District 5 Councilmember Files Request for Vacant Property Program

Published on October 10, 2025

District 5 Councilmember Files Request for Vacant and Nuisance Property Program and Policy Enhancements

SAN ANTONIO (October 10, 2025) – In direct response to constituent feedback, the District 5 Councilmember has filed a Council Consideration Request aimed at strengthening the City of San Antonio’s efforts to bring vacant properties into compliance and productive use. 

Councilmember Castillo stated, “Across District 5, numerous vacant residential and commercial buildings have led to repeat nuisances, safety issues, and quality of life concerns for neighbors. The City of San Antonio is the entity left responsible for addressing these concerns at considerable cost to the public.

“Currently, the City often bears the financial burden of maintaining these problem sites; these are costs that are not always recovered from the property owners responsible. 

“This is something our neighbors bring up time and again. Vacant properties affect the safety and wellbeing of our community, and it’s important to us that we take action. Our residents deserve to see movement on an issue that impacts them every day.

“However, this policy request is an opportunity to address quality of life issues caused by vacant properties and ensure they are put back into productive, tax-generating use for affordable housing or small business. There are special initiatives and ordinance improvements that San Antonio can implement to reduce vacant property nuisances and improve outcomes for our community.”

Specifically, the policy request lists the following solutions:

• Explore and establish an interlocal agreement with Bexar County to accelerate liens on nuisance-vacant properties.
• Establish efforts to bring more unregistered vacant properties into the Vacant Property Registration Program.
• Look into creating a Texas Hazardous Properties Receivership program. Also, look into Community Receivership and Equitable Receivership Programs.
• Explore a requirement for property owners to submit a Vacant Structure Maintenance Plan to the City.
• Evaluate the legality of using a sliding scale vacant property fee, which increases the longer a property is left vacant.
• Establish a plan and use Housing Bond funds to purchase nuisance/vacant properties and turn them over to a quasi-governmental agency (like the San Antonio Housing Trust) or qualified nonprofit.