• 1
  Introduction
• 2
  Affordable housing
• 3
  Housing choice
• 4
  Connected neighborhoods
• 5
  Priority areas
• 6
  Infill neighborhoods
• 7
  Goals and policies
• 8
  Indicators and actions

Housing Introduction

Our quality of life in San Antonio is very dependent on our housing and the neighborhoods we live in. It’s relatively affordable to live here. The cost of living is below the national average, as is the average home price." introduction-content: "We have a strong cultural heritage that creates a unique sense of place. Our 27 historic districts offer some of the most attractive neighborhoods in the country, with charming houses, quiet streets, high walkability scores, a great mixture of uses and shorter commute times to work.

But we also have some real challenges. There is upward price pressure in the northern part of the city where the generally higher-paying jobs and better performing public schools are located. There are also large portions of the city with concentrations of low-income residents who don’t have access to the same quality of jobs and schools.

The residential development market in San Antonio has been following two distinct trends: suburban/exurban low-density single-family development mainly in the north and west along Loop 1604, and urban infill multifamily development within the core of the city. The result is very little mixed-use development that offers a variety of housing options and prices with a physically and functionally integrated blend of residential, commercial, cultural, institutional or industrial uses. These compact, walkable mixed-use neighborhoods are a growing preference for homebuyers.

As 500,000 new households are formed in Bexar County by 2040, we will see demand for a wide range of housing types, including single-family detached, row homes, townhomes, condos, multifamily and live/work spaces.

What type of housing is built and where it will be built is largely dependent on the market—and on housing developers. Fortunately, San Antonio has capacity for infill development and can benefit from a close partnership with local housing developers who are already active in creating urban, mixed-use multifamily projects. We also have a strong network of nonprofit housing advocates, developers and providers. We can work together to address shifts in housing preferences, diversify our housing stock, expand the housing stock for buyers and renters at all price levels and meet our land use and economic objectives.

We must plan for growth wisely and we must plan now to address the following five key areas of concern.