Category: Neighborhood Associations

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How San Antonio’s neighborhood associations can boost residents’ enjoyment and drive value

https://www.expressnews.com/lifestyle/home-garden/article/neighborhood-associations-17162956.php?fbclid=IwAR1DInBZujkcreWpu5omo2aG5M6elj-eUYDI9Fd10kp3db3hCZf0TShGxHw

How San Antonio’s neighborhood associations can boost residents’ enjoyment and drive value

Richard A. Marini, Staff writer

May 11, 2022

In 2019, Sean McMains and Kris Spilker put in an offer on a house in Beacon Hill, an older neighborhood of mostly modest bungalows just north of downtown. Two days later, they decided to check out their new neighborhood and take in Porch Fest, the homegrown, progressive house concert sponsored by the Beacon Hill and Alta Vista neighborhood associations.

“I remember there was a mariachi band playing Ozzy Osbourne on someone’s front porch,” Spilker said. “People immediately starting welcoming us, asking our names, where we were from, things like that. When the band stopped, they were like, ‘C’mon with us to the next house.’ ”

There, they enjoyed fajitas and a different band playing jazz.

“Everyone was so friendly, it was astounding. We knew we were home,” said Spilker who, with McMains and their five kids, has now lived in Beacon Hill for three years.

Events like Porch Fest are just one of the benefits of living in an area with a strong and active neighborhood association — and few associations are as active as the one representing Beacon Hill.

Cynthia Spielman, who serves on the steering committee of the Tier One Neighborhood Coalition, an alliance of more than 50 neighborhood groups in the San Antonio area, contends that a good neighborhood association can not only improve residents’ lives, it can also help bring a community together.

“They do this by tackling difficult issue residents face and by sponsoring fun, social events where people get to know one another,” said Spielman.

A strong neighborhood association can also help smooth out differences among neighbors, she said.

“If people have faith that their concerns will be heard, they’ll be less likely to get angry with one another over potentially divisive issues,” said Spielman, who is also a board member of the Beacon Hill association. “They realize, Hey, we’re neighbors; it’s not you against me.”

Neighborhood associations differ from homeowners associations. Neighborhood associations are usually run by volunteers and membership is voluntary. Homeowners associations usually are created by developers, membership is mandatory and requires dues to pay for maintenance of common areas and to enforce standards of appearance within the community.

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The Mission San José Neighborhood Association, which encompasses the area surrounding the historic mission, was founded in 1995 to address a lack of basic infrastructure such as sidewalks, drainage and lighting. Today it continues that fight while also acting as a steward to prevent inappropriate development near the mission.

“Without the association all these years, a lot of that protection might not have happened,” said President Theresa Ybañez, who added that the association also sponsors events such as street clean-ups, a holiday parade and art activities for area children.

In the Monticello Park Historic District on the West Side just north of Woodlawn Lake, the Monticello Park Neighborhood Association puts more emphasis on acts of kindness and education. Volunteers will help elderly neighbors with yard work or by running errands they cannot do themselves. The organization also awards scholarships to high school seniors living within its boundaries.

“But we also have fun,” said Pam Carpenter, the organization’s secretary. “Two or three times a year, we have pink flamingo parties where the yard hosting the party will be ‘flocked’ with one large flamingo statue and a whole lot of little ones.”

Founded in 1978, the Beacon Hill association has become more active in recent years as the neighborhood, like many surrounding downtown, has become a preferred destination for young professionals in search of the amenities of urban living. In addition to being close to downtown, Beacon Hill is also within walking distance of the Pearl, Brackenridge Park and the St. Mary’s Strip.

“The association is having a good moment,” said Spielman, who has lived in Beacon Hill for 21 years. “The neighborhood has a lot to offer, and a lot of younger, newer residents are stepping up and volunteering their time and talents.”

At the same time, however, this influx of well-heeled buyers is quickly pricing out many families, especially non-native English speakers and people of color, who have lived there for years, even generations.

The association has made efforts to help, for example by educating residents how to protest their property tax appraisals. And while the association has a very active Facebook page, it still prints and hand-delivers paper copies of its monthly newsletter to all 2,200 households in the neighborhood, so those uncomfortable being online can stay informed.

Cindy Loredo has lived in Beacon Hill 34 years and said the association has definitely improved her and her neighbors’ quality of life. “During the freeze last year, they came around to check up on everyone,” she said. “Then they told us how we could apply for assistance from the city.”

The association has several volunteer-led committee that deal with hot-button issues, such as zoning, crime and animal welfare.

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When the association hosted a February roundtable on crime, moderated by its President Daniel Hubbeling, it was able to secure both police chief William McManus and City Councilmember Mario Bravo as participants. As the number of stray animals in the neighborhood has become more of an issue, the association created a lending library of humane traps and pet carriers and purchased a $300 microchip scanner to help reunite lost pets with their owners.

