More Senior/Low Income Housing on Williams Drive?

The city is considering the first step in allowing additional senior/low income apartments to be built along Williams Drive.  Here is a map of the proposed developments. They are indicated by the cross-hatched areas on the map.

Kaia Pointe is near the entrance to Sun City and consists of 104 units on 5 acres.  Merritt Heritage Senior Apartments would be in the center of the map near Ford elementary school and would have 220 units on 13 acres. Finally, Live Oak apartments are proposed near Estrella and would consist of 108 apartments on 7.36 acres.

The things that all three proposed developments have in common are they all have ingress/egress on Williams Drive and they are all partially financed using low income housing tax credits.

The apartment rents are not subsidized, but, the developer receives tax credits to apply against his income.  Accepting these tax credits allows the developer to charge lower rents, but, he is committed to maintaining the below market rents for 30 years and there are income limits for tenants to qualify.

There are many questions to be raised about these proposed developments.

1. Does Georgetown want Williams Drive to be the senior/retirement mecca for central Texas?

2. What is the long-term impact of building apartments facing Williams Drive vis-a-vi other kinds of commercial or residential development?

3. What is the long-term impact on the Williams Drive traffic and how do these developments integrate with the Williams Drive "Centers Plan" to be undertaken in the near future?

4. Does Georgetown have a plan for public transportation along Williams Drive that will meet the needs of these new residents?

These proposed plans will be coming back to the council likely at the next meeting as the developers have to apply for the tax credits by March 1, 2016.

Contact your council person if you have questions or concerns.