City Council District 5 Proposes Bringing City Hall to All

Published on March 04, 2026

This Council Consideration Request is aimed at bringing City Council sessions to the people.

SAN ANTONIO (March 4, 2026) – District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo filed a Council Consideration Request on March 3 to develop a City Hall to All pilot program, which would bring City Council B Session meetings to the community across the 10 Council Districts. 

Councilmember Castillo shared the following statement: “By holding these Council sessions outside of Municipal Plaza, the City of San Antonio can help make these meetings more accessible to those limited by transportation, employment schedules, and caregiving responsibilities. Often, City Council decisions have immediate impacts on constituents’ lives through infrastructure, zoning, policies, and general City services. We know that residents want to be involved but attending meetings downtown is not always easy. The goal of this Council Consideration Request is to improve the public’s accessibility to local government, promote the inclusion of underrepresented neighborhoods, and increase public engagement and trust.

“The annual Budget Town Halls, which are held in community-centric locations in each district, provide insight into the benefits of a City Hall to All pilot program. As part of the FY26 Budget process, 1,160 residents participated in person by attending the Budget Town Halls held across the city. The data from these town halls indicates residents engage most meaningfully when they feel seen and welcomed in familiar spaces.”

The policy request filed yesterday would create a pilot program to determine the civic engagement impact of holding select City Council meetings outside of Municipal Plaza and within community, later determining whether the pilot program should become a standard practice or policy.