Issue IV: Special Edition

In this special edition of our newsletter, we wanted to share some of the work we have in progress at the City, to include our District’s bond projects, our infrastructure program, and our office’s policy & budgeting proposals from last year to present. This is a jam-packed issue with a ton of information. We want to encourage you to please take advantage of opportunities such as our home rehab programs which are accepting applications until Sept. 19th and our Budget Town Hall on Aug. 29 at 6:30pm at Second Baptist Church Community Center. As always, it is a privilege and honor to serve you!

Yours in service, Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez

Yours in C ouncilman Jalen McKee-Rodrigu

The D2 Office joined Jefferson Heights for a Community Clean-Up |August 20, 2022

MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ

What’s New in District 2

Over the next 5 years, District 2 is slated to receive a minimum of $350,300,055 in improvements. This includes projects located in District 2 that were considered City-wide projects (such as some iconic District 2 locations like Brackenridge Park and the San Antonio Zoo). It includes bond funded projects and those with leveraged funding (such as the Ella Austin Community Center and the Broadway corridor). It also includes our annual Street Maintenance Program. The graph above shows previous years of funding. It illustrates a steep incline following the City’s commitment to a lens of equity in 2017. The Equity Lens ensures that Districts with historic disinvestment will receive a greater share of funding than those Districts that have received a greater share in previous years. The City’s fiscal year is dated October 1-September 30 of the following year. If the budget is approved, the Fiscal Year 2023 budget will be adopted on October 1, 2022. In addition to Bond funded projects, we can expect 985 projects from our Drainage, Street, Sidewalk, Traffic Signal, Alley Maintenance, and other infrastructure programs shown to the right.

Infrastructure: 5-Year Forecast

This May, voters approved a historic five-year bond program to include Streets, Bridges, & Sidewalks; Drainage; Parks & Recreation; Public Facilities; and Affordable Housing. Using a lens of equity, District 2 is slated to receiving a greater than average share of the total bond funding. Over the course of the next five years, the bond will aim to renovate many iconic District 2 facilities, completely renovate nearly 6 miles of failed streets, close some funding gaps for previously funded projects, provide funding for home rehabilitation, and so much more.

BUT, it doesn’t all happen at once. Later this year, City Council will receive proposals from various engineers and architects. Based on the scope of work for each project, the capacity and availability of our departments/partners/leveraged funds, and the length & results of community engagement efforts, projects will fall on a calendar. This year, most of our projects are going to design!

McKee-Rodriguez

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Councilman

What’s New in District 2

Witte Museum - renovation of the Witte Museum auditorium to include the HVAC and flooring - $248,000

ChurchillAve Area Drainage Improvements - The proposed project will include a drainage system comprised of culvert crossing and an earthen channel$2,844,000

Peggy Drive Area Drainage - Complete the regrading of an existing earthen channel and installation of an underground storm drain system and associated roadway reconstruction with sidewalks, curbs, and driveway approaches - $19,973,000

S. Foster Rd (Rigsby to 4000’ N) - The project provides funding for roadway enhancements to South Foster Rd between Rigsby and 4,000 N - $1,150,000

Carver Branch Library - This project will renovate, improve, and expand the Carver Branch Library$12,493,000

Ella Austin Community Center - This project is a renovation project to include, but not limited to, building envelopes, interior modifications, and upgrades to major building systems and site improvements. - $23,393,000

Greater Love Multi-Generational Center - This project provides funding for a new community facility to provide services which may include after-school programming, adult education, and senior day care. - $2,943,000

Zernona Black Multi-Generational Cultural/Community Center - This project provides funding for a new community facility to provide services which may include after-school programming, adult education, and senior day care. - $1,371,000

Beitel Creek (Salado to Briarglen) - This project provides funding for development of a hike/bike trail project along Beitel Creek - $1,438,000

Brackenridge Park Facilities - Construct general park improvements which may include renovation of the historic Sunken Garden Theater and Brackenridge Park. - $33,513,000

District 2 Infrastructure Improvements Earmarked funds - $347,000

Earmarked District 2 Parks FundingFunding available to District 2 parks - $1,499,000

Eastside Boys and Girls Club - The project will include a complete structural assessment and improvements - 3,731,000

Fort Sam Houston Trail (John James Park to Jack White Park) - Provides funding for land acquisition, design and construction of hike & bike trails and associated amenities along Salado Creek$4,926,000

Hays St Bridge Park - This funding will provide funding for development of a new park. The site will include an entry plaza, signage highlighting historic information of the area, skate plazas, a playground, restrooms, lighting, new shade trees, picnic seating, and green space - $3,400,000

Lockwood & Dignowity Parks - This project includes the funding for general park improvements, which may include a splash pad with shade enhancements$1,512,000

Martin Luther King Park - This project will provide for park improvements, which may include shade enhancements at the Basketball Courts and additional parking - $1,147,000

Infrastructure: 5-Year Forecast (Pt. 2)

San Antonio Botanical Center - Facilitates the construction of improvements, which may include restoration of the Lucile Halsell Conservatory and Greenhouses. - $7,494,000

San Antonio Zoo - Construction of general and rehabilitation improvements which may include a new visitor’s entrance - $19,983,000

Wheatley Heights Sports Complex - Provides funding for general improvements to include lockerrooms, and amenities - $1,150,000

Failed Streets Reconstruction - Construction of roadway improvements to include sidewalks, curbs, driveway approaches, and other improvements within available funding - $11,980,000

Harry Wurzbach (Austin Hwy Improvement)Funding to improve the entrance and exit ramps to include roadway, bridge, retaining walls, sidewalks, traffic signals, and more. $13,531,000

Hays St Bridge Repairs - Funding to complete structural repairs of the bridge - $600,000

