The Jordan at Mueller Apartments Austin Review: Income Restricted Housing in One of Austin’s Most Expensive Neighborhoods

A one bedroom for $1,155 in Mueller. If you’ve been searching Austin apartments for more than five minutes, that number doesn’t make sense. The AMLI properties half a mile away start at $1,700. Rivette Tower, also half a mile out, starts at $1,219 for studios and climbs past $4,800. I track rental pricing across 1,000+ Austin properties, and The Jordan at Mueller is one of the few listings where the rent is so far below market that the first question should be: what’s the catch?

The catch is that this is a tax credit property. Foundation Communities, a nonprofit, built and runs it. The rents are real. But you can’t just apply like you would at a normal apartment. There are income caps, not just income minimums. You have to earn enough to qualify but not so much that you blow past the cap. And the screening process works completely differently from anything else in Mueller.

Here’s what listing sites won’t tell you about how The Jordan at Mueller actually works, who qualifies, and whether the trade-offs are worth it.

Quick Facts: The Jordan at Mueller

Two things stand out in that table. The security deposits: $150 for a one bedroom. That’s almost unheard of in Austin, where most properties want $300 to $800 upfront. And the $30 application fee. Most Austin apartments charge $50 to $75. Foundation Communities keeps both numbers low because they’re a nonprofit, not a corporate management company trying to pad revenue with fees.

Best For / Skip If

This Property Makes Sense If…

Your income falls in the sweet spot between the minimum and the cap. This is the big question at The Jordan. You need to earn at least 2.5x the monthly rent (so roughly $2,888/month for a 1BR at $1,155), but you can’t earn more than the income limit for your household size. For a single person at the 60% AMI tier, that cap is $56,460/year as of June 2026. If your income fits that window, you’re looking at a 2019 building in one of Austin’s best neighborhoods for hundreds less than your neighbors at AMLI are paying.

You receive disability income, SSI, SSDI, or retirement benefits. Foundation Communities drops the income requirement to 2x rent for disability and retirement income. That’s lower than the 2.5x they ask from earned income, and way below the 3x that most Austin apartments demand. A one bedroom at $1,155 means you’d need $2,310/month in benefits to qualify.

You have a Section 8 voucher. The Jordan accepts Housing Choice Vouchers. Your portion of rent still needs to meet the 2.5x income requirement, but if the voucher covers most of the rent, even a modest income works.

You want a 2019 building at affordable rates. Stainless appliances, tile floors, walk-in closets, dishwasher, washer/dryer connections. In a neighborhood surrounded by luxury properties charging twice as much. You won’t find that combo at this price anywhere else in Mueller.

Skip If…

Your income exceeds the cap. If you’re a single person earning more than $56,460/year (60% AMI tier), you won’t qualify regardless of how much you want to live here. The income limits are federal requirements, not suggestions.

You need a large dog. The weight limit is 35 pounds. That rules out most medium and large breeds. No exceptions, no workarounds. If your dog weighs 40 pounds, look at East Austin apartments where several properties allow 50 to 100 pound dogs.

You’re a household of all full-time students. Tax credit properties have strict student rules. If your whole household is full time students, you can’t qualify unless an exception applies (single parents, former foster youth, students on TANF, or married couples filing jointly). This trips up people who don’t expect it.

You need a co-signer. Foundation Communities doesn’t allow co-signers at this property. If your income alone doesn’t hit 2.5x, your only option is to add another adult to the lease and combine your incomes.

Wondering If The Jordan at Mueller Fits Your Situation?

Fill out a quick form and I’ll reach out to go over your specifics: income, credit, pets, timeline. I can tell you whether you’re likely to qualify before you spend money on an application, and I’ll walk you through how the income cap works for your household size. You’ll hear from a real person (me), not an automated system.

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Location Deep Dive

What’s Actually Nearby

The Jordan sits in the Mueller development, built on Austin’s old Robert Mueller Municipal Airport site after it closed in 1999. The old control tower still stands as a neighborhood landmark.

Groceries are close. H-E-B Mueller is about a 5 minute drive or 15 minute walk, and Target is in the same retail corridor. For food: Torchy’s Tacos, Snooze for breakfast, Colleen’s Kitchen. All within a mile. Alamo Drafthouse Mueller is in the neighborhood too, which is a nice bonus if you like movies but hate driving across town for them.

Bartholomew District Park borders the development. Pool, basketball courts, playgrounds. The Mueller trails connect to the larger park system, so there’s a real network of paths if you walk or run.

For transit, the MLK Jr. MetroRail station is about 2.3 miles away and Cap Metro buses run along Manor Road. Usable, but most errands still need a car.

