City Council B-Session Summary: Code Enforcement Plan & Procurement Forecast (Dec 3, 2025)

The City Council of San Antonio convened for its B-Session on December 3, 2025, to review two primary items: an update on the Code Enforcement Strategic Plan and the annual procurement forecast. The meeting featured extensive discussion regarding community transparency, response times, staffing needs, and the balance between proactive and reactive enforcement. Council members expressed strong support for improved communication systems, specifically advocating for direct integration between the 311 system and the Build-See-Say platform to provide real-time case updates to residents. The session concluded with directives to further analyze procurement details and explore policy changes regarding contractor wages and code enforcement timelines.

Consent Calendar

• No routine approvals were recorded in the provided transcript for this session.

Public Comments & Testimony

• District 4 Residents/Council Member Mungia: Councilmember Mungia noted that District 4 had the highest attendance at the consultant's listening sessions, with 266 participants. He expressed frustration regarding vacant lots with illegal dumping and high grass, stating that residents are unaware of the judicial timelines. He advocated for better communication of the step-by-step legal process so residents do not feel left in the dark. He also expressed support for the staff survey results, noting that code officers felt productive but need more time to communicate effectively with citizens. He emphasized that residents value reactive responses to reported issues over proactive ones when the latter delay addressing reported hazards.
• District 1 Residents/Councilmember White: Councilmember White expressed that residents are frustrated when cases close but violations persist. He emphasized the need for transparency regarding why cases close and requested data on staff inefficiencies and caseloads per officer to justify potential staffing increases. He expressed strong support for increasing communication but caution that proactive enforcement must never become intrusive enforcement, asserting that "people's homes are important to them" and their property rights must be protected.
• District 3 Residents/Councilmember Via Gran: Councilmember Via Gran highlighted concerns regarding threats and retaliation between neighbors during code enforcement interactions. She expressed support for the department's engagement with neighborhood associations but noted the need for clearer communication regarding the timeline from the final violation to municipal court to prevent residents from feeling the system is being "hustled" by property owners claiming hardships.
• District 5/Councilmember Castillo: Councilmember Castillo noted that District 5 received over 650 vacant lot abatement cases. She expressed support for the new educational materials and the emphasis on property rights (e.g., the Fourth Amendment), stating that constituents often misunderstand why certain violations (like unattractive pots) are not actionable. She advocated for council offices to have direct access to the Build-See-Say dashboard to better assist constituents.
• District 9/Councilmember Spears: Councilmember Spears expressed concern about longer response times in her district due to geographic coverage. She advocated for boundary realignments and increased staffing. She expressed support for the department's "soft training" on identifying vulnerable populations but requested additional training on mental health and senior isolation.

Discussion Items

• Code Enforcement Strategic Plan: Director Amin Tomaz presented the plan, which aims to improve transparency, customer service, and community trust. The plan includes short-term goals (centralizing data on SharePoint, enhancing Build-See-Say notifications, expanding staff training), midterm goals (rewriting notices in simple language, holding community meetings for vacant lot education), and long-term goals (creating public-facing dashboards, automated text/email updates, and potentially increasing staffing by 10-15% to address city growth). The department proposed reducing tiers from four to two, with a maximum two-day response time for all tiers, though compliance timelines for Tier 2 may extend up to 18 months due to due process and hardship deferrals.
• Staffing and Workload: Councilmembers asked if staff data supports the need for more officers. Director Tomaz estimated that based on city growth since 2012, a 10-15% increase in staffing might be needed to maintain current ratios, but a full analysis is pending. Staff survey results indicated officers feel they lack time for resident communication due to high reactive caseloads.
• Communication and Transparency: Multiple council members pushed for the integration of 311 and Build-See-Say to send step-by-step email updates to residents when cases are opened, inspected, and closed. Councilmember Mungia suggested creating video tutorials and graphics explaining the code process, similar to Austin's YouTube channel, to help residents understand timelines and legal steps.
• Vacant Lots: Councilmembers Castillo and Viegran discussed prioritizing the cleanup and activation of vacant lots in residential neighborhoods and near schools. Councilmember Via Gran and Castillo suggested educating property owners on temporary activation (e.g., community gardens) and discussed the potential need for incentives or increased fines for repeat offenders. Councilmember White questioned if the 18-month timeline for abatement could be shortened, noting it is largely driven by state law due process.
• Annual Procurement Forecast: Chief Financial Officer Troy LA presented a forecast of 382 solicitations totaling approximately $1.3 billion. Staff recommended that 82 high-profile items (>$1M or high community interest) undergo pre- and post-solicitation briefings, with 7 going to B-Session, 22 to the Audit Committee, and 49 to the Consent Agenda. The remaining 300 items would proceed via City Manager delegation or Consent Agenda. Councilmember Castillo raised concerns about contractor wages decreasing at the Alamo Dome, requesting that the city mandate livable wages for contractors on city contracts where legally permissible (Texas Labor Code Section 62). Councilmember Viegran and the Audit Committee discussed the need for district-specific feedback on major contracts to prevent backlogs.

Key Outcomes

• The Code Enforcement Strategic Plan is scheduled for a final briefing at the December 5th and 11th community meetings (2 in-person, 2 virtual) before a potential Council A-Session consideration on January 15th.
• The Council directed staff to provide baseline productivity data (inspection times, case closure rates, backlog) to Councilmember White within one week.
• Councilmembers requested a detailed breakdown of the 18-month compliance timeline to distinguish between state law requirements and departmental internal processes.
• The City Council requested that the Procurement team follow up on the wage conditions of contractors at the Alamo Dome and Sports District to determine if statutory mandates can be applied.
• The Audit Committee will review high-profile procurement items upon notification from the Council, with a request for district-specific briefings on bond-funded items (e.g., Fire Station 10) to inform council offices.
• The Council agreed to coordinate with the Municipal Court and City Attorney's office to address potential policy changes regarding repeat offenders and enforcement timelines in the future.