also buried at Bethany Cemetery, making this precedent a leading example of living history implementation. Other precedents, below, include the U Street Heritage Trail and the “For The Record” project in Long Beach, CA.

There are several nonprofits and neighborhood organizations that are operating within the Tannehill Branch area today that could lead this recommendation. Six Square is a nonprofit that represents Austin’s black culture district in East Austin.

The organization has already been working to elevate and celebrate the history of African American burial grounds in East Austin through a week-long event series in 2016 called “The Homecoming,” offering tours and a symposium bringing together national experts and scholars as well as local activists and community members to discuss the lost black history of the area.11 Other organizations include:

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The recommendation is two-fold, first focusing on a series of physical interventions that will lead people through the history of the neighborhood. A number of tactical interventions such as signage and markers, flags representing different countries of origins, and audio at key points will help guide people through the history of the Tannehill Branch area. This will be done by adding these interventions along a key route in the north of the area, as shown in the map (previous page). Each point will provide information about the landmark and its significance to the cultural identity of the neighborhoods.

Agencies and Partners

Implementation

Signs and Markers

»» Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Initiative »» George Washington Carver Library »» African American Cultural and Heritage Facility

Oakland Cemetery Tours, Atlanta, GA

U Street Heritage Trail, Washington, DC

In-person and dial-in audio tours that guide visitors through the African-American historic cemetery.

Large educational signs that lead visitors through the historic U Street neighborhood.

130 Keep Austin Resilient

For The Record, Long Beach, CA Interactive signs that are capable of telling a brief tale or showing a video, all stored in the digital storehouse

Writing a New Narrative

Ancestral Roots Community Garden, Menlo Park, TN

For the populations in the area today, we envision using existing spaces and partnering with the existing local organizations listed on the previous page to offer gathering spaces, placekeeping, and cultural history programming. The new programming and placekeeping projects should be determined by the neighborhood residents to ensure complete ownership of the ideas and events. This recommendation again highlights the difference between placemaking and placekeeping and centers on keeping alive and active the cultures, traditions, events, and languages that have been here for some time rather than re-activating spaces for new populations in the neighborhoods.

One precedent is the Ancestral Roots Community Garden in Menlo Park, TN. This garden is a partnership between a local organization, the neighborhood association, school children and the community. The garden plants and design are inspired by traditional Southern African American yards and home gardens and grows traditional produce such as okra and yams. This precedent is an example of bringing together multiple generations to celebrate a tradition that connects them.12

Latino Festival, Culpeper, VA

Another example is the Latino festival in Culpeper, VA. This festival offers an opportunity for the Latinx populations that have settled in the area to share their cultures and traditions with the whole community during a day of celebration. It helps to bridge connections amongst social groups by bringing different cultures together to learn about other people.

Recommendations 131

Recommendation #4 Neighborhood Site Redevelopments This set of recommendations focuses on key parcels and areas within Tannehill Branch that can be redeveloped to address neighborhoodspecific issues.

Each redevelopment site was selected based on site ownership, key location within Tannehill, and surrounding assets. The sites work together at different scales and timelines to fill gaps in resources within the area.

Sims Grocery Redevelopment

Bolm Road Development

Red Bluff Redevelopment

Sims Elementary School is slated to close within the next few years as part of the AISD School Change Program. A new redevelopment on this site will provide the neighborhood with housing for a growing aging population and a new grocery store for better food access.

The Bolm Road Transit-Oriented Development will take advantage of the combination of city-owned land and a new planned transit system to build a new neighborhood center that provides housing and commercial for the neighborhood.

The development north of Red Bluff will take advantage of a large collection of vacant land in the east to build low and middensity housing to rehouse people from the floodplain and ease the development pressure in the rest of Tannehill.

$$$ High Cost

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$$$ High Cost

Medium-Term Intervention

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Long-Term Intervention

Recommendations 133

Sims School Redevelopment This infill project on the site of a closing Austin Independent School District (AISD) public school brings much needed senior housing, as well as well as a fullservice grocery store, to the Tannehill Branch area.

The strategy for the site includes creating two new streets to break up the irregular formerly-AISD parcel. The largest block will contain a denser, four-story senior housing based around small verdant courtyards and entered via the quieter new north-south street. Community-focused retail and a new

36,000 square foot grocery will provide an anchor to the key intersection at the site, and be easily accessible from the many bus stops at Springdale and 12th, building connectivity to the area. At the rear of the site a plaza will provide shaded open space to customers and the public. To provide parking for the

Well-located along historic and relatively transit-rich Springdale Road and in the center of the Tannehill Branch area, Sims Elementary is a neighborhood school that AISD has slated to close by 2023. At that time, students at Sims will be transferred to nearby Norman Elementary and AISD will seek to sell the parcel. The district promises to work with affected communities to reimagine and determine the best use of the property.

Precedent

AISD has cited several examples including parklands, a community building, an affordable housing site or a resource center.14 The focus area has an aging population—14 percent of the population are above 65 years old, above the city average of 11 percent.15 Given the rising age of residents, the proposal for the site is a senior housing infill project to allow older adults to age in place in their community. A full-service grocery store addresses the lack of diversity in food options in the area and provides an important anchor to catalyze development at Springdale Road and 12th Street.

Bethel New Life Center (2005) Chicago, IL Developed by Bethel New Life, A Lutheran nonprofit focused on reversing disinvestment on the West Side of Chicago, the Bethel New Life Center pairs retail with many community-facing social services. The award-winning project revitalizes a former brownfield site in the center of the historically African-American Garfield Park neighborhood.

Sustainable development is prioritized, as the building has a green roof and is located on a Green Line El stop with a pedestrian bridge to the platform. The ground floor offers retail including locally-owned businesses and a financial services center; the second story of the project houses the non-profit’s Childcare Development Center, Employment Services Center and a computer lab for community use.13

134 Keep Austin Resilient

Figure 171. Existing conditions of AISD Sims Elementary School along Springdale Road.

Because this project utilized publicly-owned land, it should be developed quickly to catalyze private investment on the site.

AISD and the City should work together to attract a nonprofit or experienced affordable senior housing developer to the site, and assist in attracting 9% LIHTC equity for the project.

Community organizations focused on workforce development, financial literacy, and other important community needs can fill the community-oriented retail space. Lastly, a nonprofit arts organization like Six Square can assist in directing a public art or mural installation in the plaza on the site and on the building facades along Springdale.

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grocery, the operator can enter into a long-term ground lease with the neighboring Yellow Bike Project, a nonprofit with an underutilized large lot around their small building. The parking on the adjacent site will be entered via 12th Street and can provide a buffer to the transmission lines between the sites.

Finally, the land along the new streets will be developed for new green townhomes or smaller detached homes that can provide a diversity of housing choices to relocated residents.

12th St 0

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Agencies and Partners

Funding Sources »» Revolving Loan Fund »» Community Development Financial Institution »» Low Income Housing Tax Credits

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Grocery Store 12th St 0

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Figure 172. Proposed site and access plan for the Sims senior housing and full-service grocery infill development.

The dashed line shows the current AISD elementary school site; city-owned land is shown in yellow. The project will address the issue of low-food access and the need to house a growing aging population.

