Hometown Missions and City move forward with affordable housing

Editor’s Note:  The Oct. 4 issue of the Dripping Springs Century-News introduced a story about the Nevarez family, who are being aided by Hometown Missions and the city to obtain affordable housing. This is part two.

Volunteers from Hometown Missions, a Dripping Springs missionary aid style non-profit, are helping Liza Nevarez and her family, who have owned property in Dripping Springs for 70 years, to replace their crumbling home with a new manufactured house. 

After many months of preparation, they applied to the city to qualify for proper variances and obtain required permits. HM and Nevarez have had several successful hearings with the Dripping Springs City Council and Planning and Zoning Commission, who, along with city staff, are helping the family to make an affordable new home possible.

Notable news is that during this process, some changes in zoning and building ordinances are being considered and investigated by city staff, which could make affordable housing more accessible to the DS community, in general. 

Hometown Missions board member Robin Robinson said, “After the city council meeting last week, we were given the go ahead to begin. Hometown Missions started working on Liza's project the day after that meeting. The city has been great to work with. The process was slow, but I think some great things came out of it, one of which was the future review of the Creek Road area and potentially changing its zoning code from single family residence-only to something a little more inclusive to that area. Thanks to Mim James of the P&Z committee for suggesting this happen and the city council supporting his suggestion. There are lots of long-time family-owned lots in this area and I believe it's important for the next generations of these families to have flexibility to improve their housing, hopefully allowing them to remain in their home town. With the lack of affordable housing in Drip and the cost of construction continuing to increase, I believe we need this responsible flexibility.”

Hometown Missions had applied for variances under the City of Dripping Springs Code of Ordinances, asking to allow placement of a manufactured home on a property zoned SF-1, to utilize it as a dwelling, and to waive performing a land survey as part of a building permit application. This was approved at the Oct. 9 City Council meeting. 

However, HM did not know about the plat requirements for a manufactured home. They met with City Planner Jason Lutz after the meeting, and he explained the city council would look at this section of the code since it was outdated and put an undue burden on manufactured homeowners.

After investigation, the City Council approved a proposal on Oct. 16 to amend and remove the requirement that a manufactured home must be located on a separately platted or replatted lot, as stated in the Code of Ordinances, Chapter 24 - finding it to be “in the public interest.”  A review shows the requirement is not consistent with regulations for other structures within the city, since platting is not required for the permitting or construction of any other structures - unless the property is subdivided. 

The exception of subdivided property is necessary, because if a family divides its land, for instance, it may or may not meet legal boundary requirements. “A legally platted lot meets all the specifications of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The document is recorded with the city, and shows that boundaries meet requirements for various permits which will be needed to build on it, such as frontage, access easements, utilities crossing property lines, and septic systems,” City Planning Director Jason Lutz said.

Therefore, if the property is not being subdivided, the proposed change will help others avoid the expense and process of platting in order to install or replace a manufactured house, in circumstances similar to that of the Nevarez family. 

This past week HM trimmed trees and helped the family pack, as a moving pod and dumpster arrived on the Creek Rd. property. 

Once the manufactured home is in place, a septic system will be installed. DS Environmental Health Inspector Kyle Dehart has been consulted on the OSSF, and a septic system will be installed by Sunset Construction and James Kuykendall.

Hometown Missions wants to make sure the timeline is firm, and from a project management standpoint, move forward with a solid plan.

Robinson said, “We're working on a calendar for the rest of the project. We plan to have Liza and her family in their new home before Christmas. They will probably be out of their home for two weeks which will allow Hometown MIssions to tear down and haul off their current home, clear the lot for the manufactured home, move and secure the home in place, install the new septic system, build front and back porches, and install skirting. We have a team that will also be securing and setting up any interior needs the family has. We'll end the project with a community-wide dedication and home blessing.”

Sounds like a plan.

More information on Home Town Missions can be found at: https://www.hometownmissions.org