San Angelo Awaits State's Low Income Housing Decision

On Monday at a city council meeting, “Maplewood Park”, another affordable housing project was given a resolution of support for its endeavor to construct an apartment complex at the corner of W. 33rd St. and N. Bryant Blvd. That particular lot has sat vacant for many years making it a prime choice for the developers, Zimmerman Properties, LLC.

 “What we are planning on building here is going to be something that you are going to be very proud of. Once we finish with it, we are going to be proud of it,” said Paul Holden, representative for Zimmerman Properties at a town hall meeting earlier on this month.

“Maplewood Park” is competing against the “Outlook on Valleyview” (LDG Development) project in the Southland area and another housing project in Midland. This issue has sparked venomous debates at city council meetings and town hall meetings. It has divided city council members and citizens alike. Many of the citizens who came to the town hall meeting held for the proposed project “Outlook at Valleyview” were opposed to city support in any form. That town hall meeting basically turned into a mudslinging match between Councilmember Rodney Fleming and his constituents who are opposed to low income housing near their middle class homesteads. Regardless of the Southland outcry, a resolution of support was endorsed by the city council anyway.

 LDG Development and Zimmerman Properties have applied for a 9 percent Housing Tax Credit through the state which is funded by the U.S. Treasury Department and overseen by the IRS. It is not related to HUD-funded programs.  

No matter the word arrangement—low income, affordable housing, or mixed income—all of the proposed housing developments are in essence identical. The list of similarities could go on and on, but just to name a few:

• All fall under the same rental price guidelines,
• All will follow strict rules set by the TDHCA,
• All applied for the same 9 percent housing tax credits,
• All have promised to include units for rent at market rates,
• All are developers that specialize in building affordable housing,
• All have turned in completed applications to the TDHCA, and
• All will be approved or disapproved by the same TDHCA Governing Board.

The only differences between the two are minor. Maplewood will featured 72 units, Valleyview will house 80 units. Maplewood will build on the north side of town, Valleyview the southeast. And as Councilman Marty Self pointed out at Tuesday’s city council meeting, “The citizens from the north side were much more composed in their comments and concerns on the subject at the town hall meeting.”

It’s interesting however that similar concerns were expressed at the “Maplewood Park” town hall meeting as they were at the “Outlook on Valleyview” meeting. Citizens at both meetings voiced concern over increased crime, traffic, property values and market saturation. No matter which area of town you live in, concern for community is citywide and creating safe environments for all has topped the topic list for debate when it comes to affordable housing in San Angelo.

The final applications were due this month. The TDHCA will make a final decision in July as to which housing project will be awarded, according to FAQs on their website. As Bob Salas, City of San Angelo Community Development Director has said, “It could just go to Midland.”