Mayor - Kathie Tovo
What is your favorite historic place in your district and why?
One of my new favorites is the Neill-Cochran House Museum. Through the Slave Quarters Project and its recent programs, this museum is attempting to uncover and share stories of the enslaved people associated with the site and, in doing so, to provide more information about how Black Austinites shaped this city.
The City of Austin will soon adopt a new Equity-Based Historic Preservation Plan to replace Austin’s 1981 historic preservation plan with an inclusive, community-oriented process and outcome. Its proposed policies, programs, and tools will help the City Council, Historic Landmark Commission, City departments, and partners address challenges and support thriving communities. The plan is set to be adopted by Council later this year, and its future success will rely on buy-in from Council to execute its recommendations.
If elected, would you support the plan’s recommended policy changes and budget allocations to ensure that the future of preservation in Austin is proactive, collaborative, and accessible to all? Please explain.
YES
As Mayor Pro Tem and a Council Member, I supported this initiative and as Mayor, I will work to implement the policy suggestions and fund implementation of its recommendations. The Equity-Based Historic Preservation Plan has broken new ground not just for its important recommendations and preservation blueprint, but for being one of the City's first examples of a plan that has been co-created with community. I have participated as a community member in the Plan's outreach and events and have been impressed by the depth, range, and diversity of the effort.
Research shows that older, smaller homes are more naturally affordable for renters and owners than new construction. Last year, Preservation Austin, Austin Infill Coalition, and AIA Austin partnered on a new Preservation Bonus that was adopted as a part of HOME Phase 1. The bonus exchanges increased development entitlements for preserving single-family homes built before 1961. Research conducted by Cedar shows that expanding entitlements for Preservation Bonus projects to include increased impervious cover and an additional developable unit can generate 10x as many housing units as the current bonus allows (see report HERE).
If elected, would you support increasing entitlements for Preservation Bonus projects to maximize the effectiveness of the bonus, preserve existing housing, and support sustainability and affordability goals? Why or why not?
NO
In addition to having multiple concerns about the existing HOME policy including its impact on gentrification, flooding, and other issues, I have not yet seen evidence that the current language is preventing demolitions. Nor is it likely to create more affordable housing, given that there are no requirements to do so. While I appreciate Preservation Austin's intent to try to shape policy toward preserving existing structures, the initial permit data I have reviewed suggests that the increased entitlements delivered by HOME1 are already encouraging demolitions from investors and property owners who seek to build 3 units—or sometimes 2—on a lot. See 1508 Holly St. for just one example; a current google search reveals photos both of the house in Fall 2023 and then of the stripped, vacant site.
I have long championed Preservation Austin's policy suggestions, including bringing forward PA's suggested amendments during Code Next to counter the staff's "preservation bonus." But I cannot support allowing increased impervious cover and a total of 4 units per lot and would suggest that any such proposal be fully vetted for its environmental impacts, among other potential consequences.
Historic resource surveys inventory historic neighborhoods and make recommendations for buildings and districts that are eligible for historic designation. Accurate and up-to-date surveys enable City staff, elected officials, and citizens alike to make decisions about which properties and neighborhoods ought to be protected. For example, in 2020 the Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross neighborhood successfully became Austin's first local historic district dedicated exclusively to Black heritage. This effort relied on data gathered in the 2016 East Austin Historic Resource Survey to define the district's boundaries and identify contributing structures. Without the 2016 survey, this historic district may not have been possible.
If elected, will you support continued funding for surveys and the City’s preservation office? Will you honor the findings of these surveys by supporting historic zoning for individual landmarks and districts? Please explain your answer.
YES
Yes. I will, and I have. I was one of the strongest voices for historic preservation during my terms on City Council (2011-2023), and I will continue that advocacy as Mayor.
We know based on our research that between 2010 and the end of 2021, finalized residential demolitions per year rose from 271 to 622, an increase of 130%. These older buildings are often constructed with more sustainable materials than new buildings and provide more affordable housing than new construction. Rehabilitation rather than demolition of existing structures also reduces waste and is more sustainable. In 2020, construction and demolition debris accounted for approximately 25% of all waste produced in Travis County's three municipal solid waste landfills. Cities such as San Antonio and Portland have adopted deconstruction ordinances to slow demolitions and divert landfill waste.
If elected, would you support policy solutions that encourage sustainable building practices via preservation? How do you think our community can embrace this as part of our efforts to create a more sustainable and equitable Austin?
