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Council unanimously opposes Corpus Christi Housing Authority transactions that could remove property from tax rolls
Summary
The City Council unanimously adopted a resolution authorizing active opposition to what it described as improper and/or possibly illegal tax‑exempt use of property by affiliates of the Corpus Christi Housing Authority after an executive‑session review.
The City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution authorizing active opposition to “improper and/or illegal” uses of property tax exemptions by affiliates of the Corpus Christi Housing Authority.
The action followed executive session review. City Manager Peter Zanoni told the council that recent actions by the Housing Authority removed hundreds of millions of dollars of taxable property from the local tax rolls and that, based on current information, the city faces a potential loss of $3.5 million in the near term and as much as $7.0 million if all transactions are finalized.
“The transactions that have taken place recently from the housing authority were just that — they were from the Corpus Christi Housing Authority, not from the city council,” Zanoni said publicly after the executive session. He emphasized the council did not authorize those transactions and that finance staff discovered the tax‑roll changes while reconciling appraisal data.
Council action
Councilwoman Kalyn Paxton moved the resolution, which Council member Roland Barrera seconded; the motion carried without dissent.
Zanoni said staff is reviewing the legal and factual record and that counsel is examining whether the transfers comply with applicable law and whether further action is warranted. Council members asked for clarity about the legal status and for staff to pursue available remedies or oversight steps.
Why it matters
Removing taxable property from the city’s tax rolls reduces revenue available for general‑fund services such as public safety, libraries and parks. Zanoni framed the scale of the potential revenue loss as "not a rounding error" and said staff wanted the matter on the public record. Council members emphasized the need for transparency and for city staff to pursue remedies if the transfers are improper.
Ending
The council’s resolution expresses formal opposition and directs city staff and counsel to pursue appropriate next steps; further legal review and potential administrative or judicial actions were discussed as part of follow‑up.
