Public commenters question San Antonio plan to reprogram $2.1M in HUD funds for affordable housing

San Antonio held a public hearing at 5:07 p.m. April 15 on a proposed Substantial Amendment No. 1 to the city’s Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Action Plan to reprogram $2,115,424.68 in prior U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant savings to support four affordable housing development activities, the clerk said.

The hearing drew two speakers, both of whom pressed city officials for clearer protections to ensure homes created with the reprogrammed funds will reach very-low-income renters rather than primarily benefiting developers. "It's like you're taking money that's in one pocket and put it in another," Antonio Diaz said, questioning why the funds are being transferred and whether the money will actually serve low-income renters or homeowners.

Diaz asked for specifics about how the funds will be used, whether the city can require a share of units to be deeply affordable and suggested that at least 10% of units be reserved for households with incomes substantially below local medians — citing figures "under 30,000 or so, 20,000 maybe being realistic in San Antonio." He also asked whether the reprogramming reflects an inability to use funds for their original purpose.

Diana Flores Uriegas echoed those concerns, saying many residents earn low wages or live on fixed incomes and urging the council to consider basic neighborhood needs such as street repairs and flooding alongside housing investments. "Think about us, the poor people," she said, adding that fees charged for community fiestas and other costs can burden low-income residents.

The clerk’s caption for the item said the amendment would reallocate prior HUD grant savings to "support 4 affordable housing development activities." The public hearing record in the transcript contains no council debate or staff presentation detailing income targets, affordability periods, developer requirements, or how units would be allocated; no motion or vote on the amendment appears in the transcript.

After the two speakers finished, Mayor Jones closed the public hearing at 5:14 p.m. and the meeting moved to the general public comment period. The transcript does not record any formal council action on the proposed amendment during this hearing.

What happens next was not specified in the transcript. Members of the public asked the council to clarify whether the reprogrammed funds will include enforceable requirements for deeply affordable units and to disclose how the city will ensure the funds reach the lowest-income renters rather than chiefly subsidizing private development costs.