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Still, the explosive population growth has helped bring more housing options to prominence in recent years, according to city data. Some recent examples of developments in prog- ress include the city’s rst mixed-use projects—The District and another planned unit development on Kenney Fort Boulevard—which will bring in more than 2,000 housing units combined. Similarly, development companies such as Aspen Heights are creating communities in Round Rock and Hutto that will o er single-family housing in a rental format to meet the needs of those who cannot yet purchase a home. As local initiatives to match housing supply with population growth continue to gain momentum, “We try to keep up with what we nd in the com- prehensive plan,” Hender- son said. “That’s kind of our document that we use to make sure that what we’re approving is what the residents actually want.” Finding a ordabilitywithin a housing boom Todd Larue, managing director of real estate con- sulting company RCLCO, said at a December summit on growth in Williamson County that keeping area housing attainable will be crucial if cities want to continue seeing healthy growth. “One of the biggest threats to our region is hous- ing a ordability,” Larue said. According to market analytics from the Austin Board of Realtors, in November 2021 the median price of a home in Round Rock was $460,000, a 46% increase over the previous year. That is also themain reason House said shemoved her family to Leander last May. local o cials also say it is important to maintain a balance between the needs and expectations of existing and potential residents. To address the issue of a ordability and ensure prospective residents can nd a place to live, devel- opers and local o cials have been reconsidering
what types of housing they should bring to Round Rock. That means zoning for more housing types that include duplexes, condominiums and apart- ments, they said. One housing type that is trending locally and throughout Central Texas is single-family rental units. Area experts say they o er amenities not normally provided through traditional apartments and are more a ordable than standard single-family detached homes for sale. T.C. Selman, a representative of Aspen Heights, the rm producing two rental communities in Round Rock and Hutto, said single-family rental units may provide a path to ownership that multi- family housing cannot.
Attached multifamily/apartments: Apartments are smaller connected residences often owned by landlords and property management com- panies that are then leased to renters. Condominiums: Similar to apartments, condominiums are multifamily housing units, but di er in that each of the units in one complex can be owned by di erent property owners. Duplex: A duplex is a pair of units that share a common wall but do not share living space or access. Also known as single-family attached housing, each unit will have its own living space. Single-family detached: Single-family detached units are a more traditional type of housing often accompanied by a garage and driveway. Planned unit development: Planned unit developments, or PUDs, are zoning districts speci c to a given site that are tailored to the location and use of a property. This allows for greater exibility than typical zoning districts, but develop- ments in these zoning districts must be of equal or better quality than the original zoning. Mixed-use development: Mixed-use developments can occupy PUDs and com- bine commercial and residential development. Accessory unit: Accessory units are additional structures, such as a garage apartment or mother-in-law-suites, located on a property already occupied by a home. Housing TYPES Many di erent types of housing are being built in Round Rock.
One such project slated to o er a single-family rental home option in Round Rock is The Bell Yard, which will o er 210 rental houses, though a timeline for completion is not yet available. Other developments that have recently been approved through the city
“THE INCREASEDDEMAND THAT WEARE SEEINGFORAFFORDABLE, MARKET RATE HOUSINGHAS JUST BEEN THROUGH THE ROOF.” BRADLEY DUSHKIN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN ROUND ROCK
include Homestead at East Old Settlers, which when complete will deliver 481 single-family detached homes and 139 townhomes; Stanmore at Warner Ranch, which will deliver 336 apartments; and The Reserve on University, which will deliver 315 senior housing units. To help further explain all of the housing produc- tion evident throughout the city, Selman said the market in Round Rock and beyond is catching up from a “lapse” in which home developers essentially stopped producing while demand grew. “It wasn’t until it started back up in 2021 did you start to see some inventory back on the market,” Sel- man said. “This year has been a rebuilding, but it’s still vastly behind what the needs are for the growth of the areas that you’re particularly talking about.”
For more information, visit communityimpact.com .
SOURCES: WWW.APARTMENTS.COM, CITY OF ROUND ROCK COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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ROUND ROCK EDITION • JANUARY 2022
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