Recommendations 135

Bolm Road TOD This Transit Oriented Development (TOD) redevelopment proposes a mixed-income, mixed-use center along a new access stop to CapMetro’s planned Green Line, leveraging and reactivating city-owned vacant land to catalyze a new neighborhood center.

Located along the future Green Line and existing thoroughfare of Airport Boulevard, and close to Springdale Road, this cityowned site on Bolm Road consists of a 6.5 acre triangular parcel. Nearby (east of Airport Boulevard) is an undeveloped parcel zoned for industrial uses. There are existing nonprofits, art spaces and commercial properties to the northwest, and Govalle Neighborhood Park to the southeast of the site. A mixed-income, mixed-use development would provide muchneeded affordable housing, serve as a connector between the transit station and the disconnected existing single-family neighborhood, and provide green space.

Precedent

This city-owned parcel will become a new neighborhood center more appropriately scaled to match the surrounding blocks with added local streets. To improve the pedestrian

La Scala (2017) Beaverton, OR La Scala is a TOD project that brought 44 residential units and 5,000 square feet of new retail into a new five-story building within walking distance of Old Town and the Beaverton Transit Center. Retail fronting on two sides ts is dedicated to micro-restaurants that occupy the space with maximum flexibility and minimal upfront costs. A pedestrian plaza and outdoor gathering space are also included at La Scala.

Developed by Roy Kim Development, Inc, La Scala sits on a portion of a large property purchased by Beaverton as part of the City’s redevelopment strategy. The public partners include City of Beaverton for long term ground lease, and Metro for TOD program funding. The total development cost was $8 million and TOD program funding is $300,000. The TOD project increased transit use by 14,286 annual trips.16

136 Keep Austin Resilient

Figure 173. The city-owned parcel on Bolm Road today.

The site’s existing trees will try to be retained as development moves forward.

experience and equity of transit funding allocation, new trails connect over the Green Line tracks, and the project will extend existing trails into Govalle Neighborhood Park and the green space to the northeast.

To improve overall connectivity, the transit station along the Green Line will connect the north part of the TOD site with

an addition of a mixed-use structure where there is existing industrial and commercial parking in the north. A transit plaza would serve as a connector between transit station and the major structures of the TOD where most of the mixedincome housing is sited. Mixed-use buildings would have parking decks on the first two to three floors to accommodate both commercial and residential parking. Land use should be

transitional, connecting the multi-family TOD to the singlefamily neighborhood with duplexes along Bolm Road. Finally, as the site is close to floodplain, stormwater parks inside the project’s green spaces address potential flood risk.

Implementation

The implementation of the site plan is expected to support ridership on CapMetro and take full advantage of this public transit investment and the development potential of the station area. The City of Austin should consider forming a “Working Group” including various city departments, CapMetro, neighborhood representatives, and key members of the private sector to facilitate collaboration and guide the implementation of the TOD project. The working group should evaluate and identify specific action items for implementation, and determine which financing strategy elements and tools should be utilized to stimulate interest in overall TOD.

Policy Connections »» Office of Housing Stability

Agencies and Partners »» »» »» »»

The Working Group Office of Housing Stability Austin Housing Finance Corporation CapMetro

Funding Sources »» Tax Increment Financing »» Developer Impact Fees »» Federal/State Districts

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Medium-Term Intervention Figure 174. Proposed site plan and land use plan for the Bolm Road TOD. The proposal is situated to ease the transition from single-family housing along Bolm Road to higher-density within the site.

Recommendations 137

Red Bluff Redevelopment Samuel Huston Lane

There is a concentration of undeveloped parcels in the far east of the Tannehill Branch area. The site is located just north of the undeveloped open space called Red Bluff. The area has key access to a variety of critical assets, including Norman Elementary School, many neighborhood churches, civic amenities, major neighborhood employers like FedEx, and green space. Finally, because this area was unincorporated land and was not annexed until the 80s, the road grid breaks down as one moves from west to east and this large collection of land offers an opportunity to build out the neighborhood structure and strengthen the physical connections within Tannehill.

Implementation

Policy Connections

Tannehill Lane

The Red Bluff redevelopment makes productive use of vacant and underutilized land in the Tannehill Branch area, offering new replacement housing to residents taking advantage of the voluntary buyout program.

»» Office of Housing Stability »» Floodplain Buyout Program

Axel Lane

Agencies and Partners »» »» »» »» »»

Master Developer Austin Housing Finance Corporation FEMA Office of Economic Development Office of Real Estate Services

Hudson Street

Funding Sources Community Development Block Grant Home CHDO Federal Stimulus Funds FEMA

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Figure 175. Proposed site plan for Red Bluff Redevelopment.

New road access will provide needed circulation within the area.

138 Keep Austin Resilient

The proposed mixed-use town center includes a diverse mix of housing types and neighborhood-serving commercial. From north to south, the density and use transitions to be more cohesive with the existing neighborhood land uses. The plan includes some small scale green spaces that provide recreational assets and gathering places. The site is being proposed to offer replacement housing to residents opting for the floodplain buyout that is near (within a quarter mile) of their existing

housing. The housing provided here can also provide stabilized units for residents feeling the pressure of displacement to ensure people are able to stay within their neighborhood. This project is geared towards long-term sustainability and creating a safe and livable community in the face of Austin’s flash flooding.

The City of Austin should pair with a master developer, similar to the Mueller project to build out the complete area. The

project should be completed in two phases: Phase One mainly includes the development of single-family homes, as well as new neighborhood parks in order to create a livable and diverse neighborhood environment. Phase Two connects to Norman Elementary with mixed-use areas, as well as adding mediumdensity residences that will build out the commercial area needed to provide daily amenities to residents.

PHASE 2

PHASE 1

Figure 176. The existing assets and conditions of the Red Bluff redevelopment site.

Figure 177. Phases One and Two of the proposed site plan for Red Bluff Redevelopment.

Norman Elementary School is shown with a red circle; Fedex, a major employer, is shown in purple, and the productive light industrial in the area is centered by the yellow circle.

Recommendations 139

Conclusion Austin is facing three critical pressures in terms of extreme weather, rapid population growth, and an east-west divide. The city has been working on several implementation actions across several planning efforts that help to combat the impacts of these pressures. The city has moved forward with the Onion Creek mandatory buyout program and the Williamson Creek voluntary buyout program that helped residents to relocate out of the danger of floodplains. The city’s major redevelopment of the former municipal airport at Mueller has been a success, providing stormwater management and affordable housing while building out a neighborhood commercial center for residents on the east to access. Just this past fall, the city’s rewrite of the land development code was presented to City Council, representing a major step forward in implementing the recommendations of the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan.

However, there is still work to be done. Despite the city’s commendable efforts in addressing pressures, there are gaps in the policies, programs, and physical interventions that are not able to reach the goals of becoming a resilient, community-focused, and equitable city. The wealth gap is increasing and disparities across races are apparent. Housing prices continue to rise, and residents are feeling the pressure of displacement. Flooding and drought are continuing to worsen and yet development has continued, increasing the amount of impervious surface and decreasing available open space.

The focus areas selected for this studio each represent a unique combination of the issues that Austin is facing. While these neighborhoods are experiencing the pressures at different scales and intensities, each one is experiencing changing demographics and neighborhoods, mobility and connectivity issues, and environmental hazards that reflect many of the same issues that Austin is facing city-wide.

