Affordable housing in affluent area splits San Antonio City Council
An affordable housing project on the Northeast Side of San Antonio became a heated talking point among members of San Antonio City Council Thursday morning, September 19. While detractors say it's about overcrowding and privacy, supporters of the project – of which the majority of council were – say privilege is at the center of the opposition.
Ultimately, an 85-unit affordable housing project with an incorporated Pre-K facility, which would be the first of its kind in San Antonio, was shot down despite a majority favorable vote from City Council. Although the project is dead in the water, it sparked a much larger conversation about the need for affordable housing in all districts of the city and the general opposition from wealthier residents.
The affordable housing apartment complex was proposed in the 14000 block of Nacogdoches Road in San Antonio's District 10, of which Councilman Marc Whyte represents. In response, the councilman says he received 115 forms of correspondence from residents concerned about or outright against the project. Residents cited concerns shared by many when it comes to lower-income accommodations: crime rates, traffic, and a reduction in property values.
However, Whyte says it's not about affordability but rather about density in an already crowded part of his district. He says there's already several apartment complexes in that area of Nacogdoches, making it a nightmare for residents to traverse the road.
"I don't want the issue of affordability to cloud my main point, which is that this project, whether it's an affordable housing project or not, is inappropriate for this specific area due to the reasons laid out: lack of adequate buffering, setbacks, the height of the project and the density of the area," Whyte said Thursday. "The quality of life of my residents in District 10 in this area must come first."
One of the big points of contention between the developer and the neighboring residents centered around buffering. While the developer planned a wooden fence around the property, residents wanted concrete or something that created a greater barrier. The developer, while willing to acquiesce, said they typically avoid concrete because of its unsavory imagery and connotation – a pretty poignant point of juxtaposition between the opposing parties.
While Whyte and other councilmembers who voted nay assured their decisions had nothing to do with a preconceived judgement of residents with subsidized rent, other councilmembers said there was clearly more behind the public outcries against the apartments.
"I believe here we have a clear choice: To lead and meet the needs of our city with urgency or to wilt to NIMBYism," District 5 Councilwoman Terri Castillo said.
Not in my backyard, or NIMBYism, is a recently coined term which refers to the general opposition from residents, often from a place of privilege, who oppose development in their neighborhoods. Now, it appears to have influenced a select few San Antonio City Council members who opposed affordable housing in District 10 – a district which encompasses affluent subdivisions on the Northeast Side of the city.
District 1 Councilwoman Sukh Kaur reminded the council that public housing is needed everywhere, urging those considering a no-vote to remember the city's history of segregation and redlining – a system which pushed lower-income families to outskirts of the city. District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez furthered this point, noting he had a large homeless population of students when he was a teacher in District 10.
"If the problem is traffic, what is a concrete wall going to do that a wood one wouldn't do," McKee-Rodriguez asked. "It's not about traffic. There is something greater there, and it alludes way more to the conversation about NIMBYism and affordability and 'those people' and keeping them separate than making them part of the community."
In the end, seven councilmembers and Mayor Ron Nirenberg voted in favor while four councilmembers voiced a nay. While a simple majority would typically take the win, the number of residents near the proposed project who wrote in opposition meant a supermajority was required. So, the vote failed, and the project was denied.
"I'm extremely disappointed in Council's decision to ignore our long-term commitment to house the most vulnerable in our community," District 9 Councilman John Courage tweeted after the decision. "It is shortsighted to deny an affordable housing project because of NIMBYism."
