Council adopts code‑enforcement strategic plan and approves Greater SATX services agreement

San Antonio — The City Council on March 5 approved two agendas items that advance city operations and economic development: an ordinance adopting a strategic plan for Code Enforcement (item 33) and a services agreement with Greater SATX for economic‑development work (item 34) worth up to $759,250 for the first year.

Code enforcement: Development Services presented a strategic plan that emphasizes community outreach, education, and targeted enforcement. Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and multiple council members praised the outreach but pressed staff for clearer performance targets and measurable outcomes. Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez and staff agreed to use 2025 as a baseline year for metrics and to report progress to the Planning and Community Development Commission and council on a quarterly basis.

Council members highlighted the community desire for weekend and evening enforcement capacity and asked that pilot programs include explicit outcome goals (for example, a target percentage reduction for specific violation types) so the budget implications are clear. Neighborhood leaders who attended urged additional code enforcement resources and ongoing liaison work between council offices and neighborhood associations.

Greater SATX contract: Council also approved a one‑year services agreement with Greater SATX, with two one‑year renewal options, not to exceed $759,250 in the first year. Staff explained that most of the contract is tied to deliverables, and a limited portion—roughly $150,000+—is associated with pay‑for‑performance for employer commitments to create higher‑wage jobs. Under the attestation mechanism described in the meeting, companies will certify the number of jobs and wages and staff will validate those claims before payment. The contract includes a $500 attestation payment per job paying more than $100,000, capped at 306 jobs.

Council questions focused on transparency and validation: Economic Development staff said they will validate claims through public announcements, company attestations and staff verification and that any additional performance payments would require council appropriation.

Votes: Both items were adopted by the council after discussion; no roll‑call tallies were published in the transcript excerpt.