Hemisfair Area Street Redevelopment - Funding to construct and reconfigure area streets including Dakota St to include bicycle and pedestrian conectivity - $225,000

North New Braunfels (E Houston St to Paso Hondo St) - Funding for improvements to the N New Braunfels corridor - $6,493,000

Broadway - Funding to reconstruct Broadway from E Houston to E Hildebrand with curbs, sidewalks, drainage, bicycle amenities, lighting, as appropriate$87,699,000

Street Maintenance Funding - Funding the ‘23-’27 Street Maintenance Program - $66,744,055

North New Braunfels (E Houston to Burleson)Funding for improvements to the N New Braunfels corridor - $5,221,000

S Foster Rd Phase 2 - Scope includes reconstruction of Houston/Foster intersection and construct 2100 linear ft of roadway north of Phase 1 from 2 lanes to 4 lanes - $2,366,000

Salado Creek - Funding for design and building enhancementss to the existing Salado Creek greenway system within District 2 - $1,546,000

Pedestrian Mobility - Construct pedestrian mobility improvement projects - $998,000

Eastside Streets - Construct area roadway improvements to include bicycle facilities, sidewalks, lighting, streetscape for multimodal connections to parks$6,842,000

Earmarked Pickleball Funding - Cnstruction of pickleball courts in available City facilities. $1,500,000

What’s New in District 2

McKee-Rodriguez rves to identif s with i n

As a part of last year’s budget discussion, Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez requested a street lighting study of the entire city. This index serves to identify lighting gaps according to the Unified Development Code (UDC), identify areas with lighting outages and low lighting, and overlay those gaps with results of a crime impact study. This information (along with traffic and pedestrian safety data, school zones, etc.) will determine priority of installation. The index for District 2 is displayed here. Grey dots indicate existing street lights, Green dots indicate proposed new lights, and Blue dots indicate existing poles where lighting is being proposed. We believe this information can be a starting point to more swiftly respond to lighting requests, proactively install new lighting, and even determine new lighting policies if what you see recommended doesn’t quite meet your neighborhood’s needs. City Council is expected to receiving a briefing in the coming months on the status of the index and the timeline for installation of a historic $5M in street lights.

Street

What’s New in District

Over 150 San Antonians came out to our District 2 Crime Prevention Summit | July 26, 2022

Budget: Our Office is currently reviewing the City’s proposed budget, finding opportunities to make potential amendments. Based on feedback from over 800 D2 residents, we have made infrastructure, community safety, property tax relief, home rehabilitation, and vacant properties some of our top priorities.

Policy: In January, Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez submitted 8 Council Consideration Requests to turn into City policy. We are following along as each is heard by Council Committees. For information on which committees he serves on, continue on Page 10.

Outreach: We are continuing to blockwalk, hosting neighborhood ride-alongs, and coordinating/supporting community events including our Back 2 School events, where we’ve distributed over 1,000 backpacks!

Constituent Services: District 2 has some of the highest need in the City, so our office phones consistently ring off the hook. We are currently reviewing cases to find trends and determine opportunities for systemic change in our City processes, procedures, policies, and budget.

Councilm Heights for

Council Consideration Requests

Insulin Cost Share Program: This proposal was heard by the Governance Committee on May 18 and was forwarded to the Community Health, Environment, and Culture Committee to be considered at a later date. The City recommends investment in resource education and navigation.

Food Access Master Plan: This proposal was heard by the Governance Committee on March 16 and forwarded to the Community Health, Environment, and Culture Committee to be considered at a later date. The Councilman is working with the Metro Health Department and Councilwoman Sandoval to finalize details.

Animal Care Services Master Plan: This proposal was heard by the Governance Committee on March 16 and forwarded to the Public Safety Committee to be considered at a later date. The Councilman is working with Councilwoman Cabello Havrda to finalize details.

CPS/SAWS Rate Freeze for Seniors & Disabled Persons: This proposal was heard by the Governance Committee on May 18 and forwarded directly to the SAWS and CPS Rate Advisory Committees and both utility boards for consideration.

Displacement Study for City-Funded Housing contracts: This proposal was heard by the Governance Committee on May 18. The City will be using the housing bond as a pilot program prior to full implementation across all City-funded housing projects.

Jalen McKee-Rodriguez joined

Councilman McKee-Rodriguez is working with City staff across multiple departments seeking changes to the City’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance, the establishment of an Office of Crime & Recidivism Prevention, and the expansion of the City’s Payday Loan Ordinance to be heard at the Governance committee at the earliest available dates, to give staff direction on next steps.

require the vote of a majority of the City Council at

“A Session” to be implemented.

What’s New in District 2

Frankie Trynoski Chief of Staff

Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, a former high school math teacher at Sam Houston High School and Madison High School, was sworn into office on June 15, 2021, a little over 1 year ago. He serves on the Public Safety Committee, the Audit & Accountability Committee, the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, and the Community Health, Environment, and Culture Committee. Our o

ce continues to seek ways to engage our community in issues relating to these committees and beyond. Please consider

lling out our District 2 Policy & Goals survey at the QR code on the next page. You can also stop by our o

at the Claude Black Center for assistance.

Le Reta Gatlin-McDavid Chief of Operations

Joleen Garcia Director of Policy/Education

Sydell Brooks Director of Zoning

The District 2 Of

ce: Here to Serve

Bids are in and City Council will soon vote to approve the expansion and renovation of our Northeast Field Office located at 4351 Rittiman. Once approved, construction will begin and we will invite the community to an official “groundbreaking.” Stay tuned!

Denise Hernandez Deputy Director of

Sean Rivera Director of

Imgard Rop Director of Public Relations

Marie Naranjo Director of Constituent Services