The recommendations presented in each focus area are examples of implementable solutions that act as prototypes that can be transferred to other neighborhoods and fill the gaps within the planning context of Austin. The policies and recommendation changes at the city-scale translate to change at the neighborhood level and drive many of the physical interventions presented in each focus area.

Both sets of recommendations (policy + physical) work alongside many of the city-wide moves that the city is already making. For example, the proposed buyout parks complement the existing buyout programs already operated by the city while the proposed Office of Housing Stability can implement several of the recommendations from the city’s Anti-Displacement Task Force. Making these adjustments to the city policies and utilizing these prototype solutions at the neighborhood level can help achieve the goals of creating an environmentally resilient, community-centered, and equitable Austin.

142 Austin

Placemaking in the Era of Extreme Weather

Acknowledgments We would like to extend a sincere thank you to our studio instructor, Nando Micale. Thank you for always reminding us of the value of a cup of coffee and being our fearless van driver for our week in Austin! We could not have pulled this through without your constant support and guidance.

Thank you to the several other people who provided support and advice throughout the semester in Philadelphia. Your comments and guidance were helpful in pointing us in the right direction and providing us with the context needed to succeed. »» Julie Donofrio

»» Andrew Dobshinsky

»» David Rouse

»» Nancy O’Neill

»» Stephanie Chiorean We would also like to thank the many city representatives, members of American Institute of Architects (AIA) in Austin, and University of Texas students and professors that helped us along the way. The information and feedback provided was incredibly useful and we could not have done it without the many interviews, charrettes, and meetings. »» Ilse Frank and Mindy Cooper, AIA Austin Urban Design Committee

»» Christine Freundl, City of Austin Economic Development

»» Dean Almy, University of Texas at Austin School of Architecture

»» Mark Gilbert, City of Austin Redevelopment

»» Alan Holt and Sravya Garladinne, City of Austin Urban Design Division

»» Mueller: McCann Adams Studio, RVI Planning, and Catellus

»» Kelly Gagnon, Janna Renfro, and Kristin Pipkin, City of Austin Watershed Protection

»» Broadmoor: Bill Reed and Ashley Bloom, Brandywine Realty Trust

»» Marc Coudert, City of Austin Climate Resiliency

»» Joe Clemens and Jacob Calhoun, CapMetro

Planning Context Extreme Weather Analysis Site Selection Planning Strategies Recommendations Conclusion Acknowledgments

Appendices

Local Planning Document Summaries Watershed Protection Master Plan (2015) The Watershed Protection Master Plan informs the Watershed Protection Department’s (WPD) operations and priorities to protect watersheds, people, and property. This present Master Plan is phase 2 of the first Master Plan completed in 2001. Phase 2 expands priorities areas to include 49 watersheds in Austin’s jurisdiction, whereas Phase 1 focused only on 17 watersheds in Austin’s urban, most dense core. WPD categorizes their priorities into three major concerns: flood mitigation, erosion control, and water quality protection. More granular “Problem Areas” for watershed protection prioritization is determined using the best available technical and citizen reported data, focusing on existing and potential threats to buildings, roads, trees, utilities, and other resources. Given this, priority areas are focused on the dense, urban core due to higher concentration of existing development that is at risk of damage and the presence of more people to self-report concerns.

Water Forward: Integrated Water Source Plan Water Forward was developed in response to the historic drought Central Texas endured from 2008-2016 which resulted in historically low levels of drinking water supply. The Integrated Water Resource Plan was approved by City Council in November 2018, and provides a mid- and long-term evaluation and plan for water supply and demand management options. Spearheaded by Austin Water, the plan outlines efforts for coordination between City departments and a Water Forward Task Force to encourage more holistic and inclusive approaches to water resource planning. This plan aims to be holistic by balancing multiple 146 Keep Austin Resilient

objects such as social, environmental, and economic benefits in addition to water reliability. The goal of the plan is to ensure a diverse, sustainable and resilient water future with a strong emphasis on water conservation.

Imagine Austin Imagine Austin is the City’s 30-year comprehensive plan, published in 2012. The plan focuses on managing the explosive growth seen in Austin in recent decades. Built around 8 priority programs, the plan lays out policy and design tools to focus growth into more desirable areas and protect environmentally sensitive land while increasing access to parkland for all residents. The priority programs guiding the plan are: 1) Healthy Austin, 2) Creative Economy; 3) Compact & Connected; 4) Revise Land Development Code; 5) Water; 6) Environment; 7) Affordability; and 8) Workforce. We also leverage the growth centers (regional centers, neighborhood centers, and town centers) to guide our system analysis. The 5 Year Report published in 2017 provided an opportunity for the City to assess how effective the plan has been in implementing the community vision. Since inception, Imagine Austin has been generally successful with 17 of the total 41 indicators showing positive change. The overarching themes emerging from the indicator results in 2017 showed relatively positive results for environmental health, community health, and economic vibrancy and relative worsening of conditions for affordability and mobility.

Our Parks Our Future (2018) Our Parks, Our Future is the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD)’s Long Range Plan (LRP) for Land, Facilities, and Programs. This plan, developed every ten years, is the guiding document for park system planning and growth in Austin and creates the foundation for individual park master plans and capital projects. The LRP was informed by a collaborative process with Austin residents, park partners, elected officials, and other stakeholders. The long-range planning goals include ensuring parks act as a relief from urban life, expanding and improving park access for all, activating and enhancing urban public spaces, aligning programs with community interest, and optimizing and improving the efficiency of operations.

2016 Strategic Economic Plan This strategy focuses on guiding the economic growth of the city. The strategies include expanding small businesses citywide by increasing access to capital and transforming local minority firms through multinational collaborations by Austin’s diaspora. Revitalization of urban commercials is also important to create good jobs in all Council Districts based on organized leadership of merchants, the deployment of creative real estate partnerships and performance-based incentives, and the creation of “place” through the infusions of art and music into the urban fabric. In addition, the city aims to continuously use incentives to market, recruit and expand select companies, especially manufacturing and distribution in and along with the commercial districts and the inland port industrial area of I-35 East Austin. The creation of new public-private education partnerships in STEM and the use of programs that utilize private and non-City sources money such as the Family Business Loan Program and activation of industrial revenue bonds are also Austin’s overall economic development strategies.

Austin Strategic Direction 2023 The Austin City Council adopted a strategic direction on March 8, 2018, guiding the City of Austin for the next three to five years. Austin works to create a complete community and contribute to the following outcomes: work on economic opportunity and affordability that enable us to thrive in our community; work on mobility to connect people where they want to go, when they want to get there, safely and cost-effectively; work on safety to allow people to be safe at home, at work, and in the community; work on health and environment to create a sustainable environment and a healthy life, physically and mentally; work on culture and lifelong learning: to enrich Austin’s unique civic, cultural, ethnic, and learning opportunities; work on creating a government for all that is equitable, ethical and innovative.

