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ICYMI, yesterday in print: How the San Antonio Housing Authority's new interim leader @SAHA_CEO is bucking a 30-year trend toward privatizing development by pledging to rebuild the city's oldest and largest public housing complex, the Alazán Courts:
https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/We-can-t-do-this-How-SAHA-is-bucking-the-15929073.php
https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/We-can-t-do-this-How-SAHA-is-bucking-the-15929073.php
For years, SAHA had planned to work with a for-profit developer to knock down the complex & replace it w/ mixed-income apartments. The initial plan only reserved 10% of the new units for families at 30% AMI, or about $26K per year.
Alazán families on average earn ~$9K per year.
Alazán families on average earn ~$9K per year.
Tenants, housing advocates and community organizers have been fighting the mixed-income development plan for years, arguing that units would price out the families who currently live there and spur gentrification in the surrounding community. https://bit.ly/3b0WP5V
This has been the fate of many of SA's public housing complexes (Victoria Courts, Mirasol Homes, San Juan Homes & Wheatley Courts to name a few). It's a direct consequence of decades of federal funding cuts that have left housing authorities w/ out cash to repair & maintain units
The new plan to rebuild the public housing at the Alazán Courts represents a total reversal from that trend—and SAHA's own policy priorities in the past.
So why the change now? Housing advocates and community organizers point squarely to the new CEO as the catalyst for change.
So why the change now? Housing advocates and community organizers point squarely to the new CEO as the catalyst for change.
They say he's listened to their concerns. Hinojosa has said he recognizes San Antonio needs more public housing, not less.
But what remains to be seen is how SAHA will pay for the $50M project & what the rebuild will look like. https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/We-can-t-do-this-How-SAHA-is-bucking-the-15929073.php
But what remains to be seen is how SAHA will pay for the $50M project & what the rebuild will look like. https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/We-can-t-do-this-How-SAHA-is-bucking-the-15929073.php
SAHA says it makes most financial sense to raze & rebuild. But some community advocates & groups like @esperanzacenter are still pushing to preserve & renovate the Courts to protect its 80-year history & neighbors from being pushed out by growth https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/National-group-calls-San-Antonio-s-15593316.php
The @ExpressNews will keep following this as we find out more in the weeks and months to come. In the meantime, have questions about the project or think there's something else we should be looking into? Get in touch!
