In My 4th Term as Mayor Our Accomplishments As a City Gave Us Momentum as we Move Forward
Thanks to San Antonio voters, I will begin my fourth term as mayor next month.
I am grateful for the strong community support and excited about our city’s momentum as I prepare to begin my final term.
Through all the push-and-pull of debate and seemingly endless distractions over the past several years, the people of San Antonio have kept their eyes on the ball.
We have stayed focused on long-running, formidable problems such as workforce development, housing, and transportation. We have made real progress on economic mobility for all our residents.
I salute the people of San Antonio for their vision and steadfast resolve. The city’s accomplishments are their accomplishments.
San Antonio continues gaining momentum as we invest in our city’s people. We’ve launched some major initiatives during my tenure, and I am determined to complete the work we started.
I have been working to ensure housing affordability in our community since taking office. Now, I am happy to report that thousands of affordable housing units are on the way — in addition to our more focused policies to spur the construction and preservation of affordable housing.
Voters overwhelmingly approved a $1.2 billion bond package last year, including the first $150 million ever dedicated to housing affordability in San Antonio.
Dozens of projects are in the pipeline. The City Council has approved 14 projects from the housing bond, which will produce or preserve nearly 2,500 rental units. The second round of projects will be considered by council this summer.
These efforts represent significant strides toward boosting housing affordability.
San Antonio is gaining momentum in the transportation sector, too.
Recently, airport staff unveiled the first design work for the ambitious $2.5 billion San Antonio International Airport terminal development plan, which will be funded with federal dollars as well as airline and passenger fees.
The expanded, enhanced SAT will be the largest capital project in the history of San Antonio, and it will be among the most significant.
The airport project is a transformational move forward for San Antonio — demonstrating to the world where San Antonio is headed.
And speaking of our transportation future, VIA has continued to move forward on the North-South Advanced Rapid Transit line, which received $158 million proposed by President Biden in his Fiscal 2023 budget.
In more good news, $144 million for the East-West ART line has been included in the Federal Transportation Administration’s funding recommendations for Fiscal Year 2024. This is a first step, but an important one.
At last — we are moving toward the modern transportation system we need.
Our unemployment rate is low, but we know many of our neighbors need skills and careers that can withstand the next economic disruption. That is why nearly 13,000 people have applied for our Ready to Work program.
San Antonians want and need opportunities for jobs with a future. Jobs that will do more than cover this month’s bills.
More than 2,000 residents already are enrolled in the workforce development program, and more than 200 have successfully completed training. I am encouraged by the demand, and urge all San Antonians interested in better career opportunities to check out the program.
When all is said and done, I am confident we will have improved thousands of lives, helped our city’s employers, strengthened San Antonio’s economy, and created a more robust workforce ecosystem.
I am looking forward to nurturing the important programs we have launched and engaging in new issues as well.
And I am confident that during the next two years, San Antonio will maintain its momentum and continue our exciting progress as we build the city of the future.