Strategic Housing Blueprint This strategic supplement to Imagine Austin examines the housing supply crisis in Austin and identifies partners and strategies to provide more supply at all levels of affordability. In particular, Austin needs 60,000 housing units affordable to low-income families and has a deficit of another 75,000 market-rate units over the next 10 years. Moreover, long standing racial segregation means there are few affordable housing options in West Austin, and development is putting pressure on lowincome households and communities of color in East Austin neighborhoods. Other challenges include the affordability and availability of housing near transit and issues of seniors aging in place. To achieve its goals, the Housing Blueprint advocates for changes in state law, and presents a set of strategies including density bonuses, zoning changes, land banking, Housing First policies, and attracting jobs paying the Austin Living Wage. Local funds for housing production come from a “Strike Fund,” further affordable housing bonds, and the city’s Housing Trust Fund.

Central Texas Regional Analysis of Impediments (Draft) This Analysis of Impediments (AI) to Fair Housing examines the barriers to racial and socioeconomic integration in the Austin Area. Within Central Texas, Austin has both higher residential segregation and a much higher rate of African American and Hispanic family poverty when compared to the region. There is a 20% gap in homeownership between African American and non-Hispanic white households in the region, with the Hispanic and non-Hispanic white gap just slightly lower.

Displacement also affects many families across the region, especially renters, with one of the highest rates of self-reporting (16%) in Austin. Minority families have the most choice in housing and purchasing power in the suburbs of Austin. Finally, there is a racial housing finance gap that affects all minorities in Austin trying to secure a mortgage.

Strategic Mobility Plan The 2019 Strategic Mobility Plan is an addendum to Imagine Austin, the City’s 30-year comprehensive plan document.

It is a comprehensive multimodal transportation plan that focused on making Austin’s transportation network safe, accessible, and inclusive for all members of the community. The plan addresses many different aspects of transportation planning including safety, demand, infrastructure, operations, health and environment, and community connection. Underlying all of the programs and policies is a goal of shifting mode-share in Austin from 76% driving alone and 24% using other modes to a 50/50 split. This is seen as the main way to manage congestion with the projected growth of the city

Community Health Assessment Health is affected by many conditions in the environment in which people live, learn, work, and play. In 2017, Austin conducted a community health assessment (CHA) which identified the health-related needs and strengths of Austin and Travis County. After working with the community and partnering with many local public health systems, the CHA then produced as a community health improvement plan (CHIP) in 2018. The CHIP determined major health priorities, overarching goals, and specific strategies to be implemented in a coordinated way across Austin and Travis County.

The four priority areas of the 2018 CHIP include: »» Access to and Affordability of Health Care - Every Travis County resident has access to culturally sensitive, affordable, equitable, and comprehensive health care. »» Chronic Disease - Prevent and reduce the occurrence and severity of chronic disease through collaborative approaches to health that create environments that support, protect, and improve the well-being of all communities.

»» Sexual Health (Teen Pregnancy) - Empower youth to make informed decisions about their sexual and reproductive health that result in positive health outcomes. »» Stress, Mental Health, and Wellbeing - Advance mental wellness, recovery and resilience through equitable access to responsive, holistic, and integrated community systems.

Appendices 147

Endnotes Extreme Weather

1. Koppen Climate Classification.

2. “The Rise and Fall of the Austin Dam,” Not Even Past website, https://notevenpast.org/rise-and-fall-austin-dam/.

3. “Thunderstorms also wreaked havoc on Memorial Day 1981,” Austin American-Statesman, September 23, 2016, https:// www.statesman.com/NEWS/20160923/Thunderstorms-alsowreaked-havoc-on-Memorial-Day-1981.

4. Andra Lim, “Report: Flood fixes would cost Austin $2 billion to $4 billion,” Austin American-Statesman, September 23, 2016, https://www.statesman.com/news/20160923/reportflood-fixes-would-cost-austin-2-billion-to-4-billion.

5. “Understanding the drought, 2015,” The Official Website of the City of Austin, https://www.austintexas.gov/sites/ default/files/files/Water/Drought/Understanding_the_Drought_ Feb2015.pdf.

6. “Here’s your quick history of Austin’s most extreme weather ever. History of Austin,” 2017, http://austin.culturemap.com/ news/city-life/06-23-17-austin-weather-extreme-history 7. “Understanding the drought, 2015.”

8. “About Our Agency,” NOAA, https://www.noaa.gov/ about-our-agency.

9. Sanja Perica, Sandra Pavlovic, Michael St. Laurent, Carl Trypaluk, Dale Unruh, Orlan Wilhite, “PrecipitationFrequency Atlas of the United States, Volume 11 Version 2.0: Texas,” NOAA, 2018, 3, https://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hdsc/ PF_documents/Atlas14_Volume11.pdf.

10. “Flood Risk and Atlas 14: Overview,” The Official Website of the City of Austin, http://www.austintexas.gov/atlas14.

11. Sally Grace Holtgrieve and Christopher Neely, “Austin at heightened flood risk after Atlas-14 study shows more intense rainfall,” Community Impact Newspaper, April 23, 2019, https:// communityimpact.com/austin/editors-pick/2019/04/23/newatlas-14-data-shows-thousands-more-structures-at-risk-offlooding-in-austin/.

12. “Detroit, Indianapolis and Buffalo Among the Least Disaster-Prone and Most Affordable Places to Live,” Redfin, 2019, https://www.redfin.com/blog/natural-disaster-hazardscore-by-metro-area.

13. City of Austin City Auditor, “Flood Buyout Program: Audit 148 Keep Austin Resilient

Report,” February 2017.

14. “About the Texas Water Development Board,” Texas Water Development Board, http://www.twdb.texas.gov/about/index. asp#twdb-history.

15. “Water Forward: Integrated Water Resource Plan- A Water Plan for the Next 100 years,” Official Website of the City of Austin, 2018, 2-4, https://austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/ files/Water/WaterForward/Water_Forward_Booklet.pdf.

City: The Geography of Economic Segregation in America’s Metros,” Martin Prosperity Institute, 2015, 56, http:// martinprosperity.org/content/segregated-city/.

14. “Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint,” City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, 2017, 8, www.austintexas.gov/housingblueprint.

15. Audrey McGlinchy, “Five Days To Vacate,” accessed September 14, 2019, http://stories.kut.org/evictions/.

16. “Creekside Story: Grow Zones,” Official Website of the City of Austin, 2012, http://www.austintexas.gov/blog/grow-zones.

16. City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, 14.

Analysis

17. City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, 16.

1. City of Austin, “Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan”, 2012.

2. City of Austin, “Community Inventory: Land Use and Zoning”, 2009.

3. City of Austin, “Guide to Zoning”, 2016. https://www. austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Planning/zoning_guide. pdf

18. City of Austin, “Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan”, 2012. Pg. 199 19. City of Austin, “Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan”, 2012. Pg. 118 20. Austin’s Equity Office (http://www.austintexas.gov/ department/equity/about)

4. City of Austin, “Community Inventory: Land Use and Zoning”, 2009.

21. Imagine Austin, 42.

5. City of Austin, “Community Inventory: Land Use and Zoning”, 2009.

23. 2014 Austin Bicycle Plan, 9.

6. City of Austin, “Community Inventory: Land Use and Zoning”, 2009.

7. “Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan” 8. Bob Sechler, “Dallas Fed: Austin economy continues to boom,” Austin American-Statesman, September 11, 2019, https://www.statesman.com/news/20190911/dallas-fed-austineconomy-continues-boom.