YES
Yes. I will, and I have. As I have argued in the past, Austin makes demolition one of the easiest paths forward. Despite my efforts, Austin has not yet changed its code to require stronger asbestos and lead abatement guidelines for demolitions. The City also has codes in place that make it challenging to move and relocate houses (which is not preferred to preservation, but is better than demolition). We should address these matters of policy and others that encourage preservation and discourage demolitions. We should also be thoughtful about the ways that re-zonings (individual site-based changes as well as citywide increases in entitlements under programs like HOME) can incentivize demolitions and work to prevent that outcome—not just for the preservation and environmental benefits of preventing demolitions but also as an anti-displacement strategy.
Many Texas cities establish historic districts to protect their heritage by preventing demolitions and ensuring new construction is compatible with surrounding historic buildings. Dallas has 21 districts, Houston has 19, and San Antonio has 27, while Austin has only 8. The creation of new historic districts was made more difficult following the adoption of HB1474 by the Texas State Legislature in 2021, which requires a supermajority of Council to vote in favor of a local historic district if even one owner in the district objects.
Do you support the establishment of more Local Historic Districts to protect Austin’s historic neighborhoods? Why or why not?
YES
As Mayor Pro Tem and a City Council Member, I voted to establish the Aldridge Place, Rogers-Washington-Holy Cross, Smoot/Terrace Park, and Mary Street Local Historic Districts, and I supported the unsuccessful Blue Bonnet Hills LHD. I also supported the Hyde Park Local Historic District as a Planning Commissioner. As Mayor, I will continue to support this important tool and will work to build community support—and, if feasible—to advocate for a change to the state law.
In 2023 City Council officially proclaimed October as Legacy Business Month in honor of Preservation Austin’s inaugural Legacy Business Month passport program, which encourages Austinites to support participating businesses and broadly promotes their heritage. The city’s explosive growth has made protections and financial support for legacy businesses more important than ever. City governments in San Francisco and San Antonio have adopted ground-breaking legacy business programs to protect and support their cities’ legacy businesses through designation, education, and directly supporting businesses with financial resources.
If elected, would you support creating a similar program for the City of Austin? Why or why not?
YES
I am interested in exploring and learning more about how such a program could work in Austin—and, as importantly, whether it may overlap with existing efforts, such as those advanced by the organization I led in creating: Rally Austin (formerly the Economic Development Corporation), which is investing cultural trust funds, among other venue preservation projects. The City's Economic Development Department has also just started a "place-based enhancement program," which has among its goals the preservation of cultural spaces such as arts venues and legacy businesses. If this existing program does not capture the scope of those in San Francisco and San Antonio, I would probably suggest expanding the vision of Austin's existing programs rather than creating a new additional one.
Underrepresented Heritage is one of Preservation Austin’s Advocacy Priorities. East Austin continues to experience increased rates of displacement and demolition of historic places significant to its Black and Brown neighborhoods. Recently, we’ve advocated for historic zoning for properties in East Austin such as the Sinnigson House and 1500 E. 12th Street. Often, the designation of these properties is supported by our Historic Preservation Office, the Historic Landmark Commission, and Planning Commission, but fail at City Council due to a lack of supermajority votes needed to designate over an owner’s objections.
If elected, would you support designating properties over an owner’s objections? What is your threshold for determining if a property merits designation? Please explain.
YES
As a Council Member, I have supported historic zoning over an owner's objection and would do so again as Mayor if the site meets the criteria specified in the City ordinance. In contrast, the current mayor and City Council did not even support a historic zoning that HAD support from and was initiated by the owners (Westgate Towers) and which also met the ordinance criteria.
I would encourage Preservation Austin and its supporters to continue to educate the community and the City Council about the ordinance: its criteria, its importance, and the fact that the amount of tax exemption which would result is not a criterion nor is it intended to be part of the existing consideration as defined by ordinance.
As a member of Austin City Council, what is one policy or initiative you would enact to ensure the preservation of our city’s historic and cultural heritage?
As Mayor Pro Tem, I fought to increase the allocation of Hotel Occupancy Tax dollars for historic preservation, and after several attempts, I was successful. The City now allocates the full 15% allowable under state law to historic preservation, and this has resulted in tens of millions of dollars for historic preservation projects at City facilities and in the community. Prior to this shift, the City allocated less than $250,000—sometimes signficantly less—to historic preservation projects on an annual basis; it now allocates more than $10 million annually. I also passed the subsequent policy that established the framework for how this money should be spent. Because of some unsuccessful attempts to secure properties of high historical significance, few of the acquisition dollars have been spent. As Mayor, I will keep alert for opportunities to invest some of those funds into historical assets.