Outgoing San Antonio mayor praises housing, jobs and transit gains in final address

The outgoing mayor of San Antonio delivered his final official address to the city, reflecting on eight years in office and highlighting the city’s recent investments in affordable housing, workforce development and mass transit as reasons for optimism.

“This will be my last address, officially as mayor,” the mayor said, thanking family, staff and council colleagues and urging continued cooperation under Mayor-elect Gina Ortiz Jones. He said San Antonio has pursued a “steady march toward a more resilient, prosperous, and equitable city for all.”

The mayor reviewed specific programs and outcomes voters approved during his term. He said voters approved three sales-tax referenda seven months after the pandemic to expand pre-K, launch the Ready to Work workforce program and dedicate future revenue to mass transit lines. He said a charter change enabled the city to execute an “ever affordable housing” bond, and that about 10,000 attainable homes have been completed or are under construction. He also summarized broader investments he said totaled “a little less than $2,000,000,000” above annual budgets between 2020 and 2022, and added that those measures were enacted “all without new or increased taxes.”

The mayor described Ready to Work outcomes: a typical participant, he said, is a woman of color in a household earning under $14,500 a year; on average graduates are placed into jobs after 55 days and later earn about $44,000 a year with benefits. He offered a named example: Joel Bonguele, an immigrant who earned an IT certification through the program and later worked for University Health, which the mayor said led to successive promotions and doubled his pay.

He also cited other accomplishments during his term: plans to close the city’s last coal plant ahead of schedule; San Antonio’s progress to become a leading solar city in Texas; reductions in violent crime; expansion of pre-K and tuition-free Alamo Colleges; major downtown redevelopment and plans to double airport capacity. He thanked city staff and named multiple city officials and department leaders for their roles in those projects.

The mayor urged continued attention to persistent problems, saying poverty and homelessness require long-term work: “So long as there is 1 resident without a home, there are still more homes to repair and to build.” He noted that unemployment in the city rose from 3.7% in February 2020 to 13% during the pandemic and said San Antonio must keep addressing underemployment and low household earnings.

He concluded by urging civic solidarity and continuing the city’s investments in people and infrastructure. He closed with the Spanish phrase he used through the address, “Si se puede,” and thanked residents for the privilege of serving.

The remarks were delivered as a farewell from the mayor; the transcript does not record formal council actions, motions or votes tied to the address.