TOP STORY
Population GROWTH
has accelerated, the popula- tion for both cities is growing just as rapidly, if not faster. From 2010-20, Puger- ville’s population grew 38.9%, from 46,936 to 65,191, according to U.S. Census Bureau numbers. Hutto’s grew from 14,698 to 27,577, or approximately 87.6%. Although census gures are not yet available beyond 2020, estimates from both cities show that in just one year, Pugerville has grown another 16.5% and Hutto approximately 45%, to total populations of 75,956 and 40,000 respectively. Pugerville Deputy City Manager Trey Fletcher said in many ways the city is a victim of its own success. Not only does the city have a prime location in the Aus- tin metro, its quality of life is improving, he said. “Therefore, the demand for housing is outpacing the supply of new housing con- struction,” Fletcher said via email. A vital tool for the city has been its Aspire 2040 Com- prehensive Plan, which is planned for completion this year and includes policies and recommendations to help plan for Pugerville’s growth, Fletcher said. “The Aspire 2040 Com- prehensive Plan will make recommendations for diver- sication of land use and housing as we continue to grow,” Fletcher said. “Dif- ferent land use types [help] to balance all the needs of our residents, including aordability.” Diversifying for aordability According to market ana- lytics from the Austin Board of Realtors, in November the median price of a home in Pugerville was $400,000, a 42.9% increase over the pre- vious year. In Hutto it was $370,000, which amounts to a 39.5% increase. To address the issue of
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From 2010-20, census data shows the combined population of Pugerville and Hutto increased 55.5%, while the number of total housing units increased 72.9%, suggesting the housing supply was keeping up with population growth. From 2020-21 alone, however, population increased 25% and housing units increased only 7.9%.
T.C. Selman, vice president of Aspen Heights, a devel- oper with housing projects in the works in Hutto and Round Rock, echoed Evans’ assessment. Selman went as far as to say he does not expect area housing supply to catch up for several more years. “[Supply] is still vastly behind what the needs are for the growth of the areas,” he said. “By 2024, I think maybe the volume will have reached back to the level that is nec- essary for the growth.” Working tomatch growth Figures from both cities paint a picture of accelerated production in the last two years with no indication of slowing the pace. U.S. Census Bureau data show that from 2010 to 2020, 13,889 housing units were built in Pugerville and Hutto. By comparison, there are about 9,000 housing units either in planning stages or under construction in Hutto, according to Ashley Lumpkin, the city’s execu- tive director of development services. In Pugerville, city data show more than 11,000 hous- ing units are either in the planning stages or under con- struction and will be com- plete within the next several years. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau suggests the local housing supply was holding strong in 2020. The vacancy rate—a measure of the per- centage of a city’s housing units that are unoccupied— held strong from 2010 to 2020 in both Pugerville and Hutto. Comparable data is not yet available for 2021, but Evans said she is unsure whether the area’s supply of housing is still in a position to keep up with growing demand. While housing production
POPULATION
HOUSES
202021 +25%
150K
201020 +55.5%
120K
90K
202021 +7.9%
201020 +72.9%
60K
30K
0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
SOURCES: CITIES OF HUTTO AND PFLUGERVILLE, U.S. CENSUS BUREAUCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
The map shows various housing developments in planning stages, development or construc- tion, with details on a few of the larger developments. Where the DEVELOPMENT IS
Single-family subdivisions Single-family rental Townhomes Mixed use
2
110
1
HUTTO
1 Emory Crossing 2 Lidell-Walker Tracts 3 Grove at Blackhawk 4 Ranches at Blackhawk
11
8 Durango Farms: mixed-use development with 248 sin- gle-family units, 388 multifamily
7
79
5 Enclave at Cele 6 Aspen Heights 7 Urbana at Cottonwood Creek
8 Durango Farms 9 Pecan District 10 Lakeside Meadows 11 Schmidt's Creek 12 Cameron 96
6 Aspen Heights: community of 219 single-family rental units
1660
45 TOLL
4
3
130 TOLL
5
9
973
PFLUGERVILLE
35
10 Lakeside Meadows: Phases 2-5 of this mixed- use development will deliver 246 single-family homes.
12 Cameron 96: community with 300 single-family homes and duplexes for rent, plus 83 traditional single-family units
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
SOURCES: CITIES OF HUTTO AND PFLUGERVILLECOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER • COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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