Sponsored Post – from the Austin Community Design and Development Center and the Alley Flat Initiative
The Austin Community Design and Development Center (ACDDC) will host the first annual Alley Flat Homes Tour June 18th, showcasing small backyard homes located across central Austin. The event gives Austinites a first-hand look at what these affordable, green homes – known as Alley Flats – can do for their neighborhoods.
The $25 tour ticket grants attendees access to five Alley Flat units between 11 am and 4 pm on June 18th. Attendees are also invited to a reception at in.gredients on Manor Road from 3 pm to 5 pm, where Alley Flat owners, builders, and architects will be on hand to answer questions.
Alley Flats participate in the City of Austin’s SMART Housing program and meet at least a 3-star Austin Energy Green Building rating. These efficient, affordable rental units increase Austin’s green, affordable housing supply while generating additional income for homeowners.
The Alley Flat Initiative is a collaboration among ACDDC, the UT Center for Sustainable Development, and the Guadalupe Neighborhood Development Corporation, who, since 2005 have collaborated to develop innovative solutions to Austin’s affordable housing crisis. The event raises funds for ACDDC, a 501c3 non-profit organization that works to improve quality of life for all by providing sustainable design, planning, and development services to low and moderate-income individuals, families, and neighborhoods.
“Alley Flats are one tool we have for providing the kind of housing diversity, neighborhood stability, and healthy urban environments we need in Austin and other growing cities,” says ACDDC architect and planner Nicole Joslin.
The Alley Flat Initiative has seen a rising interest in building affordable Alley Flats since Austin’s City Council approved a new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance in November 2015. With more than 58,000 lots now eligible for ADU development in Austin and increasing demand for housing in walkable urban neighborhoods, affordable Alley Flats provide an alternative development solution to Austin’s affordability crisis.
Alley Flat Home Tour tickets can be purchased here
