San Antonio Council Member Calls for Displacement and Equity Impact Assessments

The San Antonio City Council A Session held on August 21, 2025, featured a critical discussion regarding displacement impact assessments and the need for comprehensive evaluations of equity in city planning.

The meeting began with council members addressing concerns raised during a previous session. A council member expressed shock that city staff were unfamiliar with what a displacement impact assessment entails. This revelation raised alarms about the preparedness of city staff to handle issues related to displacement, with the member questioning whether the staff were ill-equipped, unaware, or possibly misleading in their statements.

The discussion highlighted a specific comment made by city staff asserting that there would be no displacement, which was met with skepticism. The council member emphasized the importance of requiring a race and health equity impact assessment, alongside analyses of climate, housing, and environmental impacts. This call to action underscored the pressing realities faced by residents in San Antonio, particularly regarding equity and the potential consequences of city planning decisions.

The session concluded with a commitment to further explore these assessments to ensure that the city’s development strategies are inclusive and consider the diverse needs of its community. The council plans to follow up on these discussions in future meetings, aiming to enhance the city’s approach to equity in urban planning.