AIA Austin Advocacy Update – 6/08/26
The monthly Advocacy Update summarizes the advocacy efforts of AIA Austin, led by the Advocacy Commission and its three Tactical Committees.
The Advocacy Commission coordinates systematic efforts to promote our expertise and identify audiences, venues, and mediums to advance the values of our organization. To get involved, please join the committee email list(s) using the links below.
2026 Public Role & Advocacy Commissioner: Jason John Paul Haskins, AIA
ADVOCACY TACTICAL COMMITTEES AT-A-GLANCE
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COMMITTEE INITIATIVES
Housing Advocacy
Focuses on zoning reforms and legislative fixes to improve housing stock and preservation.
Wins
- HOME Fix Passed!
- City-wide and Downtown Density Passed (but still work to be done)
- AEGB Feedback submitted! Held joint working sessions across Advocacy committees and with AIA Austin COTE
Active Priority Issues
- Houseplex (4 Units in IRC)
- Missing Middle and Mixed Use Zoning
- City Preservation Bonus
- Jason Haskins to connect with AIA Dallas
Tracking Issues
- Review of proposed legislation for next state lege session (Condo Liability reform; Increase height of Type IIIA)
- 2026 Housing Bond Election
- Austin Housing Department / AHFC Monitoring and Compliance
- STR Regulations (Rose Ballard, Michael Peterson)
- SMART Housing Updates
- Affordability Unlocked Updates
- Affordability Impact Statements
- Green Social Housing
- Elevator Reform
Resiliency & Climate Response
Addresses environmental impact, resource management, and climate-conscious design standards.
Wins
- Roundtable Water Conversations #2 – field tour of a program/project over summer, in planning
- DEC panels – three courses submitted and being finalized, all with Water focus (in lieu of seminar with COTE)
- AEGB Rating Updates – discussion, review, and comments during 2 collaborative sessions (with other Adv Coms.)
- Direct collaboration with COTE – initiated, discussed opportunities including DEC participation with water focus
Active Priority Issues
- Water resiliency & integrative water management –
- Focus efforts on DEC rather than staging a seminar / mini conference
- Barton Springs Bridge (also see below) – participate in solutions when ready
- FAR definition
Tracking Issues
- Barton Springs Bridge – Env Comm recommended Council reconsider demolition (recently included on Texas Endangered Places list)
- Bird Friendly Design recommendations – pending working group next steps
- Deconstruction ordinance strategies and policy
- Dogs Head annex – impacts to ecological health and other
- South MoPac – impacts to aquifer recharge and other
Mobility Advocacy
Focuses on transportation infrastructure, pedestrian-friendly streets, and major urban corridor planning.
Wins
- I-35 Cap and Stitch Project Update from Mayor Kirk Watson On May 27, 2026 AIA Austin sent Mayor Watson a formal letter reiterating our position supporting the funding of all Phase 1 roadway elements between Cesar Chavez and Airport Boulevard. We were excited to see the Mayor’s decision to stay the course on the proposed I-35 Cap and Stitch project.
READ THE KXAN ARTICLE HERE>>
READ AIA AUSTIN’S LETTER TO MAYOR WATSON HERE>> - Ongoing Testimony related to Density Bonuses
Active Priority Issues
- Streetscape Standards TCM Implementation
- Council Resolution (passed Council 5/28)
- Great Streets Update
- Density Bonus Programs
- Downtown (Phase 1 passed Council 5/28)
- Citywide (passed Council 5/21 for existing commercial zones)
Tracking Issues
- CoA 2026 Bond Package
- I-35 ROW / Frontage Road Improvements
- University Neighborhood Overlay Update
- MoPac South Expansion
- Project Connect
- Barton Creek Road Bridge: Multimodal Improvements and Preservation
- Dog’s Head Planning (ASMP Revision and ROW/Development Regulations)
- Central City District Plan
- ACT Plan Implementation
- Cap & Stitch
- Downtown Two-Way Street Reversions
GET INVOLVED
There are many ways to get involved in advocacy with AIA Austin, from listening in on committee meetings or just reporting issues to working on tactical committee issues or giving public testimony. We encourage anyone to explore advocacy, regardless of experience or time available. To get started, consider joining a Tactical Committee, attending an event, or engaging with one of these current opportunities:
- SUBMIT AN ISSUE: AIA Austin Advocacy Intake Form – Please tell us what you are concerned about in local government and the built environment.
- SIGN UP AS AN AIA AUSTIN SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT. Are you interested in assisting with advocacy and outreach but don’t have time to join a committee? Looking for a way to share your expertise and experience with other members and the general public? Sign up as a Subject Matter Expert to let us know your interests and areas of expertise, and we will contact you when requests for experts on your topics when they come up.
- CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES. AIA Government Affairs and Public Policy has an online Action Center to make it easier to reach out to your congressional representatives on specific items important to the profession from deprofessionalizaton to design freedom and housing policy to tax credits for energy efficient designs.
- TACKLE URGENT ISSUES WITH AIA NATIONAL: Your voice matters! AIA speaks directly with lawmakers, manages coalition partners, makes statements, gives testimony, and organizes official public comments, but we also need the voice of constituents speaking to their lawmakers, explaining why these policies matter at home. That’s where you come in. Visit the AIA Action Center to find ways to push forward the policies important to you.
UPCOMING ADVOCACY EVENTS
JUNE 24
AEGB Rating Updates: Single Family and Multifamily
11 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Single Family Rating presentation
12 – 1 p.m. | Open discussion with Multifamily & Single Family teams
1 – 2 p.m. | Multifamily Rating presentation
Austin Energy Green Building regularly updates its ratings to promote excellence and innovation in design. Join us in-person or online on June 24 to review the new AEGB Single Family and Multifamily Ratings.
Hybrid at Austin Energy Headquarters, 4815 Mueller Blvd. 78723 & Virtual
RSVP FOR THE OVERVIEW PRESENTATIONS HERE
JUNE 29
Advocacy Roundtable: Early Examples of Missing Middle Housing Typologies
Guest speakers include Keith Mars, Director, Austin Development Services
Noon-1:30 at AIA Austin
Free. Bring your lunch and join us!
MORE INFO COMING SOON
SEPT 14
Save the Date: Candidate Forum
Presented by AIA Advocacy and Austin Housing Coalition. Candidates for the open City Council seats will share their positions on various issues related to housing affordability, planning, and development.
5:00-8:00pm at Assembly Hall
Free