The Commute Math

Route notes: I-35 is your main artery from Mueller. Airport Boulevard connects to I-35 quickly. Rush hour through the downtown corridor is as bad as you’ve heard, so if your commute goes south toward Ben White or north past 183, plan for the longer times.

Neighborhood Vibe

Mueller feels different from the rest of East Austin. It’s planned. The streets are organized, the landscaping is maintained, everything follows the same design guidelines. It doesn’t have the gritty character of East 12th Street or the bar scene of East 6th. More like a suburban pocket dropped into the middle of the city.

That’s a pro or a con depending on what you’re after. If you like the energy of older East Austin, Mueller might feel too sanitized. But if you want clean streets, good parks, and a quiet place to come home to, it works.

Pricing and True Monthly Cost

Floor Plans

Here’s something to know: Foundation Communities’ website lists rents from $1,101 to $1,827. That range is based on which income tier (30%, 50%, or 60% AMI) the unit falls under. Your rent depends on the unit’s tier, not your individual income.

Net Effective Rent

This is where The Jordan works differently from every other property I review. No concessions, no “X weeks free” specials. The reduced rents ARE the value. Net effective rent is the posted rent.

Here’s what a one bedroom costs at neighboring Mueller properties for context:

At $1,155 for a 2019 building, The Jordan is $400 to $600/month less than the AMLI properties with comparable or older construction. Mueller Crossing starts lower at $1,107, but that’s a 1969 building. If you qualify for The Jordan’s income program, the value is hard to beat anywhere in this zip code.

All the Fees

No admin fee. That’s worth calling out. Most Austin apartments charge $150 to $350 just to process your lease. And no monthly pet rent either. Most properties hit you for $25 to $50/month per pet. At The Jordan, both are $0.

True Monthly Cost: One Bedroom with One Small Dog

Water, sewer, trash, and pest control are included in the rent. You pay electric separately.

Want to Know If You Qualify for The Jordan’s Income Program?

The income caps and tier structure can be confusing. Fill out the form and I’ll walk you through whether your income falls in the right range. No cost, no pressure.

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Screening Criteria

The Jordan’s screening process doesn’t work like a typical Austin apartment. Tax credit rules change the game. Here’s what you actually need to know.

Income Requirements: The Floor and the Ceiling

Most apartments just check that you earn enough. Tax credit properties also cap how much you can earn. The Jordan has units at three income tiers, and each tier has both a floor and a ceiling.

Income Minimums (the floor):

Income Maximums (the ceiling): These are the current 2026 HUD limits for the Austin area (effective June 2026, based on a $134,400 median family income).

Here’s how the 132 units break down: 14 (about 10%) are set aside for 30% AMI households, 66 (50%) for 50% AMI, and 52 (40%) for 60% AMI.

Credit Expectations

Foundation Communities doesn’t list a minimum credit score. Instead, specific credit issues mean a higher deposit rather than an automatic no:

Here’s what gets flagged: bankruptcy under 3 years, court judgments under 3 years, tax liens over $5,000 and under 3 years, foreclosure over $100,000 and under 1 year, repossession over $3,000 and under 3 years, or more than 40% of accounts past due (excluding medical). If any of those apply, they’ll let you pay an extra security deposit equal to one month’s rent. Don’t want to pay the extra deposit? The application gets denied.

That’s more flexible than most market rate properties, which just decline you outright for any of those issues.

What Gets You Denied

Let me be direct about the automatic denial triggers at The Jordan:

• Money you still owe a past landlord (property debt is a hard stop)
• Eviction where you skipped, left without notice, or were asked to leave by management
• Negative rental history at any Foundation Communities property
• Felony convictions within lookback periods (5 years for most felonies, lifetime for homicide, manslaughter, kidnapping, sex offenses, arson, and meth manufacturing)
• Making more than the AMI cap allows for your unit tier
• Lying on the application (automatic rejection)
• More than 3 late rent payments in a 12 month period at your current or previous rental

One thing worth knowing: if you were evicted for nonpayment but have since paid off the debt to the landlord, Foundation Communities will still consider you. That’s more lenient than most.

The Application Process

1. Contact the leasing office at (512) 381-4580 or JMManager@foundcom.org to check availability and confirm your income qualifies
2. Complete the application (in person, email, US mail, or fax)
3. Provide income documentation: last 4 consecutive paystubs, tax returns for self-employment, or benefit award letters
4. Wait for screening (credit, rental history, criminal background, income verification)
5. If approved, sign the lease and pay the security deposit

What a Locator Can Do at This Property

Here’s what separates working with me from applying on your own: I can tell you before you apply whether your income falls in the right range for the available unit tiers. The AMI caps change yearly. The unit tier mix matters. And if The Jordan doesn’t work, I know which Foundation Communities properties have availability and which other income restricted properties across Austin might fit. That alone can save you time, frustration, and wasted application fees.

