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New permanent supportive housing community, Cady Lofts, opens in Central Austin

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New permanent supportive housing community, Cady Lofts, opens in Central Austin


For anyone experiencing homelessness in search of a stable place to live, please contact Austin ECHO (Ending Community Homelessness Coalition) for a Coordinated Assessment. Details and access information are available at www.austinecho.org/gethelp. 

AUSTIN, TX – The City of Austin Housing Department is pleased to announce the opening of a new permanent supportive housing community located at 1004 E. 39th Street, in the Central Austin Hancock neighborhood in District 9. Dubbed Cady Lofts, the new four-story, elevator served community offers 100 fully furnished studio units to persons exiting homelessness. Persons experiencing chronic homelessness and those with physical and mental disabilities are identified and/or selected using a coordinated entry process required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and facilitated in Travis County by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO). Cady Lofts is the result of a collaboration between SGI Ventures Inc. and the Austin Affordable Housing Corporation, the non-profit subsidiary of the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA). 

“We are proud to work side-by-side with SGI Ventures in bringing this development online and thrilled to have additional permanent supportive housing come online in Austin.  Permanent supportive housing is a much-needed tool to address homelessness. It addresses a critical need for long-term housing stability for those experiencing chronic homelessness, while providing much needed services for overall health and well-being,” says Mandy DeMayo, Interim Director for the Housing Department.

As a permanent supportive housing (PSH) property, all Cady Lofts’ units are dedicated housing for formerly chronically homeless individuals referred through the Coordinated Entry System managed by ECHO. These units are not intended to accommodate families. Most chronically homeless individuals have incomes below 30% of area median income. As such, every unit will have a dedicated voucher to make up the difference between what residents are able to pay and the rents charged at each income level – ensuring residents can live at the property regardless of their ability to pay. All residents must be income qualified. The units are subject to the following restrictions:

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Unit features include solid surface kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities, energy efficient appliances and lighting and resilient flooring. Community amenities include meeting or training rooms, a library, community laundry areas on each floor and community warming kitchen, a computer center and a central outdoor community courtyard.  Volunteers of America will serve as property manager and Family Endeavors Inc. will be the service provider. Saigebrook, O-SDA Industries, and New Hope Housing are all acting as development and service provider consultants.  

Wrap-around support services such as job training, health screenings, benefits assistance and case management services will be offered to residents. A variety of classes will be offered, including fitness, cooking, nutrition, personal finance and tax preparation. Free monthly on-site social events will also be held. The building offers controlled access and 24-hour onsite management. All utilities are provided at no cost to residents.  

Cady Lofts is within walking distance (or a half mile) of bus/transit stops, the St. David’s Medical Center and the Hancock shopping center, which includes an H-E-B, a CommunityCare Walk-in Clinic and numerous restaurant, service and retail shops. 

“Cady Lofts provides both a trauma-informed model of housing and robust onsite support services, offering a pathway to stability through trauma-informed housing and support services, designed to help residents heal, rebuilt, and thrive. According to ECHO’s 2024 State of the HRS report, there are over 1,500 chronically homeless individuals in Austin,” explains Sally Gaskin, president of SGI Ventures, who is a developer and tax credit and private activity bond consultant. “Those who have experienced long-term or repeated homelessness need housing with ongoing support and wraparound services, intended to keep them permanently housed and give them resources to become stable and flourish after experiencing the trauma of homelessness and its compounding effects.” 

Gaskin adds that PSH communities are an integral part of the City’s overall strategy to end chronic homelessness by offering long-term solutions beyond emergency shelters and rapid rehousing, which offers crucial short-term assistance. 

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“Permanent supportive housing (PSH) provides long-term rental assistance and individualized support services to those with the highest needs and most complex barriers to housing, including disabilities and chronic homelessness. PSH combines housing affordability with individualized support services,” she explains. “With 100 PSH units, Cady Lofts addresses the City’s shortage of such units, helping to stably house our most vulnerable neighbors.” 

Caption: Photo of interior courtyard for the Cady Lofts Apartments. 

