With a wave of more affluent, college educated residents migrating to the city, homes in Austin are undergoing a transformation from traditional to quirky.
Realtor.com reports that while city ordinances restrict the size and density of new homes, builders and homeowners are side-stepping the letter of the law. For instance, owners are adding carports and porches instead of garages to obtain a larger exemption.
The result is that neighborhoods are constantly being altered, and different design styles are being mixed-and-matched.
The rapid change has some locals fearing that Austin will lose its identity. “It’s not just the streetscape and character we are losing, it’s also visual elements of our city’s past,” says Kathie Tovo, an Austin City Council member and the city’s mayor pro tempore.
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