At Thursday night’s meeting, College Station City Council discussed incentives to encourage affordable housing construction where it matters most, with waived impact fees, parkland dedication, and building permit costs.
Two key issues have dogged College Station’s growing community: additional affordable housing and ensuring pedestrians and cyclists can get where they need to go safely.
“Affordable housing is an issue across the nation, not just in College Station,” Anthony Armstrong, planning and development services director for the City of College Station, noted. “Tonight’s kind of a conversation about ‘what’s the definition of affordable housing is that the council is trying to target? What kind of unit is that— single-family home, townhomes, multifamily? Where is that line?’”
Armstrong noted the fees serve key functions: paying for inspections, parks, and water infrastructure, all required for new development and residential construction.
“If you tear down and rebuild a property, certain fees don’t apply,” said Armstrong. “But if you’re making new development, that’s going to be a permit. It’s going to have different fees associated with that.”
Though the fees account for just 2.5 to 4 per cent of a home’s sale price, will it make a meaningful impact for entry-level housing? City leaders are evaluating all options – nothing is off the table.
“If it costs more to build, that certainly hurts their (the developer’s) bottom line,” he explained. “That might hurt their return on their investment, or how much money they make out of the project.”
Most new home projects in the City of College Station are around 2,000 square feet – notable footage beyond the size of a traditional starter home.
While no action was taken in Thursday night’s meeting, city staff said College Station has committed $1.3 million in down payment assistance. This will help 41 households and support more than 1,100 rental units through tax credits or federal programs. All of this is part of College Station’s Housing Action Plan.
“The definition of what affordable housing is will be the biggest takeaway from tonight’s discussion,” Armstrong added. “Affordable housing, by definition, is actually that you only spend 30% of your income on housing. So, that could mean I own a $700,000 house but I’m making a significantly larger salary… If your wages are lower, you need a lower-priced home to still meet that 30% need.”
A developer representing the Government Affairs Committee of the Greater Brazos Valley Builders Association, Chandler Arden, implored city leaders to reconsider the impact development fees are having on the housing market – and to cease manipulating the housing market.
“Stop manipulating the housing market with impact fees,” stressed Arden. “The higher fees on the developer side and the builder side have affected the entire housing market in College Station.”
The added costs have caused home values and rental rates to explode citywide. When it comes to mortgage payments, Arden says similar homes are at least $20,000 less in Bryan and, as a result, $200 per month cheaper. Arden recognized infrastructure costs but also criticized the city’s approach to development.
The council took up a resolution to apply for a TxDOT grant, allowing them to improve pedestrian and bike mobility in the Northgate area.
Emily Fisher, College Station’s director of public works, noted how improving pedestrian safety is essential. The new grant would expand its scope or even provide cost savings to the city.
“We’re looking at the safety and improving the safety,” Fisher shared. “This study would help do that. Not just for pedestrians but for bicycles and other modes of transportation.”
Fisher also said the Northgate area is ideal for the study due to the increasing traffic and development in the area.
Caleb Kirby, a College Station resident who relies on biking to get around, welcomed the effort. Kirby says the changes would benefit students and working residents alike.
“I’m pretty lucky to live in College Station, which does have pretty good biking infrastructure, but it could still be better. A lot of people, they don’t share the road all the time. Making it easier for people to get around is better for everybody,” added Kirby. “Especially in a small town like this. Nobody needs a crisis of transportation.”
If the grant is awarded, it would help fund planning and design work for improving sidewalks, crossings, and bike routes, affecting the areas of University Drive, Wellborn Road, and College Avenue.
The city expects to submit the application this month, with award announcements anticipated later this year.
Information from KBTX.