9. 2017 American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

10. City of Austin, “Demographic Data,” http://www. austintexas.gov/page/demographic-data.

11. “Central Texas Assessment of Fair Housing/Regional AI (Draft Report: Executive Summary and Maps),” Roots Policy Research, “March 4, 2019, Sec. VII. 12. City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, “Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint,” 11.

13. Charlotta Mellander and Richard Florida, “Segregation

22. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, xvii.

24. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, 70.

25. “Vision Zero,” The Official Website of the City of Austin, https://austintexas.gov/visionzero.

26. Imagine Austin, 41.

27. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, 11; 2019 Dangerous By Design.

28. “Severe Weather 101,” The National Severe Storms Laboratory, https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/ floods/.

29. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, ix.

30. Imagine Austin, 42.

31. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, 280.

32. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, 277.

33. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, 188.

34. Healthy Austin - Open Data, https://data.austintexas.gov/ stories/s/78uy-qt4w.

35. 2017 Community Health Assessment, 3.

36. 2017 Community Health Assessment, 3.

37. 2017 Community Health Assessment, 3.

38. 2017 Community Health Assessment, 145-148.

39. City of Austin, http://www.austintexas.gov/department/ public-health-emergencies#.

40. City of Austin, http://www.austintexas.gov/department/ imagine-austin.

41. Healthy Austin Program, https://data.austintexas.gov/ stories/s/Healthy-Austin/78uy-qt4w/.

42. City of Austin, http://www.austintexas.gov/healthforum.

43. City of Austin, http://www.austintexas.gov/healthforum.

44. 2018 Community Health Improvement Plan, 5.

45. Our Parks Our Future, Austin Parks & Recreation, Long Range Plan 2018-2018, page 15-17.

46. Our Parks Our Future, Austin Parks & Recreation, Long Range Plan 2018-2018, page 52.

47. Our Parks Our Future, Austin Parks & Recreation, Long Range Plan 2018-2018, page 21, 86.

Site Selection

1. “Watershed Protection Master Plan.”

2. “Watershed Protection Master Plan.”

3. “Imagine Austin.”

4. FloodPro web application, City of Austin.

5. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

6. Open Data Austin, 2019.

7. Imagine Austin.

8. 2017 American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

9. “The Uprooted Project,” UT Austin, https://sites.utexas.edu/ gentrificationproject/.

10. Austin Strategic Mobility Plan, xvii.

11. CapMetro’s Project Connect, https://capmetro.org/ projectconnect/.

12. Austin Open Data, 2019.

13. “500 Cities Project,” CDC. 14. “Our Parks Our Future, Austin Parks & Recreation, Long Range Plan.”

Policy Interventions

1. “Atlas 14 – Summary of Recommended Code Changes,” Official Website of the City of Austin, http://www.austintexas. gov/sites/default/files/files/Watershed/flood/Atlas14_DRAFT_ code_commentary_20190814_.pdf.

2. “Onion Creek Flood Risk Reduction Project,” Official Website of the City of Austin, 2018, http://www.austintexas. gov/sites/default/files/files/Watershed/flood/Onion_Project_ Overview.pdf.

3. “Williamson Creek Flood Risk Reduction Project,” Official Website of the City of Austin, https://www.austintexas.gov/ williamsoncreek.

4. “Flood Mitigation Task Force: Final Report to Austin City Council,” Official Website of the City of Austin, 2016, 72, https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=254319 5. “Williamson Creek Flood Risk Reduction Project,” Official Website of the City of Austin, https://www.austintexas.gov/ williamsoncreek.

6. “Lower Onion Creek,” Official Website of the City of Austin, http://www.austintexas.gov/page/onion-creek-corpsproject.

7. “Flood Buyout Program,” Official Website of the City of Austin, February 2017, http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/ document.cfm?id=271149.

8. “Reducing Flood Risk to Residential Buildings that Cannot be Elevated,” FEMA, https://www.fema.gov/media-librarydata/1443014398612-a4dfc0f86711bc72434b82c4b10 0a677/revFEMA_HMA_Grants_4pg_2015_508.pdf 9. “National Flood Insurance Program Community Rating System,” FEMA, https://www.fema.gov/national-floodinsurance-program-community-rating-system.

10. “Cost of Flood Insurance in Texas and How Coverage Works, ValuePenguin, https://www.valuepenguin.com/flood-insurance/ texas.

11. “Community Rating System,” King County, Washington, September 24, 2015, https://www.kingcounty.gov/services/ environment/water-and-land/flooding/community-ratingsystem.aspx.

12. “Zoning for Coastal Flood Resiliency: Planning for Resilient Neighborhoods” The City of New York Department of City Planning, May 2019, https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/planning/ download/pdf/plans-studies/flood-resiliency-update/zoningfor-flood-resiliency.pdf.

13. “Zoning Code Ordinance Rule No. 161-19.01: Drainage Criteria manual Section 9.5.0,” Austin, Texas, March 14, 2019, https://library.municode.com/TX/Austin/codes/drainage_criteria_ manual?nodeId=S9DRCHAD. 14. “Zoning Code Ordinance Rule No. 161-19.01: Drainage Criteria manual Section 9.5.0,” Austin, Texas, March 14, 2019, https://library.municode.com/TX/Austin/codes/drainage_criteria_ manual?nodeId=S9DRCHAD. 15. “Watershed Protection Department: Frequenty Asked Question,” Official Website of the City of Austin, https://www. austintexas.gov/content/1361/FAQ/32499.

16. “Stormwater Management Discount,” Official Website of the City of Austin, https://www.austintexas.gov/page/drainagecharge-discount.

17. “Zoning Code Ordinance Rule No. 161-19.01: Drainage Criteria manual Section 9.5.0,” Austin, Texas, March 14, 2019, https://library.municode.com/TX/Austin/codes/drainage_criteria_ manual?nodeId=S9DRCHAD. 18. “Stormwater Managemet Discount Manual,” Watershed Protection Department, 2017, 5, https://www.austintexas.gov/ sites/default/files/files/Watershed/ordinances/Stormwater_ Management_Discount_Manual_01.09.18.pdf.

19. Jessi Devenys, “Watershed Watershed Protection budget accounts for approval of CodeNEXT,” Austin Monitor, June 12, 2018, https://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2018/06/ watershed-protection-budget-accounts-for-approval-ofcodenext/.

20. “Stormwater Management Discount,” Official Website of the City of Austin, https://www.austintexas.gov/page/drainagecharge-discount.

21. “Watershed Protection Master Plan”, Watershed Protection Department, , 2016, 17 https://www.austintexas.gov/watershed_ protection/publications/document.cfm?id=261630&id2=%20.

22. “Watershed Protection Master Plan”, Watershed Protection Department, , 2016, 30 https://www.austintexas.gov/watershed_ protection/publications/document.cfm?id=261630&id2=%20.

23. Adrian Zeh, “Drainage Fees, Capital Improvements and Equity in the City of Austin,” University of Austin, 2015, 2,https://soa.utexas.edu/sites/default/disk/Drainage%20 Fees%20Capital%20Improvements%20and%20Equity_Zeh_ finalpaper.pdf.

