Austin Considers RVs, Tiny Homes as Affordable Housing Solutions

More RVs and tiny homes could be a solution to Austin’s affordable housing shortage.

The city of Austin is drafting an ordinance that would allow small mobile homes and recreational vehicles to be used as leasable dwellings in single-family zoning areas, the Austin Business Journal reported.

Austin already allows tiny homes on wheels and RVs to be parked on properties, but it doesn’t allow them to be used as permanent residences in areas zoned for single-family, nor can they connect to the city’s sewer system and power grid.

The draft ordinance is likely to be presented before Austin’s Housing and Planning Committee and to city council by the end of November, the outlet said. Council Member Paige Ellis emphasized that this is “just kicking off the process.”

Officials have enacted changes that ease regulations on accessory dwelling units, allow residential housing on commercially zoned land and reduce minimum lot sizes. However, some of those changes have faced opposition, including a lawsuit from community representatives who previously halted attempts to overhaul the decades-old land development code written in the 1980s.

Discussions of this code amendment stem from the limited supply of affordable housing options in Austin. Home prices and rental rates have skyrocketed in recent years, and high interest rates and construction costs have hindered new development. In November, Austin voters approved a $350 million affordable housing bond, the largest in the city’s history.

Council Member José Vela voiced his support of the change during the recent meeting.

“We all know what the housing situation is — it is very expensive,” he said. “There are a lot of folks living in small homes and RVs. ADUs are well above a quarter million dollars to design and to build and to permit. This is an item that could provide somebody a quick and easy way to add a unit to their home.”

—Quinn Donoghue