The Bastrop Economic Development Corporation on Monday will hold a public hearing on a proposed housing study for the city of Bastrop.
The public hearing will kick off at 3 p.m. Monday at the Bastrop Convention and Exhibit Center at 1408 Chestnut Street.
BEDC Executive Director Dave Quinn has been a proponent of having a noteworthy, well-known real estate research firm conduct study, which he believes could paint a clearer picture for housing developers who are on the fence about building in Bastrop.
Four companies specializing in real estate market studies will make presentations at the hearing, Quinn said, including Metrostudy, RCLCO Real Estate Advisors, CDS Market Research and 360° Real Estate Analytics.
Quinn said at a July BEDC meeting that more mid-range, single family housing was sorely needed in Bastrop.
The (professional running Jamco Products’ new Bastrop location) couldn’t find a house in his price range, and ended up buying in Hutto,” Quinn said in July. “There are a lot of three bedroom homes, but if you talk to Keller Williams, there are not a lot of houses for people to move up to. It’s a certain range you can’t find — houses with four bedrooms in the $250,000 to $350,000 range.”
BEDC board members in July asked Quinn to get the county to participate. The county wasn’t able, Quinn said, but the proposed study gained traction at an August meeting where Bastrop business leaders vocalized their support.
Lost Pines Toyota dealer Carlos Liriano told the Advertiser that mid-range, quality housing options were lacking in the city limits, explaining that even he had a hard time buying a house when he moved to Bastrop.
“It took me a year of looking,” said Liriano. “I wanted to stay in the Bastrop area, but I didn’t want to go out into the county and buy acreage. I travel a lot, and recently I went to an auto convention in Miami. Even there, everyone knows Central Texas is the place to be.
“Austin is booming, but our housing market in Bastrop has not come up.”
Several of his employees own or rent starter homes, but could afford something bigger if there were more available houses.
“We have several folks who work with us who want to move up in housing,” Liriano said. “They’re doing better than they were when they started, and they’re looking for better houses, but they can’t find a place to move in.”
Liriano doesn’t expect a housing study to be a panacea, but he believes it’s a good start.
“We need to send a message to developers that we want good, proper development,” he said. “The city needs to develop a plan that maintains the culture of our community but allows us to grow properly.”
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