“We have two volunteers who handle the scanner, and they probably get calls a couple of time a week,” Hubbeling said.

The association also sponsors social events to help bring neighbors together. In addition to Porch Fest, there are monthly Happy Hours, outdoor movie nights and, this past Easter, an egg hunt with 700 eggs hidden for area children to find.

Despite all these events, the association doesn’t charge annual dues. Instead, it raises money via grants, donations from area businesses, newsletter advertising and fundraisers such as the sale of Fiesta medals. That gives it the financial wherewithal, for example, to purchase audio/visual equipment rather than renting it every time there’s a movie night.

“I donate the use of my sound system, but we probably spent about $1,000 for the rest of the equipment,” said Hubbeling’s wife Kim, who administers the group’s Facebook page.

One of the group’s proudest achievements is the development of the half-mile-long Beacon Hill Linear Park that runs atop a storm water channel from West Hildebrand to Gramercy Place, where it ends at the community garden. The park has footpaths, two playgrounds, picnic areas and a well-used basketball court. Plans call for planting more trees and building a dog park.

The association’s success in securing city funding for the park illustrates its members’ savvy in working with city government.

“We’ve received close to $1 million in bond money since development began almost 10 years ago,” said Jerry Lockey, who has lived in the neighborhood 24 years and is a linear park committee member. “And we’ve learned a lot about the rules and procedures involved in getting these kinds of projects done over that time.”

Operating a successful neighborhood association takes hundreds of volunteer hours as well as committee leaders and a dedicated board. The Hubbelings, for example, estimate they each spend five to 10 hours a week working on association business.

Neighborhood associations interested in upping their game can contact the Tier One Neighborhood Coalition, which holds workshops on issues that impact residents. The group’s website, t1nc.org, and its eponymous Facebook group also contain plenty of helpful information.

rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini

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WNAC Letter re YWCA rezoning for Human Campus asking for more time for residents to give input

March 14, 2022

Dear Councilmember,

The Westwood Square Neighborhood Association (D5) & Los Jardines Neighborhood Association (D6), held a community meeting on Saturday, March 12th regarding the YWCA zoning case.  The meeting was to inform the community of the process and discuss the zoning change that was approved by the zoning commission on Tuesday, March 15th, and to advise on the choices of what is at stake for the neighborhood including discussion on covenants/deed restrictions, and the site plan.  The community/ neighborhoods were advised that the YWCA zoning case is scheduled to go to Council on Thursday, March 17th.  The community/neighborhoods voted for more time to continue the conversation and to process what was discussed at the meeting regarding the covenants/deed restrictions and the site plan. District 5 & 6 staff were present at the meeting and are aware of this request.  We believe that those who are affected by this decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.  Westwood Square NA & Los Jardines NA are submitting this Request to City Council for a Continuance of two weeks ( till March 31st ) to secure solutions that work for the community. We are hopeful that with this reasonable request we can find a resolution. 

Looking forward to your response.

Respectfully submitted,

Velma Pena, President

Westwood Square Neighborhood Association

Westside Neighborhood Associations Coalition (WNAC)

Erik Estrada, President – Los Jardines Neighborhood Association

Westside Neighborhood Associations Coalition (WNAC)

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River Road NA Statement Re Sunken Garden

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
River Road Neighborhood Association
January 8, 2022

Sunken Garden Theater Not for Sale

San Antonio, TX – The River Road Neighborhood Association firmly opposes a controversial
and secretive proposal to use city bond funds to demolish San Antonio’s historic Sunken
Garden Theater and convert it into an event space that will overwhelm the infrastructure of the
entire area.
“This is the people’s park. It is not for sale,” says River Road Neighborhood Association Chair
Lucy Wilson. “The Brackenridge Park Conservancy has put forward a proposal to use public
funds in a private development scheme.”
River Road board member Blanquita Sullivan notes that the Conservancy disclosed this project
just weeks before it was listed in the city’s bond package,” Sullivan said. “This was all
intentionally planned in stealth mode, taking advantage of a pandemic to avoid, and to control
the message to the public as much as possible. Most people won’t know about this until it’s too
late.” City councilmembers are set to vote on bond projects on January 20th, 2022.
The Brackenridge Park Conservancy wants to expand the historic Sunken Garden Theater at
Brackenridge Park from an 879-seat venue to a concert stadium to hold upward of 7,000 visitors
per event. Park Conservancy has provided plans for at least two concerts per week, with a
minimum of 60 events per year. Such plan could unleash 7,000 people – along with their
vehicles – into the park two to three times per week for months of every year.
Wilson says the developers sought no public input in the planning of the project. Further, she
says, despite River Road neighborhood requests, developers have failed to provide critical data
regarding congestion, traffic, environmental impacts on the neighboring areas and the zoo
animals.
Sullivan points to another of the neighborhood’ concerns that the proposal will deter city
residents from visiting the park. “The limited parking and traffic will prioritize thousands of ticket
holders above those who for generations have visited and used the park for free, creating deep
inequality in our most treasured centrally located park.”
Sullivan notes that the Real Life Amphitheater opening this Spring in Selma (17 miles from
Brackenridge Park) would negate the developer’s argument that the city needs a large
amphitheater.
“This leads to questions of financial viability. There are similar venues including the Real Life
Amphitheater in Selma and Fiesta Texas. Can the city sustain so many large amphitheaters?”
she asks.
Rather than the proposed overhaul, Wilson and Sullivan say, the neighborhood along with
current Brackenridge Park master plan, would like to see a thoughtful amphitheater restoration

