It's true: two of the most pressing issues in Austin are affordable housing and mobility. Now, a new accelerator program backed by some of Austin's most powerful advocates aims to find a needle in a haystack -- an idea that truly turns Austin's affordability trend around before it's too late.
Impact Hub Austin, a branch of the international social good incubator, partnered with Google, Chase, the Austin Board of Realtors and other big players to set up the Affordable Housing Accelerator to assist people and organizations with bright ideas to bring their plans to market as quickly as possibly.
They're accepting applications for the three month program now -- they plan to accept 10-15 participants.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler helped launch the accelerator at an event at Vuka on North Lamar on Wednesday evening.
In the video below, Adler talks about how San Francisco became unaffordable for anyone but the elite and those with subsidies. He said cities like Boston and Seattle saw that trend coming, applied their best minds to prevent it and still failed to retain affordable living options in their cities' cores.
Austin, Adler says, has a chance to be a leader. But, he cautioned, it's an almost impossible task -- one he thinks Austin innovators are ready to accomplish.