Dollars and cents

A variety of funding sources contributed to the construction of this development, including $13.84 million in tax credit equity and a $1.08 million loan from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) under the 9% Housing Tax Credit (HTC) program. This program awards tax credits to developments, allowing developers to exchange these credits with investors for equity investments, typically covering about 70% of total development costs. 

Additional funding sources for the development included a $7.2 million loan from the Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) through the Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) program, financed by General Obligation (GO) Bonds. The Austin Community Foundation (ACF), through its Housing Accelerator Fund, provided a $2 million construction loan with favorable terms to support the project. Other contributors included the Austin Affordable Housing Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) Dallas, and the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC). The developer also leveraged the City of Austin’s Affordability Unlocked program  

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In addition, project-based vouchers have been secured for every unit: 75 Housing Choice Vouchers from the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) and 25 Local Housing Vouchers from the City of Austin to ensure that no resident will be required to pay more than 30% of their income on rent. 

“Private and public funding sources for PSH and affordable housing communities are critical, as this funding allows us to provide not just long-term housing, but long-term comprehensive services and care to meet the needs of our friends and neighbors transitioning out of chronic homelessness,” Gaskin says. “Each of our funding sources, including our partnership with AHFC, makes it possible for us to sustainably provide the wrap-around support services essential for PSH to be successful.”

Cady Lofts was constructed on a .74-acre site. Total development costs for Cady Lofts were approximately $25 million. Construction began in October 2023 and ended in March. 

 

About the City of Austin Housing Department
The City of Austin Housing Department provides equitable and comprehensive housing solutions, community development, and displacement prevention services to enhance the quality of life of all Austinites. To access affordable housing and community resources, visit www.austintexas.gov/housing. 

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About the Austin Housing Finance Corporation 
The Austin Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) was created as a public, non-profit corporation and instrumentality of the City of Austin. The mission of the AHFC is to generate and implement strategic housing solutions for the benefit of low- and moderate-income residents of the City of Austin. 

About the Housing Authority of the City of Austin  
Established in 1937, the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) is an independent public unit separate from the City of Austin and responsible to an autonomous Board of Commissioners. HACA frequently works in partnership with civic and community groups to meet the needs of low-income families, seniors, persons with disabilities, and persons experiencing homelessness. Its mission is to cultivate sustainable, affordable housing communities and partnerships that inspire self-reliance, growth, and optimism. As a High-Performing housing authority that assists more than 20,000 Austinites, HACA owns and operates about 2,000 units of subsidized housing in multiple developments across Austin. 

About the SGI Ventures Inc. 
SGI Ventures, Inc. is a developer and tax credit and private activity bond consultant. It has been active in the affordable housing industry since 1996 and has developed over 1,000 affordable units.  

About Saigebrook Development  
Saigebrook Development, LLC creates exceptional affordable housing developments that serve the local workforce while also providing options for market rate rental units within each community. Established in 1996, the WBE- and HUB-certified real estate development consulting firm has developed and constructed more than 6,800 rental homes across the southeastern United States. 

About O-SDA Industries
O-SDA Industries, LLC is a City of Austin MBE/WBE/Texas HUB-certified real estate development firm with deep expertise in building affordable housing communities that meet the unique needs of each city and individual neighborhood they serve. Since 2011, O-SDA has been part of over 25 successful 9% Housing Tax Credit applications for projects across the state of Texas.

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Austin, TX

UT Austin College of Pharmacy Leads Texas in New U.S. News Rankings

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UT Austin College of Pharmacy Leads Texas in New U.S. News Rankings


U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 rankings for colleges, universities and higher education programs across the United States. The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy ranked No. 8 in the nation and remains the top pharmacy school in Texas.

UT Austin earned a 4.2 on a 1-5 scale. Respondents represented schools and programs offering Doctor of Pharmacy degrees accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

“As the link between patients and medicine,” says U.S. News & World Report, “pharmacists must be experts on prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications, understanding use, side effects and interactions.” Texas Pharmacy continues to rank among the nation’s best, remaining rigorously competitive among peer institutions.

