13.a - 1909 Nueces St Inspection Response — original pdf

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Dear Historic Preservation Office and Commissioners, On behalf of ICC Austin student co-ops, I am writing to express our appreciation for the Commission’s recent inspection and our shared commitment to the stewardship of Helios Co-op located 1909 Nueces Street, Austin TX 78705. As a nonprofit student housing cooperative, our mission is to provide affordable, community-led housing to Austin’s student population. This mission is supported by our current tax-exempt status, which allows us to keep resident costs significantly below market rates. However, this model also means we operate on a "break-even" budget with limited capital reserves. The repairs noted, specifically the wood rot and window deterioration, are priorities for us. However, the immediate cost of full restoration would place an undue financial burden on our student members. We would like to work with the Commission to develop a Multi-Year Maintenance Plan that allows us to address the most critical exterior issues immediately while we secure funding for the remaining work. We are currently exploring the following avenues for funding: ● ● ● Applying for the Heritage Preservation Grant through the City of Austin. Seeking a Bricks and Mortar Grant from Preservation Austin. Investigating the sale of Texas State Historic Tax Credits . To ensure the long-term success of this preservation effort, we request that all future correspondence and compliance milestones be coordinated directly through ICC Austin’s professional staff . We are eager to receive technical guidance from the Commission on how to best phase these repairs. Our goal is to establish a clear, documented compliance path that respects both the architectural significance of 1909 Nueces and the fiduciary stability of our cooperative mission. Given the complexities of managing a historic property on a nonprofit budget, we request that the Commission establish a formal compliance agreement with ICC Austin. This will ensure that our maintenance priorities are determined by professional assessment and staff oversight, rather than ad hoc reports. We look forward to discussing a timeline at the upcoming meeting that balances immediate stabilization with the fiscal realities of student-led housing. I plan to attend the upcoming March 4 meeting at City Hall to discuss how we can balance the preservation of this landmark with our vital mission of housing Austin's college students. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Nicholas Hill, CPA Executive Director 512-609-0051