City Meeting of San Antonio Building Standards Board - May 28, 2026

The San Antonio Building Standards Board met on May 28, 2026, to approve minutes, receive staff reports on emergency demolitions and code compliance, hear presentations on housing assistance, deconstruction, and vacant property programs, review board processes and statistics, and conduct administrative business. The board acted on a policy amendment and deferred cases to individual panels.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the October 16, 2025 meeting were approved unanimously with no corrections or amendments. The motion passed by voice vote.

Discussion Items

• Staff Report – Emergency Demolitions (Jenny Ramírez): Five emergency demolitions were reported, all due to fires between April 30 and May 12, 2026. Properties at 3506 Woodland Avenue (District 7), 1608 Menchaca Street (District 1), 325 East Courtland Plaza (District not specified, accessory structure), 3926 West Martin Street (District 5, main structure), and 9248 Toronto Drive (District 2, mobile home) were demolished on May 12–26, 2026. No further board action required. Board members had no questions.
• Director’s Report – Code Compliance (Assistant Director Dani Lígues): The director reported on performance metrics for fiscal year 2025-2026. The department is meeting its goal of responding to violations within one to two days. The overall compliance rate is 89%, with 90% of pending investigations current. The department aims to inspect 60,000 properties annually. A reduction in reactive calls (3% drop) was noted, attributed to fewer vacancies, staff turnover, and increased community education. Legal advisor Sarita Wright added that code officers are being pulled to assist with new programs, which may also reduce call volume.
• Housing Assistance Programs (Housing Department Manager and Emma Rodríguez): Two programs were presented: Rental Assistance (temporary aid for rent and utilities, up to three months, with a maximum of $3,000, open for applications the second Wednesday of each month from 1–2 PM) and Relocation Assistance (help with security deposits, utility connections, application fees, and moving expenses for households facing eviction or displacement). Eligibility requires income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) and documented housing instability (e.g., eviction notice). Applications are accepted via an online portal. Board members asked about the short application window (1 hour per month), explained due to capacity, and questioned outreach effectiveness. Staff noted partnerships with schools, libraries, property managers, and community organizations. Code compliance officers provide information on these programs early in the enforcement process. Board members expressed appreciation but concerns about limited awareness.
• Deconstruction Program (Stephanie Phillips and Leticia Sánchez): The program, adopted by city council in September 2022, applies to residential structures ordered for demolition built in 1945 or earlier (or 1960 in conservation districts). It requires deconstruction by approved contractors, with materials reused for affordable housing projects or donated to a Materials Innovation Center (still in pilot). Leticia Sánchez, representing Esperanza Community Land Trust, emphasized the program’s success in recovering 70% of original materials and saving 30% in costs compared to new construction. She invited board members to visit the reuse center at 816 South Colorado. Board members noted the cost is higher than demolition but offset by material reuse and environmental benefits.
• Vacant Properties Program (Brittany Williams): The program started as a pilot in 2014 and became permanent, now covering half of the city’s square miles (including historic districts, conservation districts, military bases, and school zones). It requires registration of vacant properties, including owner contact, a six-month action plan, and a transfer form for police access. 60% of owners are individuals, not businesses. Since inception, 1,100 properties have been reoccupied. Staff assists with connecting owners to resources, including help with legal title issues. Board members asked about success rates in complex cases (e.g., multi-generational properties) and property types (mostly single-family homes).
• Code Compliance Assistance Fund (Rusty): The fund has collected $1,147,641.50 in fines and owes $1,574,047. A balance of $977,365 was available for grants to property owners for tree removal, vegetation, and debris cleanup. 53 applications were received; 77,995 was spent. Board members questioned why unspent funds do not carry over (funds revert to general fund) and noted difficulties in collecting fines. Staff are working on making the application process easier.
• Board Process Overview: Staff presented the detailed timeline from initial inspection, notice, judicial orders, evidence collection, internal reviews, and finally hearings. The board learned that all records must be kept for 10 years due to potential claims. The process includes multiple layers of review and contact with owners.
• Organizational Chart Update: A new organizational structure was presented, aligning code compliance, vacant property program, and building standards under Kathy Rodríguez. The board noted growth in staff.
• Kathy Rodríguez Report: The board calendar for the rest of 2026 was shared. All nine board seats are filled; five members are newly appointed. Attendance for Panel A was 100%, Panel B 87%. No hearings were rescheduled due to lack of quorum. Rodríguez thanked members for their voluntary service.
• Case Statistics (Alice Guajardo): From October 2025 to April 2026, Panel A and Panel B heard a total of 91 cases: 51 dangerous structures, 40 demolitions (30 with penalties, 10 without), and 0 maintenance cases. No emergency demolition hearings were needed (34 emergency demolitions occurred without board action). No appeals were filed. Cases by district: District 1 (17), District 2 (1), District 3 (10), District 4 (5), District 5 (21), District 6 (6), District 7 (6), District 8/9 (0), District 10 (1). Total 91.
• Executive Session: The board entered executive session at 11:33 AM and returned at 12:26 PM. No official actions were taken during executive session.

Key Outcomes

• Deferrals and Ethics Presentation: The board agreed to defer items on the agenda to individual panels. The ethics code presentation will be conducted in individual panels.
• Policy Amendment: Board member George Crimes Jr. moved to remove Section M from the board’s Policies and Procedures (specifically Section 8, subsection M). The motion was seconded and passed with a vote of 10–0. The removed item had pertained to property owners’ right to examine materials presented to the board.
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at approximately 12:30 PM.