“Our students, alumni, faculty and staff are proud to be among the leading colleges of pharmacy in the country,” says Samuel M. Poloyac, Pharm.D., Ph.D., dean of The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy and James T. Doluisio Regents Chair. “We strive for excellence and impact as we shape the future of our profession through innovative care for our communities and groundbreaking health discoveries.”

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View the Best Pharmacy Schools rankings to see how UT Austin stacks up against its peer institutions.



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Austin, TX

Aaliyah Crump plans to transfer from Texas: report

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Aaliyah Crump plans to transfer from Texas: report


AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to a report by On3Sports, Texas freshman guard Aaliyah Crump will enter the transfer portal.

On3’s Talia Goodman reported Monday that Crump is headed out of Austin, leaving head coach Vic Schaefer without one of the most coveted recruits of the 2025 class.

Texas guard Aaliyah Crump, center, battles Vanderbilt forward Sacha Washington, left, and guard Aubrey Galvan, right, for the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Crump averaged 17.4 minutes per game over 24 games played this season, missing almost the entire nonconference schedule with a foot injury. She scored 7.9 points per game, with a high of 18 against Texas Southern on Nov. 16, and about one steal per game.

She was one of Texas’ top perimeter shooting threats, making 23 of 73 3-point attempts for 32%.

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Crump, a 6-foot-1 guard from Minnetonka, Minnesota, will have three seasons of eligibility left. She was ranked as the No. 5 recruit in her class by ESPN, and she was on the Team USA U16 squad that won gold at the FIBA Americas Championships in 2023.

Aaliyah Moore, who missed the entire season after having surgery on both knees, also intends to transfer from the Longhorns.



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Austin City Council members ask to begin process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street

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Austin City Council members ask to begin process of renaming Cesar Chavez Street


AUSTIN, Texas — Some members of the Austin City Council are calling on the city manager to develop a plan for renaming Cesar Chavez Street after allegations of sexual abuse came out against the late labor leader earlier this year.

According to a memo on Friday to City Manager T.C. Broadnax, José Velásquez, Vanessa Fuentes, José “Chito” Vela and Zohaib “Zo” Qadri requested Broadnax develop a community outreach plan to gather input and assess the cost to the city, residents and businesses on renaming the street.

“The City of Austin is committed to upholding the dignity and safety of all people and affirms its unwavering support to survivors of sexual violence,” the memo said. 

The council members outlined how the outreach plan should be developed and what should be included.

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For the development of the plan, council members asked Broadnax to do the following steps:

  • Work with the Equity Office, Transportation and Public Works Department, and other appropriate departments as needed.
  • Engage Latino Community Leaders, labor unions, City Commissions and residents, businesses, neighborhood associations located on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
  • Assess estimated renaming costs to the city.
  • Assess estimated renaming costs to residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street.
  • Follow additional guidelines provided by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO).

And the council members said the outreach plan should include:

  • A series of hybrid listening sessions with at least two in-person sessions and one virtual session.
  • An online survey for the public.
  • A stakeholder survey for residents and businesses on East and West Cesar Chavez Street to understand the impacts of renaming the street.

The council members requested that Broadnax come up with a report by May 26 that included a plan, cost estimates and a proposed timeline for the renaming, according to the memo.

César Chávez was known for his work with the farmworker movement and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers of America, with Dolores Huerta. Huerta said she was one of the young women and girls who were groomed and sexually abused by Chávez, which resulted in two pregnancies. She gave birth to the two children and sent them to live with other families.

In her statement, Huerta said she did not know about the other women and girls and that she stayed silent for 60 years because she worried that her coming forward would hurt the farmworker movement.

Other Texas cities have already distanced themselves from Chávez. In Fort Worth, the city removed the street toppers that honored Chávez.

The Cesar E. Chavez Legacy & Educational Foundation — the foundation that hosted the nation’s largest César Chávez march in San Antonio for 29 years — announced it will soon dissolve. The City of San Antonio moved the Cesar Chavez city holiday to Good Friday, and it is requesting the public’s feedback on renaming César E. Chávez Boulevard.

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Also, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has directed all public schools to suspend any instruction or activities related to Chávez.

Chávez died on April 23, 1993, at the age of 66.



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