Preservation Austin Supports Council Member Ryan Alter’s Resolution on House Relocation
AUSTIN, TX (November 1, 2023) – Preservation Austin is proud to announce their strong support for Council Member Ryan Alter’s House Relocation resolution (Item 24) at the November 2 meeting of Austin City Council. This resolution aims to minimize barriers to house relocation within Austin city limits and build awareness around these sustainable strategies in this era of rapid climate change. Every year hundreds of smaller and historic-age homes are demolished and thrown into the landfill. Our non-profit organization thanks Council Member Alter for his leadership in creating new opportunities for sustainable housing outcomes in Austin. Read our letter of support HERE.
“Preservation is an important tool to achieve our city’s affordability and sustainability goals,” said Council Member Alter. “This item will raise awareness and minimize barriers for preserving homes through moving or deconstructing them. I appreciate Preservation Austin’s help and support on this item.”
“We all know that existing structures have value,” said Council Member Leslie Pool, resolution co-sponsor. “Making it easier to relocate or shift a house helps homeowners hold onto that value, and helps Austin divert waste from the landfill to meet our climate goals.”
“Preservation Austin sees Austin’s older and historic homes as opportunities, not trash, and laud the Council Member for his leadership in shifting this narrative,” said Executive Director Lindsey Derrington. “We are also grateful to Council Member Pool, Council Member Fuentes, Council Member Velásquez, and Mayor Pro Tem Ellis for co-sponsoring this item.”
The number of house relocation projects within Austin’s city limits has significantly decreased over the past decade, in large part because of procedural red tape, development fees, and complex permitting processes. Preservation Austin proudly supported 2023’s “House Relocation: A Practical Guide for Austin, Texas” with funds from the organization’s Matching Grant Program. The guide provides step-by-step instructions for Austin residents, developers, and design and construction professionals. It includes simple, clear, and accessible policy recommendations that the City of Austin could adopt to make this process easier to access.
Diverting older, historic-age homes from the landfill through house relocation supports the following city goals:
Affordability: Smaller, older homes are among the most affordable options for renters and lower to middle-income earners. Relocating smaller, older homes to create density elsewhere provides an opportunity to preserve the naturally occurring affordability of existing housing stock.
Sustainability: House relocation provides an alternative to the landfill. Our research shows that construction and demolition debris comprises 25% of Travis County’s three municipal landfills. Significant diversion is necessary for the City of Austin to meet its Zero Waste goals by 2040.
Preservation: 85% of relocated houses in the past ten years have been moved outside city limits. Making relocation more accessible within Austin’s city limits means saving our cultural and historic fabric for use by our own community, and creating more housing opportunities for Austinites.
“House Relocation: A Practical Guide for Austin, Texas” by Sarah Gamble
This guide explores house relocation as a tool for the circular reuse of residential structures within Austin’s central neighborhoods and beyond. This guide provides an overview of the relocation process to shape a better understanding of the practice and promote its use for economic, environmental, and preservation benefits. Written in response to measurable losses in Austin’s historic residential fabric and the impacts of demolition, this guide is written for Austin residents, property owners, developers, and design and construction professionals to provide the information needed to consider a project of their own.
This guide was supported by a grant from Preservation Austin in 2021. Our Grants Program offers financial support to a wide breadth of heritage-based projects across our city—click HERE to learn more and to apply for a grant.
Click the link below to view and download the guide.