Resident Reviews Decoded

I pulled reviews from every platform I could find. Google: 42 reviews, 4.4 stars. Yelp: 3 reviews. HelloSection8.com: 5 reviews, 4.4 average. Plus a handful on ForRent and ApartmentHomeLiving. ApartmentRatings doesn’t even have a listing for this property. ApartmentList says they’re “collecting reviews” but has none.

All told, roughly 51 reviews across platforms. That’s not a lot for a 132 unit building. But it’s enough to spot patterns.

Review Pattern Analysis

What Residents Like

Staff praise shows up more than anything else, and it shows up everywhere. On HelloSection8, Bryan (the apartment manager) is praised by name in 4 of 5 reviews. One resident who lived there nearly four years said she “hasn’t moved because of the staff.” Josh on the maintenance team gets called out in multiple reviews for fast turnaround. And an earlier review from 2020 praises former manager Jasmine Jackson for replying to emails within minutes. When the same names keep coming up across different sites over different years, that tells you something real.

People like the location. Residents mention H-E-B, the retail, the parks, being close to downtown. One HelloSection8 reviewer called it “the best location being so close to the downtown area.” On Google, “location” is one of the top tagged themes. At this price point in Mueller, that tracks.

The apartments themselves get mixed reviews. Some residents like the space (“room for my dining table and STILL nice sized space for living room”), while one Google reviewer compared it to “a jail cell.” One reviewer calls out the high ceilings. The units are functional, modern, and clean. Don’t expect creative layouts.

What Residents Criticize

The construction quality complaint is the one with real teeth. One thorough Yelp review lists uneven tile floors, gaps in the door frame where rain and bugs get in, bathtub stains, poor caulking, and high electric bills that point to weak insulation. The same reviewer says the elevators go down frequently and weren’t built to handle the building’s traffic. This is a single review, but it’s detailed enough that I wouldn’t brush it off.

Strict rule enforcement shows up on both Yelp and HelloSection8. One HelloSection8 reviewer gave 2 out of 5 stars and wrote: “Clean but subsidized. A million rules and routine threatening community violation threats.” The Yelp review describes management as “initially and outwardly welcoming but actually cold, authoritative.” This is common at tax credit properties. The federal rules behind the program trickle down into how strictly the lease gets enforced, and some residents feel that more than others.

How Management Responds

Foundation Communities responds to every Google review. Same template every time: “We appreciate you being a valued member of our community!” That tells you nothing about how they’ll handle your actual issue. The better read on how fast they respond comes from the HelloSection8 reviews, where residents describe same day maintenance and fast email replies. That tells me the staff at the property actually responds to problems, even if their copy-paste Google replies don’t show it.

The Uncomfortable Truth

No listing site will write this section. I’m not trying to kill the deal. I just want you to know exactly what you’re signing up for.

The Income Cap Can Work Against You

Here’s the catch nobody talks about. If you get a raise or land a better job while living here, your income might push you above the AMI cap at recertification. Foundation Communities checks every year. If your household income goes over the limit for your unit’s tier, you may need to move. That could mean a different unit at a higher tier if one opens up, or out of the property entirely. The thing that makes this housing affordable is the same thing that can push you out if your income grows.

Construction Quality Is a Question Mark

The Yelp review detailing construction issues is worth paying attention to. Uneven floors, door frame gaps, poor caulking. Those are problems you’d expect in a 1970s building, not a 2019 one. Foundation Communities builds to a budget. That budget is lower than what AMLI or Greystar spends per unit. The finishes look modern. But the details — how evenly the tile was laid, how well the doors and windows seal — may not match what you’d get in a market rate building at twice the rent. Ask about this on your tour. Look at the door frames, check the caulking around windows, and run the faucets.

The 35 Pound Pet Weight Limit Is Strict

This is a Foundation Communities policy across nearly all their properties, not just The Jordan. 35 pounds is small. A Beagle maxes out around 30 pounds. A Corgi can hit 30. A medium sized Lab or Golden Retriever is double the limit. If your dog is close to 35 pounds and still growing, that’s a risk. Foundation Communities doesn’t make exceptions on weight limits.

Strict Rule Enforcement Comes with Tax Credit Housing

One HelloSection8 reviewer described “a million rules and routine threatening community violation threats.” The Yelp review says the same thing, calling management welcoming at first but rigid once you’re in. This isn’t unique to The Jordan. Tax credit properties come with federal rules baked in. Management has to follow strict rules on income verification, unit inspections, and lease enforcement. That means more oversight than a typical market rate apartment. If you value being left alone and don’t want annual recertification paperwork and community rules notices, the trade-off for lower rent may not feel worth it.