plan. Most importantly, the park should continue to provide greenspace for all San Antonians
including low to moderate income park visitors.
The Brackenridge Park Conservancy has engaged in a project that directly runs counter to its
mission of safeguarding the park’s “natural, historic, educational and recreational resources for
the enjoyment of current and future generations.”

Issues with the plan:
• No traffic, parking, or sound impact studies have been shared with the public
• No business plan or feasibility study has been shared
• There has been no public input in the planning
• Amplification will also destroy quality of life for residents in the surrounding area,
including universities and historic neighborhoods
• The San Antonio Zoo is next door, and such constant amplification creates concern for
animal welfare
• There would be no limit to the number of events or types of events at the venue because
a private company would be in control
• Facing traffic and limited parking, regular park visitors will be forced out
• Traffic along 281, North St. Mary’s, Broadway, Hildebrand, and Mulberry would create a
public safety emergency for the surrounding area

The River Road Neighborhood Association was founded in 1975, and its members are
dedicated to the protection, maintenance and enhancement of the ecological, historical, social
and cultural elements which formed the Neighborhood and endowed the area with its present
character.

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T1NC Letter to Culture & Neighborhood Services Council Committee re: Neighborhood Engagement Team

Neighborhoods are the Answer

Tier One Neighborhood Coalition (T1NC) is a group of San Antonio downtown (inside Loop 410) neighborhoods organized to promote communication, cooperation, education, and support among neighborhoods as well as advocate for thoughtful policies. Contact t1nc.sat@gmail.com or visit T1nc.org

January 4, 2021

Good Afternoon Council Members,

We often hear from city staff, particularly in Planning and DSD and sometimes from elected officials that neighborhoods are the problem, but we believe that neighborhoods are the answer.

The place where we live is the heart of our communities. Passion, love, dedication, loyalty and identity are what root us in our neighborhoods and why we work so hard for their betterment. Our neighborhoods are places that support elders, local school children, those who are vulnerable to displacement, and those who are experiencing food or housing insecurities. We act as a conduit between the city staff, elected officials, and our residents. “We are in this together” has been a neighborhood mantra throughout 2020 and we found ways to make that sentiment felt.

Neighborhoods are the places where people live, work (particularly now), worship, and learn. We believe the City should make supporting and nurturing San Antonio’s neighborhoods a priority. As with early education, it behooves us as a city to invest in neighborhoods. We have learned that investment in early education results in a better future for our students; we believe that investment in neighborhoods would also provide a better future for San Antonio residents.

In Tier One Neighborhood Coalitions’ early days, we lobbied then Mayor Ivy Taylor and City Manager Sherryl Scully for a Neighborhood Commission in order to address the disenfranchisement that neighborhoods were feeling under the pressure of the SA Tomorrow Plan implementation. We also asked for an additional four city staff positions that would look at planning and development with a neighborhood lens and act as ombudsman or liaisons between neighborhoods and city staff and departments. The letter of request, which was submitted during a meeting with Taylor and Scully, was signed by representatives from 18 Neighborhood Associations and two Community Organizations representing Council Districts 1, 2, 3, 5 & 7.

Although we did not succeed in getting the Neighborhood Commission, City Manager Sculley did create four new positions within the Neighborhood Housing and Services Dept. During the 8-10-2017 “A” Session presentation of the proposed FY 2018 Budget, CM Sculley introduced the four new Neighborhood Engagement Team positions with a budget of $255,000. Tier One was pleased by this announcement and proud of the achievement that we felt would help neighborhoods gain a more even footing, improve relations between the city’s planning and development departments and neighborhoods overall and provide a vital resource to neighborhood associations and community organizations.

Neighborhood leaders were gratified that the City was making a monetary commitment to neighborhood engagement, capacity building and access to an advocate within the city structure. Improved working partnership would lead to less controversy, less staff time spent on citizen discontent at commissions and council meetings, and a better outcome for everyone involved.

We need the promise of the Neighborhood Engagement Team to be honored by the city.

Thank you.

