Our Positions

We do not oppose redevelopment of the Rosedale school property as long as it respects the deed restrictions on the land and does not threaten the safety of our children and families. Doubling the population of the area and overloading two‐lane neighborhood streets with traffic is unacceptable and irresponsible.

A multi‐family development of this size that is not on a major arterial is unprecedented in Austin. The property has no direct access to Burnet Road. The proposed 6‐story, high‐density apartment building with 435 units would tower over the homes around it and flood two‐lane residential streets with 500 ‐ 700 vehicles on a daily basis. It would more than double (˜150% increase) the number of households in the northern portion of Rosedale.

AISD's contract to sell the land to OHT Partners is a breach of contract with its Rosedale neighbors. AISD recognized and accepted the deed restrictions when it bought some of the lots and was given others in 1938. The deed restrictions prohibit building anything other than “a residence” per lot, which includes a home and associated buildings like a garage or garage apartment. Clearly, the meaning is a single family home, not the equivalent of 16 apartment units per lot. AISD knows this deal is a breach of contract. That is why it sued 125 property owners in Rosedale in an attempt to break its contract by redefining the meaning of “a residence.” Has any other school district in Texas ever sued its own constituents to break a legal contract?

We sympathize with AISD's financial predicament, but asking one neighborhood to bear the burden for the whole school district is unfair. AISD says it must do this for the children. The children of Rosedale are AISD students, too. They deserve safe streets, not streets overrun with an additional 500 to 700 vehicles a day. Building a six‐story apartment that would flood two‐lane neighborhood streets with traffic is unprecedented in Austin and, frankly, irresponsible. While it bridges a one‐year budget gap for AISD, Rosedale residents would permanently suffer the consequences.

Rosedale neighbors want to be treated fairly. The school district initially engaged Rosedale residents. There were multiple meetings with high neighborhood participation, and several design proposals were discussed. In December 2023, AISD staff recommended building single‐family homes, consistent with deed restrictions and the current single family residential (SF3) zoning. This was acceptable.
Then, with no further community engagement, AISD trustees ditched the original proposal and contracted to sell the land to the highest bidder (OHT‐ Partners). In September of this year, neighbors near the site were notified by mail and signs were posted announcing that AISD/OHT had applied to change the zoning of the school lots from single family residential to the highest multi‐family residential density possible.