Browsing by Subject "Austin - San Antonio megaregion"
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Item Finding the suburban “Missing Middle” : case study analysis of housing supply trends and needs in Buda, Kyle and San Marcos, Texas(2021-06-02) Podbielski, Todd; Wegmann, JakeThe concept of “Missing Middle Housing” refers to a variety of multi-unit or clustered housing types that can be constructed in a compatible form or scale compared to detached single-family homes. These housing types can serve as transition from single-family homes to larger multi-family apartments, resulting in neighborhoods that meet the demand for a more dense, walkable mode of living (Missingmiddlehousing.com). This report will explore the role of these housing types in the context of three rapidly growing suburban cities located at the center of the emerging Austin-San Antonio megaregion. The cities of Buda, Kyle and San Marcos are located consecutively along a 15 mile stretch of Interstate 35 in Hays County, just south of Austin city limits. As these cities are continually pressured with growth from both Austin and San Antonio, their respective governments will have to work to match housing supply with the incoming population. Simultaneously, the demographic segments that have dominated housing markets in recent years are changing. With younger generations chasing opportunities for homeownership, there are now increasing shares of single-person or no-children households (JCHS, 2020). Another demographic segment, those aged 65 and over are now living longer with greater health than ever before, prompting greater demand for smaller houses requiring less maintenance, or for the incorporation of Accessory Dwelling Units that meet the rapidly growing need for multigenerational-friendly housing types (AARP, 2020). Creating a clear vision of what types of housing are classified as missing middle housing and the surrounding conversation on the adaptability of these types will show how these types can potentially help to solve the continually worsening housing crisis occurring in the Austin-San Antonio megaregion. The barriers to adding missing middle housing can be daunting with no effort to change. But as these housing types are increasingly built nationwide, new case studies arise that can serve to better educate cities such as Buda, Kyle or San Marcos on how to better incorporate a diversity of housing types. To better understand how these case studies can be paired as a potential solutions for the three focus cities, there will be a thorough analysis of current population and housing statistics and an overview of existing plans and policies for each city.