Tier One Neighborhood Coalition

Tier One Neighborhood Coalition Steering Committee

Teri Castillo Monica Savino

Cosima Colvin Cynthia Spielman

Mary Johnson Steve Versteeg

Ricki Kushner Taylor Watson

Margaret Leeds

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Letter to T1NC Members re Action at the Culture & Neighborhood Services Council Committee re Neighborhood Engagement Officers

Read: T1NC Letter to Culture & Neighborhood Services re Neighborhood Engagement Team

Read: Original job posting for Neighborhood Engagement Officer

Update: While this temporarily made a difference, the position was abolished by the end of October 2021

January 4, 2021

Dear T1NC Neighborhoods,

Happy New Year to you and yours! Let’s start the year off with a T1NC bang!

The Culture & Neighborhood Services Council Committee is reviewing the roles of the Neighborhood Engagement Officers (who are part of the Neighborhood & Housing Services Department (NSHD). Despite a yearly budget of at least $255,000, we have rarely (or never) had contact with these officers. We have attached the original job description and it is clear that they are not doing the job that the City hired them to do which is work with residents for the betterment of our neighborhoods. 

We need neighborhood leaders and residents to read statements at the meeting and/or send statements to Council Committee members (instructions at bottom of page.) It is time for neighborhoods to have a voice in decisions made about our communities after months of silence. It is time to engage again. We have attached the T1NC letter to the committee members

Context: District 1 Councilmember Roberto Trevino recently called a meeting with some D1 neighborhood leaders regarding the Neighborhood Association (NA) Registry. During that meeting, we brought to his staff’s attention (Trevino was not on the Zoom) that there would be a lot less strife between neighborhoods and the City if the job of Neighborhood Engagement Officer were being faithfully and competently fulfilled. As a result, the agenda for the upcoming Culture & Neighborhood Services Council Committee has been changed from a presentation on the Neighborhood Association Registry, to a presentation on the status of the Neighborhood Engagement Officer positions. 

History:T1NC worked hard in 2016 to get the attention of then Mayor Taylor and City Manager Sculley to hear our request for a Neighborhood Commission AND for four staff positions to be added to Planning/Development Services Department (DSD) that would represent the neighborhood’s interests. Our letter was signed by 18 neighborhood associations and two Community Organizations. What we got was a restructuring of the Planning Dept into Planning Department and Neighborhood & Housing Services Department (NHSD)… and no Neighborhood Commission.

In FY2018, Sculley did add four positions to NHSD – the Neighborhood Engagement Team, she called it. This team was to be comprised of one administrator and three officers with a budget of $255,000.  Barbara Ankamah was appointed as Administrator and now only two officers (because the third, Erika Ragsdale, who admittedly did make a sincere effort, left.) 

While much of NHSD’s resources have gone to COVID-19 and housing help since last March, members of the T1 Steering Committee met with Lori Houston last December (2019) about this issue and there was no follow-up. 

NOW: 

None of us in the Steering Committee (whose members cover the downtown districts)  know who our Neighborhood Engagement Officer is nor have we had any contact from or assistance from the Neighborhood Engagement Team.  

Do any of you know who your engagement officer is? Have you received any help? 

If this program and these positions had been properly administered and carried out over the last three years, instead of making it all about the NA Registry and a few token efforts, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Not only has the Neighborhood Engagement Team been allowed to squander the $255,000 annual budget (the money from FY2018, not subsequent years), but they have squandered other COSA staff time and the opportunity to help us make  our neighborhoods more stable and resilient. 

We appreciate that Councilman Trevino is asking NHSD staff to present on the status of this position/program in response to our input. The Culture & Neighborhood Services Council Committee is comprised of Council members from D1 (Chair), D2, D3, D9 & D10 (their email addresses are below.) 

What you can do: This is a chance for us to make the City fulfill its promise to neighborhoods. This is a chance for neighborhood voices to be heard! 

Please mark your calendars for January 7th @ 2:00 pm and consider making a statement at that meeting about how much help or interaction your neighborhood has had with your Neighborhood Engagement Officer, your disappointment  with the process, and your desire to see change. If you or someone from your neighborhood can’t make a statement at the meeting, please send a copy of your remarks (it does not have to be long, just a short statement) to each of the council members on the committee (we have attached addresses). If you send to the T1 Steering Committee, we can find someone to read your statement. A last resort is to send to Councilman Trevino to read into the record at the meeting. Each speaker is allotted three minutes.

An example of a statement might be as simple as

“My name is _____. I live in (or serve as) the __________neighborhood in District _____.  We have had little or no contact with the Neighborhood Engagement Team. 

We don’t understand how our tax dollars that are paying the salaries of the engagement team and the administrator (whose only responsibility, until recently, was to oversee this team) have been used or what have these engagement officers been doing (before COVID-19). Our community/neighborhood wants change in the future and for the City to fulfill its commitment to our neighborhoods. 

