Using the Austin building data MCP tools
Category: Reports & Data
Read time: 4 minutes
Applies to: Austin buildings only
The Augrented MCP server gives AI coding agents read-only access to Austin building data — code complaint cases, building permits, 311 service requests, affordable housing program units, and the Repeat Offender Program enforcement records. Austin's data is keyed to the TCAD parcel ID (geo_id), the county-wide parcel identifier used by the Travis Central Appraisal District.
What you can do
The Austin-specific MCP tools (austin_* prefix) let your agent:
- Search Austin buildings by address and pull risk profiles
- Check code complaint cases — filings, inspections, and violations issued
- Look up building and construction permits (plumbing, electrical, other)
- Inspect Repeat Offender Program (ROP) enrollment and deficiencies
- Find affordable housing units recorded at a parcel
- Search landlords and rank their Austin portfolios
Austin tool reference
| Tool | What it returns |
|---|---|
austin_find_buildings(query, limit) |
Search Austin buildings by address fragment. Returns address, TCAD parcel ID (geo_id), neighborhood, and summary violation counts. |
austin_get_building_profile(geo_id) |
Full building profile: ownership, physical specs, risk score, premium report availability, and aggregated complaint/permit counts. |
austin_get_building_records(dataset_name, geo_id, limit) |
Recent records from one dataset. See the table below for valid dataset_name values. |
austin_find_landlords(name, limit) |
Search owners and management companies with portfolio summaries. |
austin_select_landlord(name) |
Set this session's landlord for subsequent austin_list_landlord_buildings calls. |
austin_list_landlord_buildings(landlord_name, limit) |
A landlord's Austin buildings sorted by enforcement severity. |
austin_get_selected_building() |
Return the currently selected building's geo_id and address. |
Available Austin datasets
These are the dataset_name values you can pass to austin_get_building_records:
| Data source | Key | Agency | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Code Complaint Cases | code_complaints |
Austin Code | Complaints filed with Austin Code enforcement — track lifecycle from filing through inspection, and whether a formal violation was issued |
| Building Permits | building_permits |
City of Austin | Permits for new construction, alterations, and repairs |
| Construction Permits (Plumbing/Electrical/Other) | construction_permits |
City of Austin | Plumbing, electrical, and other construction permits with work class and valuation |
| Repeat Offender Program Activity | rop_activity |
Austin Code | Inspection and enforcement activity for properties enrolled in the chronic code-violation program |
| Repeat Offender Program Deficiencies | rop_deficiencies |
Austin Code | Specific code deficiencies found during ROP inspections — the underlying problems behind each violation |
| Repeat Offender Program Violation Cases | rop_violation_cases |
Austin Code | Formal violation cases opened against ROP properties — escalated enforcement action |
| 311 Service Requests | calls_311 |
Austin 311 | Maintenance complaints and quality-of-life requests matched by zip code and house number |
| Affordable Housing | affordable_housing |
City of Austin | Affordable housing program units recorded at the parcel — with total and affordable unit counts and expiration dates |
Example queries
Find a building and check code violations:
Search for 123 Congress Ave in Austin and show me code complaints
Your agent calls austin_find_buildings("123 Congress Ave") to get the geo_id, then austin_get_building_records(dataset_name="code_complaints", geo_id="...") — returns case IDs, type, priority, and whether a violation was issued.
Check for permits:
What building permits have been filed for 456 Rainey Street?
Calls austin_get_building_records(dataset_name="building_permits", ...) for permit details, plus construction_permits for any plumbing/electrical work.
Repeat Offender Program check:
Is 789 Riverside enrolled in the Repeat Offender Program?
Calls austin_get_building_records(dataset_name="rop_activity", ...) to see ROP enrollment, inspection activity, and registration status, plus rop_deficiencies for specific code issues.
Affordable housing check:
Does 1010 East 10th Street have any affordable housing units?
Calls austin_get_building_records(dataset_name="affordable_housing", ...) — returns project name, unit type, total units, affordable units, and expiration date.
Key identifiers
Austin buildings are identified by the TCAD parcel ID (also called geo_id or parcelid), a 10-digit identifier from the Travis Central Appraisal District. This same key is used across all Austin datasets except 311, which has no parcel key and is matched best-effort on zip code and house number.
| Identifier | Format | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| TCAD Parcel ID / GEO ID | 10-digit | Code complaints, building permits, construction permits, ROP, affordable housing |
| Address-based (zip + house number) | Best-effort | 311 service requests (no parcel key available in source data) |
How Austin compares to other cities
| Aspect | Austin | NYC | SF | LA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parcel ID | TCAD GEO ID (10-digit) | BBL | Block-Lot | APN |
| Code enforcement | Austin Code (single agency) | HPD (housing) + DOB (structures) | DBI | LADBS |
| Unique Austin data | Repeat Offender Program, Affordable Housing program units | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Unique data missing | Bedbug reports, rent stabilization, fire records, tenant buyouts | Available in NYC | Available in SF | Foreclosures |
| 311 matching | Best-effort (no parcel key) | Exact BBL join | Exact join | Exact APN join |
Tips
- GEO ID is the same as parcel ID — the codebase refers to it as
geo_id,parcelid, ortcad_id. All three are the same 10-digit TCAD identifier - 311 queries are approximate — Austin 311 data doesn't carry a parcel key. Records are matched by zip code and house number, so you may see nearby addresses in results
- ROP data is Austin-specific — the Repeat Offender Program is a chronic code-violation enforcement program unique to Austin. NYC and SF don't have a direct equivalent
- Affordable housing units — shows units recorded in the city's affordable housing program, including expiration dates when restrictions may lapse
- No rent regulation data — Texas doesn't have rent control. The Austin MCP tools don't include rent regulation analysis
Search any Austin address — free for your first 10 buildings.