San Antonio provides a case study of the difficult politics of funding affordable housing measures.
Vianna Davila reports on troubled legislative waters for a proposed housing bond in San Antonio.
A proposed bond package is expected to before voters in May 2017, totaling $850 million with provisions for streets, stormwater, parks, and other infrastructure projects, in addition to three initiatives to address the city's lack of affordable housing. The complete bond package would be the largest in the city's history, with a housing component previously expected to total $50 million.
Problems arose in June, when the Housing Commission to Protect and Preserve Dynamic and Diverse Neighborhoods, tasked with crafting the housing components of the bond package, encountered "a series of complicated legislative and city charter limitations," according to Davila.
That charter problems, explained in more detail by Davila, will require a work around the trims the housing package to only one of the three previous initiatives, and down to $30 million, instead of the original $50 million. The city would also have to launch "an urban renewal program through the Office of Urban Redevelopment San Antonio — the former San Antonio Development Agency…" The potential of such an action already inspired reluctance among some on the commission.
FULL STORY: San Antonio’s proposed housing bond is in limbo
$250 Million Affordable Housing Ballot Headed to the Ballot in San Antonio
For the first time in the city's history, a housing bond will appear on a citywide ballot in San Antonio.
Durham, North Carolina Housing Bond Has Created 1,668 New Rental Homes
A 2019 housing bond has yielded better-than-expected results.
Portland Housing Bond Created Nearly 5,000 Units, But Affordability Remains Out of Reach
Despite better-than-expected results from multiple local housing bonds, housing costs and homelessness remain top of mind for many Oregonians.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association