Over the next few months, the City of San Antonio will be identifying projects for the 2017 to 2022 bond package. The bond will be the largest in the city’s history and will come in at $850 million dollars. The projects will be divided into five categories:
- Streets, Bridges & Sidewalk
- Drainage & Flood Control
- Parks & Recreation
- Facilities & Improvements
- Housing
City Manager Sheryl Sculley says the last two bonds had 75 percent of projects dedicated to infrastructure and with council direction that could be the case again.
“We have a great need, there are many areas and neighborhoods that have never had sidewalks so we’re focusing on connectivity to schools and to VIA bus routes,” Sculley says.
Sculley says the 2012 and 2007 bonds came in under budget. Both were around $575 million with about 140 projects each.
City Council members, city staff, and the public will recommend what projects to focus on. One possible proposed project will develop ranch land the city is purchasing on the far north side into a park.
Mayor Ivy Taylor has expressed interest in including housing initiatives in the bond. She says she’d like to make housing more affordable for families and improving neighborhoods.
“Neighborhoods that have fallen out of fashion have a lot of vacant lots and vacant properties that are a blight on those areas and attract crime and decrease the value on housing in those areas,” Taylor says.
Taylor says one option could have the city improve those vacant lots and properties. Those could be sold to developers who can sell them at prices that meet more families’ incomes.
Each of the five areas of the bond will have about 30 committee members chosen by council members. The council will approve projects in January. Voters will decide in May.
