All Tools for Texas Communities

Goals for addressing displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods

1. Vulnerable renters in gentrifying neighborhoods are not displaced from their current homes and neighborhoods.

2. Vulnerable homeowners in gentrifying neighborhoods are not displaced from their current homes and neighborhoods.

3. The existing affordable housing stock (subsidized and non-subsidized) in gentrifying neighborhoods is preserved so that the units are in good condition while remaining affordable to low-income residents.

4. City planning and land use decisions incorporate inclusive and equitable anti- displacement strategies, and low-income persons and communities of color are empowered to participate early and meaningfully in land use decisions that shape their homes, neighborhoods, and communities.

5. New affordable housing options are created to serve current and future vulnerable households in gentrifying neighborhoods.

6. Vulnerable residents are able to remain in or return to their communities by accessing the new affordable housing opportunities in their neighborhoods.


Goal 1: Vulnerable renters in gentrifying neighborhoods are not displaced from their current homes and neighborhoods

StrategyTool
1a. Provide direct financial relief to vulnerable renters who are at risk of being displaced from their homes in gentrifying neighborhoods.• Local funding for emergency rental assistance
• Neighborhood stabilization voucher program
1b. Increase city legal protections for renters to reduce evictions and other forms of displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods.• Mandatory tenant protections in rental properties receiving city support
• Expansion of legal and mediation support for tenants facing eviction
• Anti-retaliation ordinance and anti-harassment protections for tenants
• Eviction notification ordinance
1c. Assist renters who have been displaced with relocating in their neighborhoods.Tenant relocation ordinance
1d. Support tenant acquisitions of their apartment units.Tenant right-to-purchase program
1e. Support tenants to be active participants in advocating for and implementing displacement mitigation strategies.• Financial support for tenant organizing and tenant engagement
• Tenant right-to-organize ordinance

Goal 2: Vulnerable homeowners in gentrifying neighborhoods are not displaced from their current homes and neighborhoods

StrategyTool
2a. Lower the property tax burdens for vulnerable homeowners.• Homestead Preservation Centers
• Homestead exemption enrollment program
• Expand notice of property tax deferral rights
• Emergency homestead stabilization fund
• Neighborhood stabilization loan program
• Tax abatement program for homeowners
• Market segmentation
• Senior volunteer tax break
2b. Assist vulnerable homeowners in gentrifying neighborhoods with repairs to their homes.Create and expand home repair assistance programs
2c. Assist low-income homeowners with accessing the equity in their home through non- predatory products.• Enhanced fair lending education and enforcement
• Community homeownership loan fund
2d. Increase the ability of vulnerable homeowners to generate income from their homes and lots through the creation of accessory dwelling units.• Support the construction of external accessory dwelling units
• Reform land use ordinances to allow for the creation of internal accessory dwelling units
2e. Support the preservation of mobile home parks and ability of mobile home park residents stay in their communities.• Comprehensive mobile home park preservation program
• Advanced notice of sale or change of use for mobile home parks
• Relocation assistance fee for mobile home park displacement
• Designate new sites for mobile home zoning
• Extend mobile home zoning to all mobile home parks

Goal 3: The existing affordable housing stock (subsidized and non- subsidized) in gentrifying neighborhoods is preserved so that the units are in good condition while remaining affordable to low-income residents

StrategyTool
3a. Create programs and policies for proactively identifying, monitoring, and preserving at-risk affordable multifamily rental properties in gentrifying neighborhoods.• Affordable housing preservation officer
• Affordable housing preservation network
• Database to track at-risk properties
• Notice requirements
• Right-to-purchase ordinance
• Rental registration and proactive inspection program
• Small site acquisition program
3b. Enact land use restrictions that disincentivize redevelopment and demolitions of current affordable homes in gentrifying neighborhoods.• Neighborhood stabilization overlay
• Residential infill project
• Deconstruction ordinance
3c. Create preservation funds to provide private and public capital targeted towards acquiring and rehabilitating at-risk apartments.Public-private strike funds
3d. Utilize property tax relief to promote preservation of rental properties.• Property tax abatement program
• Property tax exemptions via publicly-owned land

Goal 4: City planning and land use decisions incorporate inclusive and equitable anti- displacement strategies, and low-income persons and communities of color are empowered to participate early and meaningfully in land use decisions that sh ape their homes, neighborhoods, and communities

StrategyTool
4a. Create and support planning processes that incorporate a focus on mitigating displacement, with ongoing input and oversight by impacted residents.• Community-driven, neighborhood-scale displacement mitigation plans
• Community impact analyses
4b. Strengthen vulnerable residents’ ability to have a voice and active role in the development of their neighborhoods.• Invest in community organizing
• Community engagement plan requirements
4c. Increase resident and community ownership of land.Capacity building support and incubation of neighborhood-centered community development corporations
4d. Reduce barriers to participating in planning and land use decisions impacting gentrifying neighborhoods and utilize effective community engagement tools to elevate community voices.Comprehensive community engagement strategy

Goal 5: New affordable housing options are created to serve current and future vulnerable households in gentrifying neighborhoods

StrategyTool
5a. Intervene early to acquire control of land in strategic locations of gentrifying neighborhoods.• Acquisition and land banking of property for future affordable housing development
• Land acquisition fund
5b. Dedicate surplus public land to affordable housing development.Public land for affordable housing policy
5c. Leverage the power of hot real estate markets in middle- and late-stage gentrifying areas to create affordable housing.• Adoption and expansion of density bonus programs
• Community benefits agreements (CBAs)
5d. Retain city and community ownership
of land to ensure permanent affordability of housing units for future generations of residents.
• Community land trusts
• Shared equity appreciation with resale restrictions and rights of first refusal
5e. Require longer affordability terms in new affordable multifamily properties.Require longer affordability terms for new LIHTC properties

Goal 6: Vulnerable residents are able to remain in or return to their communities by accessing the new affordable housing opportunities in their neighborhoods

StrategyTool
6a. Give displaced residents and residents at risk of displacement higher priority on waiting lists for affordable housing programs in their neighborhood.Community preference policy
6b. Improve vulnerable residents’ access
to information about affordable housing opportunities and streamline the application process.
Single-entry, online affordable housing application portal