Culture & Neighborhood Services Council Committee members: 

Chair: D1 Roberto Trevino roberto.trevino@sanantonio.gov

D2 Jada Andrews-Sullivan Jada.andrews-sullivan@sanantonio.gov

D3 Rebecca Viagran Rebecca.Viagran@sanantonio.gov

D9 John Courage John.Courage@sanantonio.gov

D10 Clayton Perry  Clayton.perry@sanantonio.gov

Instructions to watch or to speak: 

Culture & Neighborhood Services Council Committee members: 

Chair: D1 Roberto Trevino roberto.trevino@sanantonio.gov

D2 Jada Andrews-Sullivan Jada.andrews-sullivan@sanantonio.gov

D3 Rebecca Viagran Rebecca.Viagran@sanantonio.gov

D9 John Courage John.Courage@sanantonio.gov

D10 Clayton Perry  Clayton.perry@sanantonio.gov

Instructions to watch or to speak: 

The meeting will be available to the public at AT&T channel 99, Grande channel 20, Spectrum channel 21, digital antenna 16, and www.sanantonio.gov/TVSA. The meeting will also be available by calling (210) 207-5555 (English and Spanish available).

Members of the public can comment or speak on items on the agenda. To submit comments or sign up to speak, please go to www.sanantonio.gov/agenda and click on the eComment link associated with the agenda for instructions. Questions relating to the rules on addressing the Committee may be directed to the Office of the City Clerk at (210) 207-7253.

Or go to legistar at https://sanantonio.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click “ecomments” at the end of the Culture & Neighborhood  Committee Meeting

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Government Hill resident’s comments at City Council re Zoning Change from R-6 to C-2 in a residential neighborhood on why we fight for our communities.

Written by D’Ette Cole of Government Hill

Note: On November 5th City Council (A Session) meeting Government Hill residents gathered with white COVID masks on which were printed, “C-1”.  They were there, after so many postponements to ask City Council to reject a zoning change from R-6 to C-2 in their residential neighborhood and to accept instead a compromise of C-1, a fair compromise that they were struggling to have approved. 

Read about the case at the SA Heron. 

Good morning, 

We hope good prevails today. We have a compromise for C-1 on the property which sits just 24′ across the street from our homes.  We hope that if any motion for higher than C-1 light commercial is introduced that you will not entertain it, you will not support it, and that you will be a protector and a proponent for community compromise and our 200′ neighbors’ compromise for c-1.

This has been a long pursuit which began over a year ago when we first got word that the property at the corner of Reno and Edgar street was going to be sold and that the longtime neighbors would be removed and the six houses  leveled for a twenty-pump mega gas station a zoning change from an almost unheard of R-6 (residential) to C-2 (intense commercial).  It seemed incredible that affordable housing would be demolished and we would be living across the street from a huge gas station. We did not know where to begin to fight.

First the case would have to go through the rezoning process to get rezoned from R-6 to C-2 commercial. Not imagining how this huge project could be plopped down in our tiny neighborhood immediately in front of our homes and so close to an elementary school, the 200′ neighbors banded together to show and tell the city that there must be some mistake.  

Ours is a predominantly Latino, multi-generational, working class neighborhood. Several of the 200′ neighbors who have called this neighborhood home for decades,  said I didn’t understand: No one will care, no one will listen,  and we won’t win because we never win – we don’t matter. Before this process was over, I began to understand why they felt this way. 

With the overwhelming opposition to this encroachment within the 200′ and blocks beyond, we organized and pushed on but there are group members who do not access the internet, that are not computer savvy, or would never be able to stand and speak here. There are those in our group that you have not seen because they cannot come to commissions or hearings due to health issues or because of their essential jobs, especially now with COVID.  

Home. 

This is home. We love our homes and are extremely house proud and though the story of how and when we each came to call this neighborhood our home is different from each of our neighbors – We all have stories of dreams and desires of inherited homes passed down, full of fond childhood memories:

Neighbors like Dora and Martin whose first homes with first mortgages bring the swell and pride of ownership in our community. 

Neighbors like Addie and Caleb who have lived in their well-loved home for decades with adult children who have moved back in to care for ailing elders. 

Roxanne and Aden, starter homeowners with hopes of future kids walking to the elementary school down the street. 

Jazzma and Armando, retirement homeowners looking to downsize. 

Lorenzo and Virgina, purchasing and refurbishing a small house on the top of hill with a million dollar view of the downtown skyline. 

These are some of our neighbors.  

These homes, these neighbors, these streets, our elementary school, and our park are a lot to fight for. 

Our community has been worth every second, every meeting, pow wow, late night group call, every Sunday afternoon driveway meeting, every block walked, every signature collected, every email sent, every phone call, every educating and telling of details, every sign designed and every sign hung, every sleepless night, every tear shed and every new worry wrinkle. 

