The SHFC decided to sell the property to Foundation Communities, a nonprofit that works to provide affordable housing. Executive Director Walter Moreau said it will likely take until January to receive a contract, and then Foundation Communities will have to undergo inspections before it is officially sold.
The SHFC announced it was ready to sell the property and began soliciting proposals in October. Rosemont is under a 30-year restrictive covenant; however, the property only has 12 years left on that agreement, meaning if the property was sold to a bidder without a mission to maintain affordable housing, it would potentially price out long-term tenants.
“[The SHFC] tried to rush through the sale and give it to their highest bidder without concern of what would happen to the residents that lived there,” said Noelia Mann, a tenant organizer at Building and Strengthening Tenant Action.
SHFC Executive Director Patrick Howard said the board’s goal was to keep the property affordable.
Concerned over long-term affordability, BASTA helped Rosemont residents come together and amass over 530 signatures on a list of tenants demands, including receiving proper maintenance and guaranteed affordable housing.
The BASTA statement also demanded a change in Rosemont’s current management company, Capstone Management, after years of alleged inadequate maintenance repairs.
The property saw significant damages after Winter Storm Uri, including broken pipes, loss of electricity and water damage. Community Impact reported about 85 families were asked to relocate due to the damages, and others were allowed to stay while repairs were made to their units.
However, almost two years later and over $16 million worth of repairs and relocation costs, residents still report poor living conditions.
Rosemont resident Ashley Zapata spoke at the Travis County Commissioners Court meeting Dec. 8 to discuss her experience living in an apartment in need of repairs.
Zapata’s apartment underwent wall and ceiling repairs that took seven months to complete. During that period, Zapata and her five children were exposed to the insulation, which she said caused her daughter with acute asthma to go to the hospital. Zapata requested to move into a different unit.
“Patrick Howard and Rosemont management gave lots of excuses for why it was taking so long,” Zapata said. “Finally, two weeks ago, me and my babies were moved to another unit, but it was not because of the reasonable accommodation. It was because our building was condemned by the code department [as unsafe] to live in.”
The complex is 58% occupied with over 100 units vacant due to code violations, Howard said at the Dec. 8 meeting. There are 88 occupied units that also have code violations; however, those do not have substantial repairs, Howard said.
Resident Keyionde Goff also spoke at the meeting, saying her family had to move seven times within a six-month period and at one point was almost moved into a unit that tested positive for mold.
Moreau said Foundation Communities' goal is to have all the apartments repaired within a year and also renovate a vacant learning center on the property.
“[We] really wanted to save Rosemont and keep it affordable and [renovate it properly]. It's such a beautiful property, and it's all two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom units,” Moreau said. “It's both exciting and daunting because there's a lot of work that's needed. But we're grateful for the opportunity to try and put it together.”
