Audit panel approves sending six lead-abatement contracts to City Council for consideration

The San Antonio Audit Committee voted Feb. 28 to forward recommendations to City Council to schedule six contracts for lead-abatement services, a program city staff said supports the Green and Healthy Homes and home-rehab programs for housing built before 1978.

Veronica Gonzales, assistant director with the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department, told the committee the recommended contracts would bring “lead safe affordable housing in our community” by remediating lead-based paint in participating homes. She said the contracts would be issued for an initial two-year term with options to extend up to three additional years for an aggregate amount not to exceed $6,500,000 over the term.

The recommendation followed an October 23 request for proposals; seven firms submitted proposals and an evaluation panel recommended the top six, Gonzales said. She told the committee funding for the contracts is available from the city’s fiscal year 2025 adopted budget and from lead-hazard and healthy-homes grants.

Committee members asked about price differences among recommended vendors and how the city will track usage. Ben (procurement staff) said the city will keep contract records for each task order and monitor utilization to see who is being used and how much they are being paid. Chair Villagran and members emphasized the public-health importance of lead abatement, particularly for older housing stock.

A motion to proceed with scheduling the six contracts for City Council consideration carried on a committee voice vote.