Conor Kenny
Principal at Capital A Housing
Conor Kenny is a policy professional, civic volunteer, and affordable housing expert currently serving as a principal at Capital A Housing, a real estate developer focused on providing Affordable housing to the Austin community. Integrating his almost two decades of experience in government affairs with his penchant for creating better outcomes for communities, Kenny aims to help his hometown navigate the challenges around housing so neighborhoods and people can flourish.
At the helm of Capital A Housing, Kenny focuses on developing mixed-rate thriving communities that serve the complete needs of all residents and neighbors. Pulling from his expertise in public affairs, Kenny goes further than just identifying development opportunities and managing negotiations, he also provides counsel and drafts ordinances that in turn make Austin a better place to live. He was on the team that drafted “Affordability Unlocked,” a bonus program that waives or modifies some development restrictions in exchange for providing low-and moderate-income housing. Some of Kenny’s notable projects include: A at Lampost, a 17-townhouse neighborhood offering low income families access to homeownership, Seabrook Square, a 262 unit mixed-income development giving low income families and unhoused neighbors the opportunity to live, work and play in one of Austin’s historic neighborhoods, and more.
Prior to joining Capital A Housing, Kenny held multiple government and policy positions working during the 2003, 2011, 2013 and 2015 Texas legislative sessions. In 2015, he worked for the criminal justice division of the state and administered victim services programs for the state by writing policy and designing performance measurement systems for victims. Before that, he served as the chief of staff for the Texas House of Representatives, as a consultant for communications and policy while in graduate school and as a policy analyst for a former Texas Senator. Kenny also has an in-depth background in research serving as senior editor for OpenCongress.org, a researcher and managing editor for the Center for Media and Democracy, a national watchdog group that conducts in-depth investigations into corruption and the undue influence of corporations on media and democracy, and a researcher for Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest in the halls of power. He also served as chair of the planning commission for the City of Austin from 2017-2020 and prior to that he was a member of the comprehensive plan joint committee.
Kenny holds a masters in public affairs from The University of Texas at Austin, a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from The Evergreen State College, and an associates degree from Deep Springs College. When he isn’t advocating for and developing affordable housing, he spends time with his wife and kids.
Kevin Howard
Director of Urban Design at Capital A Housing
Kevin Howard is an accomplished community planner serving as the director of urban design at Capital A Housing, a real estate developer focused on providing affordable housing to the Austin community. Passionate about equitable and sustainable housing, Howard promotes well-designed, human-oriented projects through his work, research and advocacy. His keen understanding of urban design best practices and technical skills allow him to effectively communicate to a diverse audience of government, industry and community stakeholders.
Since joining Capital A Housing, Howard has drawn on his background in architecture, city planning, and urban design to ensure that Capital A Housing’s projects provide affordable housing opportunities for low-income households in eriching environments that are fully integrated in the surrounding community. His holistic perspective and people-focused approach are critical to the ability for Capital A to innovate in the development industry . Some notable projects include: Seabrook Square, a 262 unit mixed-income development giving low income families and unhoused neighbors the opportunity to live in a community centered on a public square activated by local artist studios and black-owned small businesses, forming the new heart for one of Austin’s historic neighborhoods.
Prior to joining Capital A Housing, Howard served as principal at Code Studio, a consulting agency involved in planning and code initiatives in communities across the country. In this role, he worked closely with city staff and community members to implement their vision on several impactful planning initiatives, such as the City of Los Angeles zoning rewrite. He has also spent his career researching sustainable and affordable development. As a researcher with the Alley Flat Initiative, he promoted the development of sustainable, affordable accessory dwelling units in Austin. He also assisted in research focused on sustainability through urban design and infrastructure systems at the Center for Sustainable Development at the University of Texas at Austin.
In addition to his work, Howard invests in his Austin communities. He is on the board of the local chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism, an organization whose mission is to champion walkable urbanism. He also serves on the board of the Chestnut Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation, an organization that promotes affordable housing in Austin.
Howard’s original research on “Sustainable Growth and Affordable Form: Strategies for Austin’s Future Housing Development” was awarded the “Distinguished Research in Urban Design and Planning” by the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture. He has also been a critic and guest lecturer at the School of Architecture.
He holds a master’s of science in urban design and a master’s of science in community and regional planning from the University of Texas at Austin. He also holds a bachelor’s in architectural studies from the University of Washington. In his spare time, you can find Kevin biking across the city exploring Austin’s open spaces and music scene. For more information, please visit capitalahousing.com.
