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Council approves $250,000 in seized-assets funding for San Antonio Rising Stars crime-prevention programs
Summary
The council approved a one-year, $250,000 agreement with San Antonio Rising Stars to fund youth-focused crime-prevention programming from the seized-property fund; police and program leaders said activities fit Chapter 59 allowable uses and an audit confirmed compliance.
The San Antonio City Council on Feb. 13 approved a one-year agreement, with a one-year renewal option, to provide up to $250,000 from the city’s confiscated-property fund to San Antonio Rising Stars Inc. to support community crime-prevention programming.
Charles Satterwhite, representing San Antonio Rising Stars, described a range of youth programs the nonprofit runs in partnership with law enforcement and community groups, including mentorship, a teen summit with corporate partners, community basketball leagues and youth-empowerment dinners. "We started that because we wanted to get the police and the community together so they could switch roles," Satterwhite said during public comment.
Council members asked whether Chapter 59 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure — which restricts uses of seized-property funds to law-enforcement-related activities — permitted the grant. Rick Riley, assistant director for the San Antonio Police Department, told the council the department has vetted Rising Stars’ programming and is satisfied it fits the statute’s allowable uses. "We are in complete compliance," Riley said, and he noted the department had recently presented an audit of Chapter 59 expenditures to the city’s Audit and Accountability Committee.
Councilmembers praised Rising Stars’ work and described the funding as an investment in prevention. Councilmember McKee Rodriguez said the program helps young people find job pathways and life skills that reduce crime risk. Councilmember Courage said the chief of police and department leadership support the allocation and indicated the grant has his support.
Why it matters: Chapter 59 funds come from forfeited property and are subject to statutory limits. Local authorities use such funds for programs the police identify as crime-prevention or enforcement-supporting. The council’s action directs $250,000 toward community-based prevention activities that aim to reduce youth involvement in violence and recidivism.
What’s next: Rising Stars will coordinate planned events with SAPD; the contract requires post-event reporting and SAPD review to ensure uses remain consistent with Chapter 59 requirements.