Everything has been worth it because this fight has been about our homes and our neighborhood. 

This process has been extremely intimidating and consistently disappointing.  Our neighborhood and our homes have been publicly  disparaged in descriptive terms like “derelict, crime ridden, crime stricken, drug and graffiti infested, unsafe and scary” by those who should know better, by a member of the Zoning Commission, by attorneys, by those who want to profit from our neighborhood.  

We’ve been ignored, we’ve been dismissed, we’ve been excluded, we’ve been insulted, disparaged, berated and basically told to be quiet.  We would not stay quiet.

We love our neighbors, we love our neighborhood, we love our city so we cannot be blamed for fighting so hard for the best outcome for this block that impacts us all so significantly.  Despite it taking such a long time to get here, we look forward to a true C-1 compromise.   A C-1 light commercial project that will be an appropriate buffer between the C2-NA Frost property on the access road and our dense residential front yards.  A neighborhood friendly C-1 development that will be the appropriate scale and setting to meet our residential and school zone streets.

Council representatives: I couldn’t and I wouldn’t do the job that each of you has signed up for and run and won to do.  I thank you for having the will and for wanting to make a difference, to make things better, do better, and do good.  Please never underestimate the power of listening and understanding,  conversation and collaboration and compromise – this fight would have been more civil, more fair, less hurtful, less marginalizing, and better for it.

Please support the 200′ neighbors C-1 compromise for this case.

City Council OKs zoning compromise in contentious Government Hill case
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Letter to Elected Representatives from Gardendale NA re: illegal dumping and issues of homelessness with additional comments by West End Hope and Action NA

Written by Maricela Garza and Rafael Garza

This letter is being written to bring to light some of the issues the Gardendale Neighborhood Community is experiencing.  Gardendale Neighborhood Association is asking for assistance, direction and the ability to proactively work together to address the mentioned concerns affecting our neighborhood areas.  

The Gardendale Neighborhood Community has been seeing a continued increase in homeless foot traffic in our residential streets and more recently an increase in illegal dumping in our living areas.  The illegal dumping is exacerbating the homeless traffic as they sift through the dumped items and scatter the mess on to streets and properties.  It is as if businesses, surrounding non-profit agencies and even some of the community residents have become numb about reporting leaving the issue to become the norm for our living area. 

As leaders of this community, we cannot turn a blind eye on this issues at hand as the matter will only worsen if left unattended.  With the new development planned for Houston St & Frio with The Alamo Construction Community, the Cattleman Square  area and Scobey’s, buildings, Gardendale Neighborhood Association is requesting we all be proactive to address these concerns.  

Gardendale Neighborhood Association is requesting a meeting be set up with all those involved with regards to these concerns and also requesting to be included in any discussions that may inadvertently affect our community.  The Gardendale Neighborhood Association is on board for growth and progress as long as it keeps the best interest and safety of the community in mind.  As project developers request letters of endorsement and support, us leaders representing the community need to have a voice in the safety measures that need to be put in place as we are the affected community.    As mentioned prior to developers interested in our community areas, while the new development areas are protected and cleaned out for the upcoming project areas to look presentable for their marketing, the communities are being overlooked and over-run with the homeless going deeper into the community areas and and residential homes.   

We are looking for progress in the community area/ district that can be a benefit to all;  not just the new projects.  A prime example is that of a sign that was just captured in the McDonalds property on Houston St. The sign reads:  NO SOLICITATION, NO LOITERING, NO TRESPASSING…..Persons found to be soliciting on McDonalds Property will be subjected to arrest.    This is the kind of action the community would like to see in the community property areas particularly surrounding the Haven for Hope, GI Forum area and around the non-profit agencies not collaborating with the community and not complying with city guidelines.  

Please also see additional attached attached pictures that depict some of what Gardendale Neighborhood Association and the community are living / seeing.  Please remember, as leaders of this community, Gardendale Neighborhood Association serves as your eyes and ears for what is happening in the community areas you represent.  Gardendale asks that you respond timely with a meeting set up to have our concerns heard so that our community does not become part of the forgotten as new development comes in to our areas.  

Thank you,

Maricela Garza and Rafael Garza

Gardendale Neighborhood Association 


WEHA Response to Gardendale’s concerns. Written by Carlos Gonzalez

Thank you Gardendale for being the eyes and conscience of city leadership and politics. Homelessness is a city and county wide issue and the Mayor and County Judge should call a HAVEN Summit to assess the operations of Haven for Hope and find out why they are unwilling and unable to effectively communicate with the surrounding neighborhoods. Senator Menendez also represents this area, as does too State Rep. Diego Bernal- where are they in this fight? Where is Justin Rodriguez who heads up the Haven Community Affairs Dept? is the UTSA urban serving effort? What happened to the early promises that Haven would be monitored and ADJUST to obvious challenges? There has been no adjustment as dozens of mostly men, daily wander and hang out in our neighborhood because Haven offers no free transportation back to their own neighborhood.

