The Austin City Council delayed the vote to rezone student housing on Riverside and Pleasant Valley on Sept. 19.

This delay comes after a wave of online and in-person protests surrounding the rezoning. Affordable student apartments such as Town Lake, The Ballpark North, Quad East, South, and West would be demolished and replaced with luxury complexes. Critics of the proposed project say it only deepens the city’s problem of gentrification in the Eastside. The activist group Defend Our Hoodz has actively been raising awareness about the rezoning both online and in the city.

The group has released a series of posts criticizing District 3 City Council member, Sabino ‘Pio’ Renteria. Renteria represents the area of East Austin that includes Riverside as well as the St. Edward’s campus. Defend Our Hoodz held protests outside of his home last Wednesday night.

According to David Martinez of Incendiary News, Renteria met the protestors outside of his home. He told them that the rezoning project will proceed, regardless of their advocacy efforts. Lori Renteria, the councilman’s wife, was seen giving the protestors the middle finger after Renteria retreated back inside. Activists held up signs reading “Developers, Councilmen, Cops: Enemies of the People” and shouted phrases through megaphones.

Rentertia further expressed his distaste for the group at the City Council meeting. According to a Twitter thread by Christopher Neely, City Council reporter for Community Impact News, Renteria claimed the protestors are people who flocked to Austin to attend UT and stayed in the city. He says that this rezoning decision is not for these “outsiders,” but for the people of Austin. Defend Our Hoodz protested outside the meeting.

During the meeting, the activist group chanted, “The city’s process is a sham, we fight back when they steal our land.”

St. Edward’s students are also displeased with this rezoning effort. Simmone Harding, a senior and resident at a complex that neighbors the proposed rezoning area, doesn’t think the city should rezone the area.

“I didn’t know this vote was going to happen, but it’s ridiculous… Student housing is already hard for people to afford, and kicking them out is a huge middle finger to students,” Harding said.

Many students rely on nearby affordable housing in order to get to class on time. This move by the city would increase the commute of many residents. Those who have disagreed with Councilmember Sabino Renteria and Mayor Adler have contacted them on social media to express their concerns.