We, the undersigned organizational representatives, neighbors, and members, workers, business owners, customers, and other concerned community members—request a formal review and revision of the zoning designation for the property located at 1405 Rosewood Avenue, Austin, Texas 78702 (Property ID: 194859).

It appears, in a possible conflict of interest situation, that no notice of the proposed re-zoning was adequately provided to adjacent neighbors.

Re-zoning of the property would allow densification up to a five-story building to replace the existing local businesses and green space on that corner where Eastside Pies Pizza, Twin Isles, and The Soup Peddler are located in the Blackshear–Prospect Hill neighborhood.

Re-zoning has escalated property taxes on adjacent neighbors. While increased density may be appropriate in some corridors of Austin, we do not support further vertical expansion along this segment of Rosewood Avenue between Angelina Street and Chicon Street, where the existing scale remains predominantly low-rise and residential in character.

We further request a collaborative process involving community signatories, the current property owner, and the City of Austin to envision a future for this site that supports long-term neighborhood stability–understanding of the past displacement, cultural, social, and environmental preservation, local food, and common shared prosperity.

Our goals are to preserve the community’s right to remain, to support the neighborhood organizations, and small local businesses, the cultural history, and ecological character located at and around the intersection of Rosewood and Angelina; and create a positive low-density community-appropriate space.

Rezoning to allow development up to five stories on this site raises serious concerns given the history of displacement on this block. The Urban Renewal programs of the early 1970s—often referred to by residents as “Urban Removal”—resulted in the demolition of homes, displacement of families, and disruption of longstanding community networks in East Austin.

Efforts such as the Blackshear Neighborhood Development Program (1971–1973), unlike the later BNDC, pursued redevelopment strategies that were ultimately halted following strong community opposition and federal funding cuts. This history remains deeply relevant to current land use decisions.

The scale and type of development now proposed risk repeating patterns of displacement and cultural erasure in a neighborhood that continues to carry the impacts of those earlier policies.

Current Concerns
Since its purchase in 2021, the property at 1405 Rosewood Avenue has undergone significant price escalation. At the same time, nearby residents report rising housing costs and property tax pressures.

Additional factors—including recent high-intensity uses such as large short-term rental properties in the immediate vicinity—are contributing to increased costs and changing neighborhood dynamics.

Again, while increased density may be appropriate in some corridors of Austin, we do not support further vertical expansion along this segment of Rosewood Avenue between Angelina Street and Chicon Street, where the existing scale remains predominantly low-rise and residential in character.

Community Vision and Requests
We are united in support of preserving both the physical and cultural landscape of this site.
Specifically, we request:  Zoning Review and Reconsideration:
Rejection of 5-story mixed-use development at this location;
Historical recognition: Installation of a permanent marker acknowledging:The displacement of residents and businesses during 1970s Urban Renewal efforts and recognizing the removal of historic street segments, including portions of Comal Street and Gregory Street;

Community-centered land use in consideration of:
   Community food forest, local food production with community or organizational gardens; 
   And/or  1–2 story affordable, intentional housing development compatible with the 
   existing neighborhood scale;
Ecological restoration: Mitigation/Replacement of trees that were removed following the 2021 purchase;
Community ownership pathway: A facilitated process with the City of Austin and relevant partners to explore establishing a neighborhood preservation land trust and identifying funding mechanisms to acquire and steward the property for long-term community benefit.

We respectfully request that the City of Austin, the current property owner, and community stakeholders engage in a transparent, good-faith dialogue to determine a path forward that honors the history, protects current residents, and sustains the cultural mix of the Blackshear–Prospect Hill neighborhood.