City Of San Antonio: District 5 Councilmember Highlights Progress On The Demolition Diversion Pilot Program (OPERATION Rebuild)

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

Thursday, February 24, 2022

CONTACT: Amador Salazar, 210.207.8290
Amador.salazar@sanantonio.gov

SAN ANTONIO (February 24, 2022) — Today’s Planning and Community Development Committee meeting highlighted an overview of the Demolition Diversion Pilot Program – now named OPERATION Rebuild. Funding for the program was secured by a FY2022 budget amendment proposed by Councilmember Teri Castillo of District 5.

Councilmember Teri Castillo stated the following:
“As the City continues to navigate housing insecurity the time to prioritize neighborhood stabilization is long overdue. We are pleased to see District 5’s proposed Demolition Diversion Pilot Program come into fruition. OPERATION Rebuild is a key first step to meeting our housing needs by facilitating the rehabilitation of homes at risk of demolition, minimizing community displacement, and allowing our communities to age in place and wealth build. I am grateful for the work of Chief Housing Officer Mark Carmona and City Staff for executing the task put forward by District 5 residents. OPERATION Rebuild provides the City of San Antonio with a robust tool to build upon to help us tackle the housing crisis.”

The Demolition Diversion Pilot Program (OPERATION Rebuild) is an effort to save affordable homes of low-income residents that are at risk of demolition due to a dangerous premises designation and are considered unlivable without repair, per standards designated by city code. The program is a collaborative effort between the following departments:

• Neighborhood & Housing Services Department (NHSD)
• Development Services Department (DSD)
• Department of Human Services (DHS)
• Office of Historic Preservation (OHP)
• San Antonio Affordable Housing, Inc. (SAAH)

The pilot program will aim to repair or rehabilitate up to ten single family structures. The homeowner will receive access to benefits and services, any title remediation, temporary storage, identification of temporary housing, and assistance with relocation during the rehabilitation process. The project will work to relocate families with a focus on keeping them in the neighborhood. Additionally, homeowners will be screened for tax exemptions such as the over 65 tax exemption or historic home tax exemption.

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.