Every single city council candidate should be held accountable regarding the homelessness situation in San Antonio and in particular their views on how to make Haven more accountable, accessible, transparent- and either greatly improved or RE-LOCATED.

Carlos Gonzalez

Cochair

West End Hope in Action

An example of illegal dumping in Gardendale
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BHANA’s Letter to Mayor re Development Regulations Review CCR

Read: “The CCR that Prevents Meaningful Citizen Input” , the Development Regulations Review CCR, the UDC Amendment Process and Timeline

Note: This letter is based on the T1NC template letter. We added specific details about our neighborhood in the second to last paragraph. Please feel free to use this as a template by deleting that paragraph or changing it to details about your community.

November 14, 2019

Re: CM Pelaez CCR “Developmental Regulations Review” 

Dear Mayor Nirenberg, 

We are writing to respectfully request that you vote against to the “Development Regulations Review” CCR that would require an economic impact analysis to accompany any proposed amendments for the 202 UDC review. It will come before City Council for adoption in December 2019 for a vote.  

If passed, this ordinance would put an undue burden on residents and community groups wishing to submit any code amendments or participate in the 2020 UDC updates. It is important to include the input from community and advocates to create a balance between developer interests and community and neighborhoods. This balance is necessary in moving forward to meet the challenges of the future. 

Groups “outside of DSD” do not have the resources to provide an economic impact assessment, particularly groups that have been (and can be argued still are) marginalized in the past. This is an unreasonable burden to place on your engaged and concerned constituents. The UDC review process should be inclusive and accessible by all of our citizens as well as adhere to the Public Participation Principles that Council adopted last year. 

The expectation that San Antonio’s UDC recommendations should be limited to only those that would make development more profitable is a very narrow lens by which to view our City’s progress.  Development and its effects, both positive and negative, is a complex issue and needs input from all stakeholders in order to make informed decisions. Costs to developers is already a factor that is considered when adopting amendments; codifying it would serve no purpose except to severely limit public input. 

Our neighborhood of Beacon Hill has been one of the downtown neighborhoods that has changed. We have witnessed displacement, demolition of homes, incompatible development, and skyrocketing property taxes. We have also enjoyed the revitalization of the Blanco Road shopping corridor (and hope to repeat on Fredericksburg Road), the welcoming of new and engaged neighbors, and the repair to neglected properties. We understand that in order to meet the challenges of the future, we must perform a balancing act. We promote compatible, affordable, and sustainable housing and the revitalization of our commercial corridors; we promote the preservation of our unique and historic housing stock; and we seek to protect our legacy neighbors, particularly the most vulnerable, from displacement. In order to achieve these goals, Beacon Hill, along with the other neighborhoods, needs to have a part in the decision-making process. We need to be able to advocate for sensible and fair UDC amendments. 

Please stand up for public citizen participation and support your constituents’ voices by voting against the Development Regulations Review CCR.  

Thank you, 

Beacon Hill Area Neighborhood Association

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Request from HWRA re Alazan Loft Project

By Cynthia Spielman and Tony Garcia

Update: August 22, 2019. City Council, after hours of testimony, approved the project without addressing the citizens except for Councilwoman Sandoval who applauded Councilwoman Gonzales’ efforts on the project and stated that she hoped that NRP/SAHA would work with the neighbors. Westside neighbors worked for weeks preparing and their efforts were not acknowledged.

Alazan Lofts Project
ZONING CASE Z-2019-1070005

Representatives from Historic Westside Residents Association (HWRA), Westside Neighborhood Association Coalition (WNAC), Tier One Neighborhood Coalition (T1NC), and the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center are concerned about the development of the Alazan Lofts, a partnership between San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) and NRP on lots on Colorado and Guadalupe. There is no opposition to the density nor to affordable housing which is always welcomed, but the neighborhood groups object strongly to the lack of effort to develop in a way that is compliant with the Guadalupe Westside Community Plan design guidelines, guidelines that were developed by community planners to protect its vulnerable neighborhood. There are major concerns about the lack of meaningful neighborhood input at the beginning of the project.  Of the seventeen meetings SAHA claims to have had with community, only three have been about this specific project. Only recently has SAHA and NRP worked with the community to find a solution.  The neighborhood groups would ideally like to see the community plan be adhered to with development at two stories, but are advocating for a compromise of three stories and have worked with the site plans to show how this is possible. It will be up to City Council to make this compromise binding. The Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, which is next door to the development, understands the efforts to compromise but supports the Guadalupe Westside Community Plan’s limits of two stories.   


