If you live anywhere in the City of Austin and the city council passes CodeNEXT, you could be living next door to an 18-person rental property before you know it.

City of Austin Planning Director Greg Guernsey made the announcement earlier this week, in what the Austin Chronicle referred to as a “bombshell” admission during a meeting of the Planning Commission:

“[Guernsey said] under the new draft regs, all single-family lots where Accessory Dwelling Units (such as garage apartments) are allowed, are going to be considered multifamily – which among other things, would disable occupancy limits and perhaps compatibility standards at one stroke throughout the central city … “

That means CodeNEXT would rezone the majority of Austin’s residential lots to accommodate buildings housing 18 unrelated people (and, of course, their cars). This is a landscape familiar to the residents living north of UT-Austin’s campus, where overcrowded “stealth dorms” proliferated until 2014, when the city council began taking steps to ensure the quality and safety of neighborhood housing.

We will keep you updated on this news as more details are made public.

In the meantime, we recommend you contact your city council member to find out how these changes will impact your neighborhood. Here is their contact information:

Ora Houston (District 1): 512-978-2101, ora.houston@austintexas.gov
Delia Garza (District 2): 512-978-2102, delia.garza@austintexas.gov
Sabino Renteria (District 3): 512-978-2103, Sabino.Renteria@austintexas.gov
Greg Casar (District 4): 512-978-2104, greg.casar@austintexas.gov
Ann Kitchen (District 5): 512-978-2105, ann.kitchen@austinteas.gov
Jimmy Flannigan (District 6): 512-978-2106, Jimmy.Flannigan@austintexas.gov
Leslie Pool (District 7): 512-978-2107, Leslie.Pool@austintexas.gov
Ellen Troxclair (District 8): 512-978-2108, District8@austintexas.gov
Kathie Tovo (District 9): 512-978-2109, kathie.tovo@austintexas.gov
Alison Alter (District 10): 512-978-2110, district10@austintexas.gov

Community Not Commodity is demanding that the City of Austin slow down the CodeNEXT process to allow for more input by the public. If you agree, tell your council member—then sign our petition and follow us on Facebook. Together we can build an Austin for everyone!