AGENDA - San Antonio Housing Authority

TRANSFORMATION PLANEASTSIDE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSFORMATION PLANHOUSINGThe population of the Wheatley Courts StudyArea is 10,469, accounting for only 0.5% ofthe San Antonio region’s population total andis one of the region’s most disadvantagedneighborhoods. However, the redevelopmentof the Wheatley Courts public housing complex,combined with the positive momentumassociated with surrounding economic generators,provides unprecedented opportunitiesfor community revitalization, educationalenhancement, vibrant businesses and economicopportunity and improved prosperityfor residents. Affording incentives to attractnew residents to the revitalized neighborhoodand to entice current residents to stay. 1The housing strategy is not just a welldefined,high-quality, fiscally-sound plan thatmakes sense to urban planners, developersand investors; it is the physical componentof the vision created by the residents and thefamilies that live in the Eastside. The transformationof Wheatley Courts and strategichousing initiatives within the surroundingarea is the opportunity to reshape a neighborhoodby adding value to what exists. It resultsin a physical manifestation of the vision createdby the residents and families that live inthe Eastside. This will result in the conversionof an obsolete, inefficient, inaccessible, andunsafe public housing site, into a 305-unit,high quality, mixed-income community. Inaddition, it will build off the efforts of SAHAat the 194-unit, mixed-income Sutton OaksPhase I, and add an additional 286 mixedincomeunits in Sutton Oaks II and III, plusreserve a key piece of land fronting I-35 forcommercial/retail development.HOUSING GOALSThe following community-developed andcommunity-supported goals shape all aspectsof the housing plan.• Ensure one-for-one replacement of theassisted housing units;• Create an economically integrated communityand maximize affordable housing;• Include residents in all levels of planning;• Leverage substantial additional resourcesto ensure maximum impact in the neighborhood;• Integrate the Housing Component withother study area Components, includinganticipating future housing needs;• Provide appropriate unit configurationsand units that are energy-efficient, sustainable,accessible, connected and freefrom discrimination; and• Create a strong sense of communitythrough community design.HOUSING—APPROACH ANDDEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTSThe housing initiatives will be centered on thetargeted site, Wheatley Courts, and a nearbymixed-income community, Sutton Oaks.One-for-one replacement of the public housingwill be distributed throughout the area,including Sutton II and III. Infill developmentin the immediate area will replace vacant lotsand abandoned structures will be replacedwith energy-efficient homes that add value tothe community.In collaboration with SAHA and MBS, residentswill continue to play an active role aspart of the Implementation Working Team.Resident advisory committees will reviewand comment upon all phases and continueto shape the vision and implementation, upto and including the branding of the newcommunity. The plan will be financially1 Source: Market Analysis54