24. “Watershed Protection Master Plan,” Watershed Protection Department, 2016, 9, http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/ document.cfm?id=238033.

Appendices 149

25. “Water Forward: Integrated Water Resource Plan- A Water Plan for the Next 100 years,” Austin Water, 2018, 30, http://www.austintexas.gov/sites/default/files/files/Water/ WaterForward/Water_Forward_Fact_Sheet_trifold_8.5x14_ v2.pdf.

26. Carlos Anchondo, “Austin issues city-wide boil water notice; calls for action ‘to avoid running out of water,’” The Texas Tribune, 2018, https://www.texastribune.org/2018/10/22/ austin-water-boil-water-notice-after-historic-flooding/ 27. “2018 RATE DETERMINATION,” City of Philadelphia Water Department, 2018, 15, https://www.phila.gov/ media/20180713144736/2018-RATE-DETERMINATIONTIMESTAMPED.pdf.

28. “School Changes,” Austin Independent School District, 2019, 29, https://www.austinisd.org/sites/default/files/dept/ schoolchanges/scenarios/english/AISD_scenarios-ENGv3.pdf 29. “Protect Your Climate,” Bay Area Air Quality Management District, http://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/Files/Planning%20 and%20Research/.Climate%20Protection%20Program/ protectyourclimate.ashx.

30. “Making Green Work: Best Practices in Green-Collar Job Training,” Ella Baker Center for Human Rights Green-Collar Jobs Campaign, 27-28, https://ellabakercenter.org/sites/default/ files/downloads/making-green-work.pdf.

31. “Complete Streets,” Official Website of the City of Austin,http://www.austintexas.gov/complete-streets 32. “GREEN STREETS: AN INTRODUCTION,” Official Website of the City of Austin, 2015, 2, https://austintexas. gov/sites/default/files/files/Transportation/Complete_Streets/ GreenStreetsWeb092115.pdf 33. “Maplewood: Living Streets Policy and Sustainable Efforts,” Metro Council, https://metrocouncil.org/Handbook/LocalPlanning-Highlights/Living-Streets-Maplewood.aspx 34. “Neighborhood housing and community development,” Official Website of the City of Austin, http://www.austintexas. gov/page/development-incentives-and-agreements.

35. “Austin Strategic Housing Blueprint,” City of Austin Neighborhood Housing and Community Development, 2017, 16, www.austintexas.gov/housingblueprint.

36. “What Is the City’s Living Wage?” The Official Website of the City of Austin, https://www.austintexas.gov/faq/what-citysliving-wage.

37. Nina Hernandez, “Big Money for Big Roads.Deciding how the Mobility Bond is spent on Austin’s most traveled 150 Keep Austin Resilient

streets,” The Austin Chronicle, February 23, 2018, https://www. austinchronicle.com/news/2018-02-23/big-money-for-bigroads/ 38. “The 2016 Mobility Bond is putting Austin In Motion,” The Official Website of the City of Austin, https://data.austintexas. gov/stories/s/2016-Mobility-Bond/9krn-a66r/.

39. “Delinquent Parcels,” Travis County, TX, accessed November 17, 2019, https://www.traviscountytx.gov/openrecords/delinquent-parcels.

40. “Out of Reach 2019: Texas,” National Low-Income Housing Coalition, 2019, https://reports.nlihc.org/oor/texas.

41. “Rights of first refusal, Local Housing Solutions, https:// www.localhousingsolutions.org/act/housing-policy-library/ act-housing-policy-library-rights-of-first-refusal-overview/ act-housing-policy-library-rights-to-first-refusal-overviewrights-to-first-refusal/.

42. “Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA) Rules,” City and County of San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, 2019, https://sfmohcd.org/ sites/default/files/Documents/MOH/COPA/COPA%20-%20 Final%20%20Program%20Rules-09-03-2019.pdf.

43. “Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA),” City and County of San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, https://sfmohcd.org/communityopportunity-purchase-act-copa.

44. “Mobility equity framework,” Greenlining, 2018, http:// greenlining.org/publications/2018/mobility-equity-framework/ 45. Rachel Kaufman, “Will Living Wage Certification Make DC More Equitable?” Next City, September 19, 2019, https:// nextcity.org/daily/entry/will-living-wage-certification-makedc-more-equitable.

rental-utility-assistance-waiting-list.

50. Oksana Mironova, “NYC Right to Counsel: First Year Results and Potential for Expansion,” Community Service Society, March 25, 2019, https://www.cssny.org/news/entry/ nyc-right-to-counsel.

51. Adina Solomon, “Lawyers Volunteer in Schools, Reduce Eviction Rate for Students,” Next City, September 26, 2019, https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/lawyers-volunteer-in-schoolsreduce-eviction-rate-for-students.

52. “Food Security in Travis County,” Official Website of the City of Austin, 2012, http://www.austintexas.gov/edims/ document.cfm?id=175568 53. “COA Food Access Resolution 20160303-020,”Official Website of the City of Austin, 2016, http://www.austintexas.gov/ sites/default/files/files/COA_Food_Access_Resolution__2016. pdf 54. “Zoning Code Ordinance No. 4583,” Mesquite, Texas, July 2018, https://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/TX_ Mesquite_Zoning-Code-Ordinance-No.-4583_July-2018.pdf.

55. “Code of Ordinance No. 23904 § 20.060,” Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 2018, https://ilsr.org/wp-content/ uploads/2018/10/OK_Tulsa_Code-of-Ordinances-No.-23904_ April-2018.pdf.

56. “Code of Ordinance No. 23904,” Tulsa, Oklahoma, April 2018, https://ilsr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/OK_Tulsa_ Code-of-Ordinances-No.-23904_April-2018.pdf.

Interventions in Williamson Creek 1. “Dove Springs Homes for Sale,” Austin Home Listings, https://www.austinhomelistings.com/dove-springs-austinhomes.php

46. “Central Texas Assessment of Fair Housing/Regional AI (Draft Report: Executive Summary and Maps),” Roots Policy Research, “March 4, 2019, Sec. VII, pg. 4.

2. “Dove Springs: Turning the Corner,” KUT, https://www.kut. org/topic/dove-springs-turning-corner.

47. Audrey McGlinchy, “Five Days To Vacate,” KUT, accessed September 14, 2019, http://stories.kut.org/evictions/.

4. Kate McGee, “Austin to Receive Federal Funds to Buyout Homes in Onion Creek,” KUT, 2019, https://www.kut.org/post/ austin-receive-federal-funds-buyout-homes-onion-creek.

3. 2017 American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

48. San Antonio City Council, “Risk Mitigation Fund Policy,” March 21, 2019, https://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/ NHSD/RiskMitigation/RM-Policy_FINAL_3_21_2019_WEB_ POSTED.pdf?ver=2019-06-05-091418-973.

5. “Williamson Creek Flood Risk Reduction,” The Official Website of the City of Austin, https://www.austintexas.gov/ williamsoncreek.

49. Gaige Davila, “500 San Antonio Households on Rental, Utility Assistance Waiting List,” San Antonio Current, June 5, 2019, https://www.sacurrent.com/the-daily/ archives/2019/06/05/500-san-antonio-households-on-

6. Andrew McLemore, “Residents by flood-prone Williamson Creek ask: Should they stay or go?,” Austin American-Statesman, 2018, https://www.statesman.com/ article/20141128/NEWS/311289738.

