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The San Antonio City Council has approved changes to how large development projects are financed, following controversy tied to the planned minor league baseball stadium on the West Side of downtown.
The stadium project, led in part by developer Weston Urban, required the demolition of the Soap Factory Apartments, one of the few remaining affordable housing complexes downtown. The displacement of residents drew backlash from tenants and housing advocates, who say the project highlights ongoing concerns about affordability and gentrification in the city’s urban core.
On Thursday, City Council approved updates to its policy governing Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, a tool frequently used to support major development projects.
Under the new rules, projects using TIF incentives cannot move forward if they would displace residents living in occupied, habitable housing on the site. The policy also requires developers to complete a displacement impact assessment, which evaluates how a project could influence property values, rents, and other factors that may contribute to future displacement.
City leaders say the changes are meant to balance economic development with protections for residents at risk of being pushed out of their homes.
The West Side ballpark project remains central to that discussion. Supporters say it could bring jobs, investment, and new activity to an underdeveloped part of downtown. Critics argue the loss of affordable housing underscores the need for stronger safeguards as San Antonio continues to grow.
