In his annual United State of the City address, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg commended local residents and businesses in their efforts to overcome challenges ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects to inflation and rising home appraisals.
But he also said the pandemic compounded various socioeconomic problems and expressed hope that planned and existing public initiatives will help address those issues.
Nirenberg delivered the address in an April 26 luncheon at the Tech Port Center and Arena, a new events venue that recently opened at Port San Antonio, formerly Kelly Air Force Base. The event was facilitated by the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.
Nirenberg touched upon concerns recently expressed by fellow city leaders and many residents regarding the newest home values released by the Bexar County Appraisal District.
Nirenberg said, given home value increases of more than 20% in the past year, the city will seek immediate property tax relief while city officials plan out the fiscal year 2022-23 budget this summer.
“Let me assure everyone—property tax relief is coming,” Nirenberg said. “City staff is already poring over the numbers, and City Council will consider proposals for moving forward with tax relief this fall.”
Nirenberg said there are several signs that San Antonio is recovering from the pandemic’s economic effects, adding that the city’s unemployment rate has dropped below 4% and is better than the statewide average.
“The obstacles of the past two years have been unprecedented, but with a unified effort, our community withstood the challenges. And even now as we devote significant resources to the ongoing pandemic, we are rebuilding and on the road to recovery,” Nirenberg said.
Nirenberg referenced current and planned initiatives, including enhanced efforts to bolster workforce and economic development, infrastructure, and early childhood education.
Nirenberg also briefly addressed the city’s $1.2 billion bond issue, which proposes $150 million to support affordable housing via new construction and preservation of existing housing. San Antonio voters began casting ballots on the bond issue April 25 ahead of the May 7 municipal elections.
Nirenberg said these and other measures are designed help the community arrive at “an era of equitable and inclusive prosperity for the people of our city.”
Nirenberg said, however, there is no doubt that the pandemic hurt many residents and businesses in different ways, adding that COVID-19’s spread exposed and exacerbated socioeconomic inequalities and hardships in neighborhoods citywide.
“Even with a robust economy before the pandemic, about 60,000 families a week were relying on the San Antonio Food Bank to keep food on the table,” he said. “The pandemic forced our community to reassess the landscape by highlighting the cracks in our economic foundation.”
Nirenberg also pointed to the $200 million-plus in local and federal funds that the city spent toward emergency housing to help at-risk individuals and families stay in their homes throughout the pandemic.
“The housing affordability challenge existed before COVID[-19] and will outlast the pandemic,” he added.
