AUSTIN (KXAN) — Kyle Mayor Travis Mitchell shook up the the Kyle Housing Authority’s leadership, after its previous director entered agreements with property owners that removed nearly $2 million in taxable value from the city.
“This restructuring marks a critical step toward restoring public accountability and ensuring that affordable housing efforts truly serve the residents of Kyle,” wrote the city in a Monday statement.
The Housing Authority works alongside community organizations to effect housing code enforcement and improve low-income housing in the city. While the Housing Authority is not a city board or commission, the mayor appoints board members to oversee the agency.
Mitchell introduced Interim Chair Kathy Armstrong, as well as new members Julie Orgish and Vianna Garza to the five-person body. There are still two current vacancies on the board.
The shake-up comes after the Kyle Housing Authority entered a “memorandum of understanding with several multifamily property owners,” according to a statement from the city.
The Housing Authority considered the previously authorized memorandums with Stryker Properties LLC, Koltera Capital Partners LLC and SPI Advisory LLC at a June meeting, where Kyle City Manager Bryan Langley said the city had “concerns” about the agreements.
“In our view, some of the benefits of the programs that have been put together in these deals don’t provide discernible public benefit,” said Langley at the June meeting.
The announcement Monday emphasized Langley’s concerns, with Mitchell saying the agreements did not contribute meaningfully to low-income housing or rent relief.
“Our housing authority’s Executive Director pushed for these agreements all at once,” said Mitchell in the statement. “After an initial review, we can find no evidence that the millions of dollars in tax savings to the private parties will result in significant rent relief to the residents living there.”
The new members will be sworn in prior to the Housing Authority’s next meeting on July 17.