Page 24 - BB_Dec_2017

MAYOR NIRENBERG

Creates Housing families seeking to participate could not be

accommodated.
Task Force the facts are clear: We need more affordable
“We already have plenty of research and

housing and we need it now,” Mayor
Nirenberg said. “The City Council wants
action-oriented strategies that encourage
On August 18, 2017 San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg
announced the the formation of a new task force to the private development of affordable housing across
develop a comprehensive housing policy for the City the city. The public sector cannot solve the problem
of San Antonio. with the tools and resources we are using today. At
the current pace, it will take over 100 years to solve a
“We can no longer ignore the challenges facing this problem we are facing today.”
community and its citizens,” said Mayor Nirenberg. Over
the next 20 years, more than 500,000 new housing Unsatisfied with what he described as “inadequate
units will need to be constructed to accommodate approaches” to the problem, Mayor Nirenberg has
the growth expected in this region. How and where formed the Mayor’s Housing Policy Task Force, which
these homes are built will help shape this city’s future, will be led by Lourdes Castro-Ramirez, former SAHA
its quality of life, and the opportunities for its citizens.” CEO and former principal deputy assistant secretary
of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
A key part of this strategy will be providing housing
that is affordable for working families. Despite robust Development. Members of the panel are private and
public sector experts on the topic, including:
economic growth, too many families are unable to
purchase a home. The 2010 Census determined that • Jim Bailey, associate principal, Alamo Architects
over 19 percent of San Antonio residents were living in • María Antonietta Berriozábal, former City Council
poverty, with most renters unable to afford average
apartment rents. One City-funded analysis shows • Gene Dawson, Jr., owner of Pape-Dawson Engineering
there is an immediate unmet demand for 142,000 • Noah Garcia, senior vice president, Vantage Bank
affordable housing units, and that number is expected
to grow dramatically. San Antonio Housing Fact
In July the San Antonio Housing Authority announced The median list price per square foot in San
that it was closing enrollment in its Section 8 subsidized Antonio is $114. The median price of homes
housing voucher program because more than 30,000 currently listed in San Antonio is $240,992.

24 DECEMBER 2017 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION