Ordinance No. 860130-A established that Lake Austin shoreline owners were exempt from paying City property taxes until all City services were provided to the shoreline properties. On June 20, 2019, the Austin City Council voted to repeal this ordinance. Consequently, beginning in 2020, Lake Austin shoreline owners will be required to pay City property taxes even though the City does not provide most essential services.
​
With the repeal of the 1986 ordinance, Lake Austin shoreline owners can expect to pay an additional $4,400 in taxes for each $1 million dollars of appraised value per year. In addition, some Lake Austin shoreline owners can expect to pay new Austin Community College property taxes of $1,049 for each $1 million of appraised value per year.
​
The impact of these two taxing jurisdictions increase some Lake Austin shoreline owner's real estate taxes by as much as 30% or $10,898 per year on a $2 million dollar home.
​
We encourage you to look up your property on the Travis Central Appraisal District website to see the impact of the new tax assessments on your property at Traviscad.org and then enter your Lake Austin address.
​
As a result of the Austin City Council's 2019 repeal, the shoreline owners formed a nonprofit corporation named Homeowners for Fair Taxes and Services, Inc. (HFFTS) to fight the unjustified tax.
​
​
A Brief History
​
1891 - By state legislative enactment of the Austin City Charter, a portion of the Colorado River shoreline properties were included in the Austin city limits to allow for protection of the City's drinking water supply. These properties eventually became the shoreline properties of Lake Austin. The City has not provided essential services and has not taxed these shoreline properties for the last 129 years.
​
1986 - The Austin City Council approved Ordinance No. 860130-A declaring the Limited Purpose Jurisdiction status of all Lake Austin shoreline properties below the 504.9 topographic contour line and that these properties were not to be taxed until all City services were made available.
​
2019 - Without fair notice to the Lake Austin shoreline property owners and without providing essential City services, the Austin City Council unanimously voted to repeal the 1986 ordinance and declared its intent to tax the Lake Austin shoreline properties as Full Purpose Jurisdiction beginning in the year 2020.
​
2019 - HFFTS was created to fight the unjustified tax.