Austin ISD PFC approves Anita Quay Apartments West phase 2, advancing 334-unit workforce housing project

President Hunter called the June 11 meeting of the Austin Independent School District Public Facility Corporation to order and the board unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the Anita Quay Apartments West phase 2 transaction.

Nick Walsh, of the NRP Group, the district's development partner selected in the 2023 RFP, told the board the two-phase housing project is staggered for construction and market reasons and that phase 1 is about 10% complete. "We are officially capitalized on this transaction," Walsh said, and NRP expects to complete financial closing for phase 2 and begin construction later this year.

The resolution authorizes the phase 2 transaction for the West parcel, which Walsh said will total 334 units, slightly fewer than the 341 units in phase 1. Walsh described the project's financing partners: Clarion Partners returned as the equity provider through an opportunity-zone investment fund, Goldman Sachs served as phase 1 lender, and Frost Bank will be the construction lender for phase 2.

Walsh gave a timeline and design overview: phase 2 construction is expected to last roughly 2 to 2.5 years, with first units from phase 1 scheduled for delivery in fall 2027. He said the project includes shared infrastructure installed during phase 1, a parking garage, family-sized units and community amenities such as a public pocket park/pecan grove, playgrounds, fitness centers, and a childcare space planned with a partner.

On access and affordability, Walsh said the housing is "completely open to the public" and will operate on a first-come, first-served basis; "half of those units are rent and income restricted," he said, adding the team will pursue targeted marketing, preleasing and a preferred-employer program to encourage district employees and other local workers to apply. Walsh said those measures aim to increase housing supply for families and workers in the neighborhood while still keeping units available broadly.

Board members asked about community concerns and construction impacts. Director Iviso pressed on any delays or resident issues; Walsh said an early concern involved tree preservation but that NRP met with the resident and the city inspected plans. He described a community outreach plan including an opt-in listserv, a project phone number, onsite billboards with QR codes linking to project information, and hand-delivered flyers to nearby houses before noisy early-morning concrete pours.

Secretary Boswell moved to approve agenda item 2.2, the resolution authorizing the Anita Quay Apartments West transaction; Director Iviso seconded. The motion passed unanimously with four votes from the board members on the dais.

After the vote, Director Boswell asked for a future agenda item to confirm that all board members have signed conflict-of-interest statements. Summer Greathouse, the PFC's legal counsel, recommended adopting a board policy (rather than amending bylaws) to address those governance concerns and offered to help draft it.

The board recessed briefly for a possible executive-session legal discussion on real estate development and reconvened; no action was taken in executive session. The meeting was adjourned at 5:32 p.m.

The approval clears the project to move toward financial closing for phase 2; NRP said it hopes to begin ground work this year and deliver initial units from phase 1 in fall 2027.