7. Atlas 14.

8. “Flood Mitigation Task Force: Final Report to Austin to City Council,” Austin Flood Mitigation Task Force, May 16, 2016, 2, https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=254319.

9. “Flood Mitigation Task Force: Final Report to Austin to City Council,” Austin Flood Mitigation Task Force, May 16, 2016, 75, https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=254319.

10. “Williamson Creek Flood Risk Reduction,” The Official Website of the City of Austin, 2019, https://www.austintexas. gov/williamsoncreek.

11. “Mingo Creek, Tulsa, Oklahoma,” Natural Resilient Communities Solutions, 2019, http://nrcsolutions.org/tulsaoklahoma/.

12. Stefani Dias, “Artists embrace natural beauty for Panorama Park mural,” Bakersfield, 2019, https://www.bakersfield.com/ entertainment/arts-theater/artists-embrace-natural-beautyfor-panorama-park-murals/article_4b4ede40-fb51-11e9-a1f947974d75e462.html.

13. Lily Rockwell, “Austin City Council moves ahead with WIlliamson Creek buyouts- for some,” Austin American-Statesman, 2018, https://www.statesman.com/ news/20160923/austin-city-council-moves-ahead-withwilliamson-creek-buyouts--for-some.

14. “Measures: How we will make room for the river,” Room for the River, 2018, https://www.ruimtevoorderivier.nl/english/.

15. “Williamson Creek,” Austin City Government Site https:// www.austintexas.gov/williamsoncreek.

16. “Measures: How we will make room for the river,” Room for the River, 2018, https://www.ruimtevoorderivier.nl/english/.

17. Cassie Kifer, “Culture, Community, Activism: Chicano Park San Diego,” Ever in Transit, 2013, http://everintransit.com/ chicano-park-san-diego/.

College Park, 2016, https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4ba8/ fd267e3c88635f82100c10f58ec77a83ccd8.pdf.

22. Kate Mcgee, “Cause of Onion Creek Flood Gauge Failure Still Unknown,” KUT, 2013, https://www.kut.org/post/causeonion-creek-flood-gauge-failure-still-unknown.

4. “Building Footprints Year 2013” Data.AusinTexas.Gov – The official City of Austin open data portal. https://data. austintexas.gov/Locations-and-Maps/Building-Footprints-Year2013/7bns-7teg.

23. Kate Mcgee, “Lack of Bilingual Communication Hampered Relief Efforts After Halloween Floods,” KUT, 2013, https://www. kut.org/post/lack-bilingual-communication-hampered-reliefefforts-after-halloween-floods

5. “Number of City Park Acres per 1,000 Population” Data.

AusinTexas.Gov – The official City of Austin open data portal. https://data.austintexas.gov/stories/s/City-Park-Acres-per-1000-Population/6nv6-x4pz/.

24. “Oregon Silver Jackets build flood awareness,” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, 2014, https://www.nwp. usace.army.mil/Media/Images/igphoto/2001289197/.

6. “Austin Urban Trails Master Plan”, City of Austin, 2014. https://app.box.com/s/i80p4ee7vytuq67k9pgz.

25. “Spanish Resources, Red Cross,” University of Nebraska, 2019, https://flood.unl.edu/spanish-resources<?> “Briefing Document #1, Flood Warning Systems,” Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium, https://www.houstonconsortium.com/ graphics/uploads/GHFMC_Briefing_Document_1_Flood%20 Warnings_v3.pdf.

26. “Kids Korner,” Wesley Center for Family and Neighborhood Development, http://wesleycenterofaustin.org/kids_korner.html 27. “How TOD Is Fueling Growth in Southern Dallas,” Urban Land Magazine, 2016, https://urbanland.uli.org/industrysectors/infrastructure-transit/tod-fueling-growth-southerndallas/ 28. “Community Hubs in Ontario: A Strategic Framework & Action Plan,” Community Hubs Ontario, https://www.ontario. ca/page/community-hubs 29. “Second Street Detention Basin,” Foth, https://www.foth. com/second-street-detention-basin/ 30. “Volunteer Opportunity: Agua Dulce Farm,” St. Edwards University, 2018, https://www.stedwards.edu/sustainability/blog/ volunteer-opportunity-agua-dulce-farms

18. Cassie Kifer, “Culture, Community, Activism: Chicano Park San Diego,” Ever in Transit, 2013, http://everintransit.com/ chicano-park-san-diego/.

31. “Urban Roots Is A Community Farm, Market, And Education Center Located In Se Grand Rapids,” Urban Roots, https://www.urbanrootsgr.org/

19. “Welcome to the River Campus at Cool Spring,” Shenandoah University, https://www.su.edu/cool-spring/.

Interventions in Tannehill Branch

20. “Our Approach,” Riverview Gardens, Appleton, WI, https:// riverviewgardens.org/about-us/our-approach/.

21. Nathan Allen, Dr. Byoung-Suk Kweon,“Mowing to Growing: Transforming a Municipal Golf Course to Urban Agriculture in Baltimore City,” pg.19, Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture, University of Maryland,

3. Atlas 14 Study.

1. “311 Flood Complaints, 2019,” Data.AusinTexas.Gov – The official City of Austin open data portal, https://data. austintexas.gov/w/wstj-t8me/g49a-ihke?cur=Dcp-VXw9vF&from=8XQK-fe8YFX .

2. 2013 Building footprint. Austin Open Data, 2019. https:// data.austintexas.gov/Locations-and-Maps/Building-FootprintsYear-2013/7bns-7teg.. Atlas14 Study.

7. “Govalle Neighborhood Park—Pool Renovation Project (ID: 7561.002)” CapitalProjects. AustinTexas.Gov – The official Website of the City of Austin.https://capitalprojects.austintexas. gov/projects/7561.002?categoryId=Mobility%2520Infrastructure:,Park%2520Amenities:&tab=list.

8. Waters George, “A Watershed Moment: Golf, Communities and Stormwater”, USGA, October 17, 2017. https:// www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/articles/2017/10/ golf--communities-and-stormwater.html.

9. “Givens’ Park Improvements” AustinTexas.Gov – The official Website of the City of Austin https://austintexas.gov/givenspark.

10. Kalmon Dan, “Why We’re Building a Greener Fourth Street”, Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, April 21, 2016. https://www.mwmo.org/news/building-greenerfourth-street/.

11. Spearman, Kahron, “A Celebration of Austin’s Black Cemeteries” The Austin Chronicle, November 4, 2016. https:// www.austinchronicle.com/news/2016-11-04/a-celebration-ofaustins-black-cemeteries/.

12. The Community of Gardens Team, “Ancestral Roots Community Garden, Menlo Park Neighborhood”, Smithsonian Gardens Community of Gardens. https://communityofgardens. si.edu/items/show/12389.

13. “Bethel New Life for Bethel Center,” LISC The Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards, 2006, https://map. lisc-cnda.org/2006/cnda/bethel-new-life-for-bethel-center.

