Housing Is Not a Side Project—It’s the Foundation of San Antonio’s Future
By Gabe Lopez
San Antonio is a city in motion. Ambitious plans for new infrastructure, public spaces and economic investments are shaping our vision for the future. But as we look ahead, one issue must remain firmly in focus: housing affordability.
In recent years, San Antonio has taken important steps to address these needs. Voter-approved housing bonds, creative partnerships, and forward-thinking infrastructure models have expanded access to affordable housing across the city. Still, the gap between demand and supply continues to grow — especially for households with the lowest incomes.
This is largely due to the rising cost and complexity of delivering deeply affordable housing. Today, it takes a mix of funding sources — federal subsidies, local support, tax credits, and often revenue from market-rate units — to make the math work and make deeply affordable units available. This cross-subsidization model isn’t new, but it’s increasingly essential. Without it, we simply can’t produce enough housing that’s affordable for those who need it most.
We’ve long embraced this layered approach to housing creation. It has allowed us to support housing that serves a wide range of needs — from working families to seniors — while maintaining long-term affordability. But even the most well-planned projects require sustained public investment to move forward.
That’s why the possibility of an out-of-cycle housing bond proposal is so important. It is true that an additional $150 million investment would be welcomed. At the same time, we know that a larger commitment — such as $500 million — could allow us to preserve and produce housing at a scale more in line with the city’s long-term needs. As San Antonio weighs a range of major public investments totaling several billion dollars, it’s crucial to ask if housing is truly receiving the attention and commitment it warrants: are we prioritizing housing in proportion to our city’s growth and equity, and as a proactive measure against social challenges like homelessness?
This isn’t about choosing one project over another. San Antonio has the capacity to support multiple priorities at once. But housing must remain part of the foundation. A growing city needs more than new infrastructure and attractions — it needs places for people to live.
Housing preservation and production doesn’t happen overnight. From early planning to final construction, deeply affordable projects can take years to deliver. My six years serving on the San Antonio Housing Trust gave me firsthand experience supporting these developments from start to finish. I carried that understanding to Opportunity Home’s board in 2019, where I’ve learned unequivocally: if we want new homes available tomorrow, we must invest today.
San Antonio has always been a city willing to plan big and act boldly. We’ve seen what’s possible when vision is paired with follow-through. The challenge before us now is to apply that same clarity and momentum to deeply affordable housing.
Let’s continue to invest in projects that energize and grow our city. But let’s also remember that the most meaningful growth begins with stability. And that starts by ensuring more San Antonians have access to quality, affordable and lasting places to call home.