By Colin Killian, Public Communications Director
In case you missed it: At its June 12 meeting, the College Station City Council heard a presentation about waiving existing fees for constructing affordable housing units, including impact fees, parkland fees, and building permits.
The discussion sought to determine whether reducing fees would make a meaningful difference in home affordability. Waiving fees could also shift the infrastructure funding burden to other residents through increased property taxes or utility rates.
The presentation showed that building activity has remained strong since the introduction of citywide impact fees in 2016. Single-family residential permitting has remained steady, with over 8,400 permits issued from 2010-24. Data suggests no significant decrease in permit activity after the fees were introduced.
Impact fees, building permits, and parkland dedication fees account for about 2.5–4% of the total sales price of a 1,450–1,550 sq. ft. home.
The city has invested in several programs to support affordable housing, including $1.3 million in down payment assistance (benefiting 41 households), 52 rental units under the Local Use and Rental Assistance (LURA) program, and over 1,100 units supported by tax credits or federal programs.
The council also discussed the types of units to consider for affordable housing and potential waivers, who would qualify for relief (e.g., developers, homebuyers, or builders), and the duration of the waivers.
Here’s the complete presentation (video length – 1:52:47):
About the Blogger
Colin Killian has been with the City of College Station since 2010 after serving 23 years as the associate media relations director for the Texas A&M Athletics Department. He has also worked as a reporter and editor for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times and Lewisville News. A native of Hobbs, N.M., Killian graduated from Texas Tech with a bachelor’s degree in journalism/political science.
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