April 23, 2021 | by Anna Orendain
Categories: Affordable Housing, Spotlight
This is the latest entry in our On the House spotlight series.
TSAHC periodically spotlights affordable housing developments across the state to help readers understand what they look like, how they are financed, and who lives there. This week, we are focusing our spotlight on the AHA! at Briarcliff Apartments, a property financed in part by TSAHC’s Texas Housing Impact Fund.
AHA! at Briarcliff, which finished construction in early 2021, is an accessible, 27-unit mixed-use apartment complex located in Austin, TX. Accessible Housing Austin! (AHA!), the main developer of these apartments, was formed in 2005 with a mission to develop and manage a portfolio of accessible, integrated housing for persons with disabilities.
The AHA! at Briarcliff Apartments received nearly $1 million in construction financing from TSAHC through our Texas Housing Impact Fund thanks to investments from Texas Capital Bank and Austin Community Foundation’s FundATX.
Total development costs for the AHA! at Briarcliff Apartments came to nearly $5 million, with additional support from: Austin Housing Finance Corporation, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Frost Bank, The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, Bank of America, Lola Wright Foundation, Grande Communications, Wells Fargo Bank, and individual donations.
The AHA! at Briarcliff Apartments directly meets the needs of Texas families and individuals that live with disabilities or earn up to 50% of the area median family income (AMFI). Half of the apartment units are accessible, and the other half are adaptable for persons with disabilities.
The property is located near two bus lines and is just one mile north of the Mueller development, a mixed-use, mixed-income community with numerous employers, retail options, services, and other amenities. This location offers ideal access to grocery stores, transportation, jobs, and healthcare services.
While the AHA! at Briarcliff Apartments are one of TSAHC’s latest involvements in Central Texas, it is certainly not our only one. TSAHC has also provided financing to several properties in Austin, including The Chicon and The Willows Apartments.
TSAHC also operates the Rollins Apartment complex in East Austin as part of our Rental Program. This property contains 15 three-bedroom apartments that are set aside for households that earn up to 60% AMFI.
On the House blog posts are meant to provide general information on various housing-related issues, research and programs. We are not liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the information provided by blog sources. Furthermore, this blog is not legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney.
Hi, I found about AHA development on the website. I would like more information about your organization such as how to get on the waiting list or apply.
Thank you
Hello John,
TSAHC does accept Section 8 housing vouchers for tenants that participate in our own rental program: https://www.tsahc.org/homebuyers-renters/renters.
We’d recommend contacting Accessible Housing Austin! for their most updated rental policies and requirements if you are interested in living at the AHA! at Briarcliff Apartments: https://ahaustin.org/apply-for-housing/.
I like to know if you accept the housing voucher Section 8 disability voucher
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Hello Kimberly,
Please reach out to Accessible Housing Austin to get more information about their housing waitlists.
You can also reach out to the Housing Authority of the City of Austin to see if they know of any other properties that might have units set aside for households with disabilities.