The Review Sample Is Still Small

About 51 reviews over 7 years for a 132 unit property. Most of the Google reviews are star ratings without text. That’s thin. I can spot patterns in what’s there, and the staff praise is consistent enough to trust. But I can’t tell you with confidence how common the construction issues from the Yelp review are, or whether the elevators are still giving people trouble. If you tour, talk to residents in the common areas or parking lot. You’ll learn more from a five minute conversation than from anything posted online.

Ready to Move Forward, or Want to See Other Options?

You’ve got the full picture. If The Jordan works for your income and situation, I can help you figure out which unit tier you qualify for. If the income cap doesn’t work or you need a bigger dog or more flexibility, I know which other affordable properties in East Austin and across Austin have availability right now.

Get Help Now

Frequently Asked Questions

Does The Jordan at Mueller allow pets?

Yes. Two pets maximum, 35 pounds each. Breed restrictions apply (no aggressive breeds). The pet deposit is $300 (refundable) plus a $300 non-refundable fee. There’s no monthly pet rent, which is unusual for Austin.

What credit score do I need for The Jordan at Mueller?

Foundation Communities doesn’t list a minimum credit score. Instead, specific credit issues (bankruptcy, judgments, or liens within certain timeframes) mean you can pay an extra deposit equal to one month’s rent to still get approved. If you can cover the extra deposit, the credit issue won’t block you.

What utilities are included at The Jordan at Mueller?

Water, sewer, trash, and pest control are included in the rent. You pay for electricity separately. The building is from 2019, so it’s better insulated than older Austin apartments and your electric bill should reflect that.

What are the income limits at The Jordan at Mueller?

The Jordan has both a minimum and maximum income requirement. You need to earn at least 2.5x rent (2x for disability/retirement income), but your household income can’t go over the AMI cap for your unit’s tier. The tiers are 30%, 50%, and 60% of Area Median Income. For a single person at the 60% tier, the current cap is $56,460/year. Contact the leasing office at (512) 381-4580 for the full breakdown by household size.

Does The Jordan at Mueller accept Section 8 vouchers?

Yes. Your income must still meet 2.5x your portion of the rent after the voucher is applied. If your voucher portion is less than $50/month, you need at least $2,500 in annual income.

Is The Jordan at Mueller on a waitlist?

Availability changes. When I last checked, there were units available across one, two, and three bedroom floor plans, with occupancy at 91%. Contact the leasing office at (512) 381-4580 to check what’s open for your income tier.

Can full-time students live at The Jordan at Mueller?

It depends. If every person in the household is a full time student, you won’t qualify unless at least one person meets an exception. Exceptions include: receiving TANF benefits, formerly in foster care, in a job training program, being a single parent, or being a married couple filing jointly.

The Bottom Line: Is The Jordan at Mueller Worth It?

Here’s what you’re looking at: a 2019 building in Mueller with one bedrooms at $1,155, no admin fee, water and sewer and trash included, security deposits starting at $150. Market rate one bedrooms in Mueller average $1,700+. The math speaks for itself.

The trade-off is the income cap. You have to qualify within a specific income window, and staying in that window over time isn’t guaranteed. The 35 pound pet limit, student restrictions, and no co-signer policy also limit who can live here. And the limited review data means you’re taking some of this on faith.

This property makes sense if:

• Your household income fits inside the income window (above the minimum, below the cap)
• You receive disability income, SSI, or SSDI and want a newer building without paying market rent
• You have a Section 8 voucher and want to use it in Mueller
• You value a 2019 building with included utilities over older properties with lower sticker prices

This property doesn’t make sense if:

• Your income exceeds the AMI cap (you literally can’t qualify)
• You have a dog over 35 pounds
• You’re a household of full-time students without an exception
• You need a co-signer to meet the income requirement
• You want large, creatively designed floor plans

My take: if you qualify, this is one of the best values in Austin. A 2019 building in Mueller for $400 to $600 less than your neighbors. The income cap is the only real barrier, and it’s worth 10 minutes to figure out whether you fit.

Need Help?

You’ve got everything you need to figure out whether The Jordan at Mueller works for you. But the income cap math can get confusing fast, and Foundation Communities’ process isn’t like a standard apartment application.

Fill out the form above and I’ll text you. We’ll go over your income range, figure out which unit tiers you’d qualify for, and talk through next steps. You’ll talk to me directly. Not a phone tree, not an AI assistant.

Going solo? No problem. Just tell them “Ross Quade from Austin Apartment Team” referred you on your tour and application. Text me at 512-360-0852 when you apply so I can make sure everything’s on track.