Proposed SXSW Session Would Tackle Austin’s Affordable Housing Crisis

Industry can vote for panel proposal from Hanley Wood, NMHC through Friday.

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The South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference will bring together some of the world’s most innovative creators March 13-22 in Austin, Texas, and the multifamily industry is hoping to be part of that mix.

Hanley Wood, publisher of Multifamily Executive and Affordable Housing Finance, has teamed with the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), Katerra, and Allied Orion Group to submit a session proposal on tackling Austin’s affordable housing crisis. The session, Can Tech Fix Austin’s Affordable Housing Crisis?, would delve into solutions for reducing costs and creating much-needed housing options.

“Like many other cities, Austin is experiencing a true affordable housing crisis. Nearly half of Austin’s apartment renters are spending more than 30% of their income on housing,” says Jennifer Castenson, vice president of programming at Hanley Wood. “Unfortunately, it’s still headed downhill, new supply is 25% below demand. It’s time to rethink labor, materials, zoning, and the entitlement process, to identify new tech-based solutions that can take out costs, and to expedite the process. New solutions need to take hold at a volume scale across the U.S., and in Austin, to make a positive impact for more affordable housing in the future.”

To help elevate multifamily to this national stage, supporters can vote for the panel as part of SXSW’s PanelPicker process by Friday. Just create an account with SXSW, and then vote.

The NMHC also has submitted four other potential sessions for SXSW—Help Wanted: 5 Underserved Areas of RentTech, Multifamily’s Design Revolution, The PropTech that Apartment Renters Have to Have, and Bricks and Mortar and the Digital Divide.

About the Author

Christine Serlin

Christine Serlin is an editor for Affordable Housing Finance, Multifamily Executive, and Builder. She has covered the affordable housing industry since 2001. Before that, she worked at several daily newspapers, including the Contra Costa Times and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Connect with Christine at cserlin@zondahome.com or follow her on Twitter @ChristineSerlin.

Christine Serlin

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