District 5 Statement on Plan to End Local Public Housing Assistance

Published on April 02, 2026

SAN ANTONIO (April 2, 2026) – District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo provided the following statement regarding the passage of Opportunity Home San Antonio’s approval of their Moving to Work Plan. It included approval to begin submitting requests for conversion of public housing under the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.

“As we mark the anniversary of Fair Housing Act Month, we are reminded that public housing remains one of our most important tools for expanding opportunity and protecting vulnerable families. Today, we are confronted with the sobering reality that Opportunity Home San Antonio has taken the first steps on a plan to eventually eradicate all 6,000 units of public housing.

“While RAD is presented as a tool to leverage additional funding for repairs and redevelopment, evidence from Federal audits and from RAD sites across the country illustrate deeply concerning issues which should not be ignored.

“An audit of RAD-converted units by the Office of the Inspector General found over 74% failed to meet basic Housing Quality Standards, with more than 60% of those failures involving at least one life-threatening condition. A 2018 review by the Government Accountability Office found federal oversight of RAD to be insufficient. We must also consider that the 2026 HUD funding bill is set to reduce HUD staffing by 25% to 50%.

“Loopholes exist allowing housing authorities to permanently eliminate apartments, especially those left vacant due to disrepair, which reduces the overall supply of affordable housing. At the same time, the program allows assistance to be moved to new locations, forcing residents to relocate far from their communities, jobs, and support systems.

“We have seen the consequences of similar efforts in the past with the Wheatley and Victoria Courts, where redevelopment led to fewer returning families and a shift toward more expensive housing. We cannot repeat those mistakes.

“Affordable housing is one of the most urgent challenges facing our city. Since 1941, public housing has provided a critical safety net for over 6,000 families, seniors, and people with disabilities in our city.

“Public housing belongs to the public and the people who live here, and I am committed to do everything in my power to ensure it remains that way.”