Project Connect, taxes, and building costs have meant fuckall for Austin housing prices since we’re in a global real estate market. In fact, making it less profitable to own an extra home or build a new home has helped stabilize the market. Things like inflation and interest rates have worked together in complicated fashion along with global economy to shape our housing market. The other issues that need to be understood is the depth and breadth of the homeless problem. The first is that what we see being the problem is the long-term homeless, who migrate to Austin and can fit in one or more of these categories: Mental illness, addicts, or career criminal. This is a regional and national problem. Austin has little ability to solve these issues in the longterm. Where affordability really causes homelessness are people and families temporarily displaced. Thats your single mothers, abused children, termed foster kids, divorced dads. One or more Surly posters may find themselves living on friend sofas or motels. Guess what: you may be homeless.