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Bexar County commissioners today greenlit a five-year plan to develop and preserve at least 1,250 affordable housing units in San Antonio’s urban core, especially within the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) area.
The proposal, passed by a 4–1 vote, is linked to SAISD’s agreement to sell land for a new baseball stadium for the Missions. To encourage participation, the plan includes property tax exemptions, tax-exempt bonds, and other subsidy tools. At least half of the units will be reserved for households earning no more than 60 % of area median income. About 500 units will be family-sized (two- or three-bedroom).
Rising housing costs and shrinking district enrollment (down 16 % since 2017) have heightened pressure on local leaders to act. The shortage of livable, affordable units is real, especially near core neighborhoods where land is scarce. Some critics argue the county should not assume the burden of subsidizing housing, but local developers welcome the incentives, citing high construction costs as a major barrier.
Implementation will be critical. The plan also earmarks $100,000 to aid tenants displaced by the demolition of the Soap Factory Apartments, which lies in the path of the stadium project.
If executed well, this initiative could shift the balance in downtown San Antonio: more housing, more density, more equitable access to urban amenities. But the challenge is steep, aligning funding, design, infrastructure, and fairness will test local governance in real time.