(I realized what made me think about this piece, was these two statements: "This property where Shoal Creek flows into the Colorado..." and "I envision a neighborhood of high-rise and midrise apartment and condo buildings here, with ground floor retail...". - promoted by Phillip Martin)
I believe we must write a new chapter in out comprehensive plan for affordable housing, and we should start with downtown.
It's time for a radical change of direction, starting with the Green Water Treatment Plant site. As we issue a request for proposals to have major developers tell us what to do with this property, let's remember something. This is the people's property. We know what the people need.
It's time for a change of direction in the way we are pursuing the provision of affordable housing. And it's time for a change in the way we are selling off our public property.
For the past decade, the Council has moved to liquidate the wealth of city-owned property downtown and fronting Town Lake. And since 2000, it has dedicated 40% of the city tax revenue to be derived from those properties to a fund for affordable housing. This fund will be nice to have, but it's not enough. And it takes too long.
