Nearly $44 million from a first-of-its kind city housing bond was awarded Thursday to 14 projects to renovate and create affordable housing in San Antonio.
Voters approved the $150 million bond in May as part of the city’s record $1.2 billion bond program. It’s intended to provide an infusion of cash for housing as rental rates and purchase prices continue to soar, putting more families at risk of homelessness.
Funds from the bond and federal programs will be used to build housing — including 686 apartments and 71 homes — and make upgrades and repairs at existing complexes on the West, South and North sides.
District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo, who represents the West Side, called the City Council’s unanimous decision on the first round of bond-funded projects a “transformational vote” for working families.
“Housing is a human right, housing is public safety and housing is public health,” she said. “Housing is a way we honor our seniors by allowing them to age with comfort, security and dignity. It is a way to provide a better quality of life for our kids and strong foundation for their future.”
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Affordable housing has been disappearing from many neighborhoods and residents “pay the price” for poor housing policy and lack of investment, Castillo said. The ability to spend less of their income on rent means families can save more for expenses such as medication and education, or a cushion if they lose their job.
The next round of funds will be distributed next year. The bond is a slice of the $1.6 billion the city plans to spend on housing over the next few years.
Biggest projects
Opportunity Home San Antonio, previously known as the San Antonio Housing Authority, is receiving more than $17 million in this funding round.
The largest amount for a single project, $8.2 million, will go to expand the Alazán and Apache Courts on the West Side, the city’s oldest and largest public housing complex.
Alazán was saved from being razed and replaced with a mixed-income development when Opportunity Home reversed course last year amid opposition from residents, housing advocates and historic preservationists. The agency scrapped plans to partner with Cleveland-based NRP Group and will instead renovate the housing itself. The bond funds bond will be used to build 88 public housing units at the Courts.
Opportunity Home will receive another $8.9 million for repairs and improvements at Woodhill apartments near Interstate 10 and Huebner Road, Cottage Creek apartments on Ray Bon Drive and Pecan Hill apartments north of Alamo Quarry Market.
The upgrades include replacing windows and air conditioning units, fixing wheelchair ramps and elevators and enhancing security.
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At Woodhill apartments, 53 units that have been for families earning up to 80 percent of the area median income will now be for residents making up to 30 percent of the area median income.
In the San Antonio-New Braunfels metropolitan area, the area median income is $58,450 for one person, $66,800 for a couple, $75,150 for a family of three and $83,500 for a family of four, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“We are full of gratitude,” said Opportunity Home President and CEO Ed Hinojosa, Jr. “We have thousands of San Antonians on our waitlists who are in dire need of affordable housing and so these funds will help us move full steam ahead to create as many new housing opportunities as possible.”
Other recipients
Pico Union Housing Corp., a Los Angeles nonprofit, will get $9 million to rehabilitate 259 apartments at the Winston Square and Roselawn apartments near Port San Antonio and Spanish Pecan apartments near Brooks.
Cleveland-based for-profit developer NRP Group will get $5.5 million to build 384 apartments at two complexes, one near Texas A&M University-San Antonio and the other along Interstate 10 between Huebner and Wurzbach roads.
Sixty-seven units will be for residents earning up to 30 percent of the AMI, 12 units for up to 50 percent of the AMI, 191 units for up to 60 percent of the AMI and 114 for up to 70 percent of the AMI.
An affiliate of Atlantic Pacific Companies, a real estate company with offices in Florida, Georgia, Texas and California, will receive $3.3 million to build 76 apartments at Silver Oaks and Brazil Drive.
Eight units will be for families making up to 30 percent of the AMI, 22 units for up to 50 percent of the AMI and 46 units for up to 60 percent of the AMI.
Alamo Community Group will receive $2 million for Cattleman Square Lofts, a 138-unit complex the nonprofit developer is building near VIA Metropolitan Transit’s Centro Plaza transportation hub on the near West Side.
Of those apartments, 21 will be for residents making up to 30 percent of the AMI, 14 for up to 50 percent of the AMI and 103 for up to 60 percent of the AMI.
Prospera Housing Community Services, a San Antonio-based nonprofit, will receive $2 million to combine the Arbor Place and West Avenue complexes near the intersection of Loop 410 and Interstate 10 and rehabilitate or reconstruct 234 apartments.
Affordability
About 63 percent of the apartments at properties receiving funding are for families earning up to 60 percent of the AMI, who are in need of affordable housing, according to a plan developed by the city to guide housing policy.
That includes around 22.4 percent for residents making up to 30 percent of the AMI, who are especially in need, the plan notes. About 3.5 percent are public housing units.
Another 7.3 percent will be rented at market rates, meaning there are no income restrictions and owners can price the apartments at whatever the market will fetch.
From the bond and federal programs, about $4.8 million will go toward building 71 homes for sale for families earning up to 80 percent of the AMI.
Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio will receive the bulk of that funding to build 63 homes at the Rancho Carlota neighborhood near Von Ormy.
The rest will be given to Opportunity Home to five homes on the West Side and Our Casas Resident Council Inc. to build three homes on the West and Southeast sides.
District 4 Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia said she’s excited to see funding for Habitat homes.
“We are really helping affordability on the South Side, as we need some additional homes,” she said.
History of the bond
The funding council approved Thursday includes $38.5 million from the city housing bond and $5.3 million from the federal Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships and Neighborhood Stabilization programs.
The housing bond encompasses $45 million for homeownership rehabilitation and preservation; $40 million for acquiring, renovating and maintaining rental housing; $35 million for creating and buying rental housing; $25 million for housing with permanent on-site support services; and $5 million for homeownership production.
In August, the city issued requests for proposals with $43.9 million in funding available. Developers submitted 29 pitches seeking nearly $96 million, according to a council memo.
A committee made up of city staff, housing advocates and developers created the categories and scored proposals based on criteria such as affordability experience, nonprofit status, location and whether projects could displace neighbors.
madison.iszler@express-news.net