Tier One Neighborhood Coalition neighborhoods and its suburban partners are concerned about this development setting a precedence of early project development without community input.  In order to make affordable housing a reality, it must have meaningful public input as well as comply with the neighborhood or community plan so that not only can we encourage affordable housing, but also preserve the communities that make up resilient neighborhoods.

The City Council hearing on this development will be Thursday, August 22ndat 2 p.m.
The issues of neighborhood engagement and respect for the community/neighborhood plan are important issues for all neighborhoods. Please come to show support if you can. 

 Read  Amelia Valdez’s Letter to Mayor Nirenberg regarding the Alazan 

Together we stand strong!

ZONING CASE Z-2019-10700050 (Council District 5): Ordinance amending the Zoning District Boundary from “MF-33 MLOD-2 MLR-2 AHOD” Multi-Family Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 Airport Hazard Overlay District to “IDZ-3 MLOD-2 MLR-2 AHOD” High Intensity Infill Development Zone Lackland Military Lighting Overlay Military Lighting Region 2 Airport Hazard Overlay District for multi-family uses not to exceed 90 total units and Non-Commercial Parking Lot on 0.355 acres out of NCB 2415, 0.680 acres out of NCB 2416, 0.191 acres out of NCB 2417, 1.226 acres out of NCB 2439, Lot 16, Lot 17, and Lot 18, Block 2, NCB 2440, located at 1013, 1014, 1015, 1018, 1019, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1101, 1102, 1107, 1114, 1121, 1201 El Paso Street, 210, 214, 316, 318, and 322 Torreon Street, and 803 South Colorado Street. Staff and Zoning Commission recommend Approval.

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Historic Westside Residents Association’s (HWRA) letter to Mayor Nirenberg re Alazan Lofts

Note: This issue centers around early meaningful public input, compliance with community plan, and design (intensity), not density and affordability.

Read: – —Maria Anglin’s column, “Gentrification Fears are Very Real” about the Alazan project. -The SA Heron’s article on development and gentrification on the Westside and “SAHA board gives nod to build St. Mary’s Tower with Dallas developer JMJ” which explains the Alazan project and SAHA’s partnership with market rate developers

Dear Mayor Nirenberg,

Please be advised that on Monday, July 29, 2019, the Historic Westside Resident Association met with representatives from the NRP Group, San Antonio Housing Authority, Brown and Ortiz Associates, and District 5 to discuss the Alazan Loft development.

The following neighborhood associations were in attendance as well: Westside Preservation Alliance, Tier One Neighborhood Coalition, Westside Neighborhood Association Coalition and the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the proposed site plan for Alazan Loft. We want to make clear that the Historic Westside Resident Association supports the development of affordable housing in our historic Westside community. However, the proposed site plan submitted by the NRP Group does not meet with the Guadalupe Westside Community Plan requirements.

  • The Alazan Loft site plan must be revised to meet the guidelines of the Guadalupe Westside Community Plan.
  • All buildings on all lots should be a maximum of two (2) stories with 20’ setbacks from sidewalks to adhere to the Guadalupe Westside Community Plan and neighborhood character.
  • Reduce parking spaces to accommodate the revised site plan for two -story structures.
  • Add heat sinks such as landscape islands on parking lots.
  • Introduce green space which would include buffer landscape and street scape to adhere to the neighborhood character.
  • Elevation drawings (black and white) for the two story structures for the revised site plan.

The following issues were presented, discussed and requested from the development side:

We are also very concerned about our neighborhood residents being uprooted and displaced during and after this major construction process.

Please note that SAHA spokesman, Michael Reyes, expressed in the Rivard Report (July 26, 2019) the importance of gathering “feedback from all neighborhood associations and community leaders to make sure we are building something that reflects the neighborhood”.

Of major concern is the fact that our Historic Westside Resident Association and the organizations listed were informed of only two, not 17, community meetings sponsored by SAHA and the NRP Group. These two meetings in 1st Quarter 2019 offered the associations very limited time for community engagement.

There were no additional notifications or discussions until the Historic Westside Resident Association was informed on July 8, 2019 via U.S. mail of the Zoning Commission hearing scheduled for July 16th, 2019. The hearing was for the NRP Group request in zoning change from MF-33 to IDZ 3.

In summary, we have requested that the NRP Group submit a revised site plan to meet the above listed points under IDZ-3 with conditions. We will meet again on Friday, August 2, 2019, at 4:00pm with the goal of receiving a revised site plan that adheres to the Guadalupe Westside Community Plan and reflective of the character of the neighborhood.  We hope for an agreed upon revised site plan before City Council review on August 22, 2019.

Mayor Nirenberg, as you review the needs of the residents of the Westside neighborhoods, please remember your commitment to the Housing Policy Task Force as well as the protection of our historic San Antonio neighborhoods.

Respectfully Submitted,

Amelia Valdez

Chairperson of Historic Westside Resident Association