14. Austin Independent School District https://www.austinisd. org/.

15. 2017 American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

16. “La Scala: Beaverton, Oregon,” oregonmetro.gov, 2018. https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2018/10/18/ LaSca. Appendices 151

Image Sources Unless noted here, images are courtesy of Joyce Liu.

Cover

Bottom left: Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman.

Middle: KXAN.

Extreme Weather

Page 2-3, left: Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman.

Page 5: Texas Hill Country.

Page 6, top: Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon.

Page 6, second from top: Ralph Barrera, Austin AmericanStatesman.

Page 6, second from bottom: Austin History Center.

Page 6, bottom left: DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University.

Page 6, bottom right: Jude Galligan, downtownaustinblog.org.

Page 7, left top: Brookings Institute.

Page 7, left second from top: Tony Gutierrez, AP. Page 7, left bottom: wikiwand.com.

Page 7, right top: Daniel Reese.

Page 7, right bottom: Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman.

Page 8: Jonathan Berry, austintexas.gov.

Page 9, top: Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman.

Page 9, bottom left: AP. Page 9, bottom right: ActiveRain.com

Analysis

Page 12, left top: Getty Images.

Page 12, left second from top: Visit Austin.

Page 12, left second from bottom: Torchyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Taco.

Page 12, left bottom: Flickr user Thomas Hawk, lawnstarter. com.

Page 12, middle top: redbull.com.

Page 12, middle bottom: LostinAustin.org.

Page 19, right top: Texas Highway Department, austinchronicle. com.

Page 21, right bottom: TRA Newsroom, texasrailadvocates.org Page 23, top middle: Zillow.

Page 23, top right: Zillow.

Page 29, top: Alamy Stock Photo, theculturetrip.com 152 Keep Austin Resilient

Page 29, bottom right: Pease Park.

Page 30, left: KUT. Page 30, middle: Clyde.com.

Page 30: right: CNU.

Planning Frameworks

Page 49, bottom right: Urban Roots.

Policy Interventions

Page 55, top right: Kent Reporter.

Page 56, bottom middle: Watershed Protection Department.

Page 58, middle right: CDTech.

Page 59, bottom right: Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District.

Page 61, bottom right: Manuel Balce Ceneta, American Press.

Page 62: Gabriel C. PĂŠrez, KUT. Page 63, top: Portland City Archives.

Page 63, bottom: Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation.

Interventions in Williamson Creek Page 69, bottom left: CSW Apartments.

Page 69, bottom middle: Trulia.

Page 69, bottom right: KUT. Page 70, top left: Wikipedia.

Page 70, bottom left: Thrillist.

Page 70, top middle: BioClub.

Page 70, bottom middle: Facebook.

Page 70, top right: TripAdvisor.

Page 70, bottom right: Austin Community College.

Page 71, top left: The Official Website of the City of Austin.

Page 71, bottom left: Fork Lift Dance Works Page 71, bottom middle: My Pool My Park My City.

Page 71, top right: River City Youth Foundation.

Page 73, bottom left: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 73, bottom middle: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 73, bottom middle: ATXFloods.

Page 73, bottom right: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 77, bottom left: Dallas News.

Page 77, bottom right: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 78, bottom left: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 78, bottom right: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 81, top left: Tulsa Now. Page 81, bottom left: Bakersfield.

Page 81, top right: 100 Resilient Cities.

Page 81, bottom right: Runa Lemminn, Bakersfield.

Page 82, top left: Fun in Fairfax, VA. Page 82, top right: Fit-Trail.

Page 82, bottom right: Urban Roots.

Page 85, top: Audrey Mcglinchy, KUT. Page 85, bottom: Andrew McLemore, Austin AmericanStatesman.

Page 87: bottom right: Room for the River.

Page 88, top right: Google Earth.

Page 88, bottom left: San Diego Magazine.

Page 89, top right: Google Earth.

Page 90, bottom right: Google Earth.

Page 91, bottom left: Shenandoah University.

Page 91, top right: Nathan Allen, University of Maryland.

Page 91, bottom right: Nathan Allen, University of Maryland.

Page 93, top right: KUT. Page 93, bottom right: KUT. Page 95, top left: Google Earth.

Page 95, bottom left: SE Branch Public Library, Facebook.

Page 97, bottom right: Wesley Center for Family and Neighborhood Development.

Page 99, bottom right: MYGRN. Page 100, top: Greater Rivers Greenway.

Page 100, middle: Environmental Finance Center- University of North Carolina.

Page 100, bottom: Collin Hayes, Enterprise Community Partners.

Page 101, top left: NACTO. Page 101, bottom left: NACTO. Page 105, top right: Lang Community Hub. Page 105, bottom right: Lang Community Hub. Page 106, bottom left: Foth.

Page 106, bottom middle: Agua Dulce.

Page 106, top right: Urban Roots.

Interventions in Tannehill Branch

Page 109, top left: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 109, bottom right: Tribeza.

Page 109, bottom middle: 4605 Leslie Avenue historic designation.

Page 109, top right: The Austin Chronicle.

Page 110, top left: Metcalfe Wolff Stuart & Williams, LLP. Page 110, bottom left: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 110, top middle: Travis Audubon.

Page 110, bottom middle: Foursquare.

Page 110, top right: Austin Parks.

Page 111, top left: Housing First.

Page 111, bottom left: Greater Mt. Zion Church.

Page 111, top right: LifeWorks.

Page 111, top bottom: Austin EcoNetwork.

Page 113, left: Allandale Neighbor.

Page 113, left: Aquifer Alliance.

Page 114, top: City of Gaithersburg, MD. Page 114, first middle: Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District.

Page 114, second middle: Tribeza.

Page 114, bottom: Google Earth.

Page 120, top left: Whisper Valley Austin.

Page 120, top middle: Roots Rated.

Page 121, top: Meet Up. Page 121, top middle: Facebook.

Page 121, second middle: Pinterest.

Page 121, bottom: Joseph Dits, South Bend Tribune.

Page 121, top right: Eli Griffen, Rails to Trails Conservancy.

Page 123, bottom left: United States Golf Association.

Page 125, top left: Google Earth.

Page 125, middle left: Google Earth.

Page 125, bottom left: Google Earth.

Page 126, top right: Google Earth.

Page 127, top right: Google Earth.

Page 129, top middle: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 129, middle: Jana Birchum, The Austin Chronicle.

Page 129, bottom middle: Austin American-Statesman.

Page 129, top right: Tribeza.

Page 129, middle: Tribeza.

Page 129, bottom right: Collective Vision, Statesman Photo

and Multimedia Blog.

Page 130, bottom right: Historic Oakland Foundation.

Page 130, bottom middle: Studioist.

Page 130, bottom right: Long Beach Heritage.

Page 131, top middle: Andy Santoro, WTVC. Page 131, bottom middle: Vincent Vala, Culpeper StarExponent.

Page 131, top right: Andy Santoro, WTVC. Page 131, bottom right: Lori Sorrentino, Culpeper Fiesta.

Page 133, top left: Google Earth.

Page 133, top middle: Google Earth.

Page 133, top right: Google Earth.

Page 134, top right: Google Earth.

Page 134, bottom right: Google Earth.

Page 136, bottom right: Apartments.com.

Conclusion

Page 140: Yuriy Melnyk.

Back Cover

Middle left: Chase Martin, The Republiq.

Appendices 153