Issue IX: January

We would first like to wish you a prosperous and joyful New Year! In this first newsletter of 2023, we hope to give you a bird’s eye view of what to expect as we finish out our first term in office, new projects coming to our district, and more opportunities to get involved. To jumpstart our exciting news: in just a few more weeks, we are excited to announce the Grand Reopening of our Northeast Field Office! It has been a long process, but we cannot wait for you to see the end results. One of the biggest

DISTRICT NEWSLETTER

ISSUE IX | JAN ‘23

COUNCILMAN JALEN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ

changes in the expansion is a conference room that will be available for small neighborhood and community meetings. You are going to love it and we can’t wait to welcome you into the space! In addition, early this year, the City will be accepting applications for the newly created Crime & Recedivism Prevention Coordinator, who will serve as a liaison to all of our City departments to help them add a lens of crime prevention to their decision-making and program implementation processes. This position is one of the many steps we are taking in a more creative and proactive approach to crime in our city. We are wrapping up construction on Fire Station #24 on Austin Hwy, and preparing to launch a construction mitigation

grant program for businesses impacted by construction during the pandemic. Lastly, this month we are expecting to receive the results of a location study for a new Senior Center and a follow up conversation with Santikos to determine feasibility of a new movie theater in District 2. We have a lot to look forward to as we embrace 2023! If you are ever in need of anything, don’t hesitate to reach my office at 210.207.0950 or Council.District2@sanantonio. gov. It is a privilege to serve you!

Yours in service,

Jalen McKee-Rodriguez

Words can be found horizontally,vertically, and diagonally!

Since the implementation of single member Districts, District 2 has had a total of 15 Councilmembers (with seven Councilmembersin the past eight years.) In the word search above, you can find each Councilmember’s name.

Joe Webb | Frank Pierce | Ruth Jones McClendon | Dolores Lott

Mario Salas | John Sanders | Joel Williams | Sheila McNeil

Ivy Taylor | Keith Toney | Alan Warrick II | William Cruz Shaw

Art Hall | Jada Andrews-Sullivan | Jalen McKee-Rodriguez

Word Search Challenge

SUBMIT APPLICATIONS

Feb. 1, 2023 - Feb. 16, 2023

Are you a City of San Antonio or Bexar County resident facing financial hardship due to the pandemic and in need of temporary rental assistance?

The Housing Assistance Program may help eligible renters experiencing loss of income due to COVID-19 with rental relief assistance. Online applications accepted from February 1-16, 2023.

To qualify, applicants must:

- meet income requirements;

- provide proof of financial hardship;

- be the primary lease holder; and

- not have received previous rental or relocation assistance program from the city in the last 12 months.

Households facing eviction will be prioritized.

Eligibility rules apply.

Applying does not guarantee assistance. Contact 210-207-5910 or 311 for more information.

APPLY HERE: SanAntonio.gov/NHSD

For assistance, you can also visit our office at 2805 E Commerce St (Claude Black)

What’s New in District 2?

The City of San Antonio consists of over 40 offices and departments that perform a wide range of functions that impact our lives, even things that have become part of our daily routines (like taking out the trash)! The City of San Antonio has over 13,500 employees that help our city run as efficiently as possible.

Every City has an origin story, and it evolves through a planning process. Our City employs people with education and expertise in Urban & Regional Planning within our Department of Planning. One of the City’s largest ongoing endeavors is the development of the SA Tomorrow Plan, aimed at setting a vision for the future of our City based on where we are and where we’ve been. This future is also guided by the expertise of engineers, architects, and designers within our City’s Public Works Department which manages City-funded infrastructure projects, and the Transportation Department which is hard at work innovating ways to improve the quality and safety of transportation for cyclists, pedestrains, drivers, and those who use public transportation. Our Aviation Department manages the operations and planning for our San Antonio International Airport and Stinson Municipal Airport.

Of course, San Antonio is about the communities that make it special. Several of our departments specialize in housing and related development. The Neighborhood & Housing Services Department manages programs such as our Home Repair programs, the emergency housing assistance program, the downpayment assistance program, and homebuyer education classes. Development Services manages the zoning process, in an effort to maintain consistency and character of neighborhoods, alongside the Office of Historic Preservation, while supporting innovative visions for the future, in addition to the code enforcement program which ensures neighborhoods can remain clean, safe, and hazard free. In addition, our Solid Waste Team is on the ground and you may see them every garbage pick up day, but recently we’ve added illegal dumping crews to ensure our streets and rights of way are clean.

While every city department has some role in ensuring community safety, some departments such as Animal Care Services, Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services are viewed as the most direct and visible in the area as much of their responsibility is in response to safety needs. Our City also manages Metro Health, which oversees many of our most pressing needs, and our Municipal Court system.

Any plans for the future must also give San Antonians the opportunity to learn and grow at an equal rate. Our City’s Pre-K 4 SA program is building a future where all students are prepared for a quality education; while our Workforce & Economic Development teams work with employers, contractors, and organizations prepare residents for quality jobs with new skills and education training. Our incentive program engages employers along the way to ensure that they are meeting the needs and creating jobs that will stay within our City. A key priority must also be an equitable future and culture.

Our City’s Arts & Culture Department facilitates the creation of public art by implementing programs such as grants for artists, incentives for film and visual media, collaboration with City departments, and as a part of our 5-year bond program. You may experience public art at any of our Parks & Recreation Facilities and green spaces like Copernicus Park & Community Center or Lou Kardon Park, at our Convention and Sports Facilities like the AlamoDome, or our Libraries like Schaefer, Molly Pruitt, or the Carver Library. We also appreciate the work of our maintenance team and other employees within the Building & Equipment Services Department that keep us up and running.

The Multiple Functions of Our City

An equitable future and culture is a primary goal of our city, San Antonio’s designation as a World Heritage Site is a key example of that, overseen by the World Heritage Office. This past year, we consildated different efforts and departments to create the Office of Disability, Equity, Access, & Inclusion. The goal of this office is to advise our City functions in a way that promotes accessibility and inclusion for often marginalized communities. The Office of Sustainability oversees our environment efforts and programs, while the Office of Innovation’s driving goal is to carry our City functions further into the 21st century through the use of technology and innovative solutions to our biggest challenges. The Department of Military & Veteran Affairs is a manifestation of our status as Military City, USA, and aims to support our City’s mission to support our veterans. The Department of Human Services includes our homeless outreach team, our community and senior centers, emergency assistance programs, immigration services, education services such as Ambassadors and CafeCollege, among others.

The Communication & Engagement Department is frequently seeking new ways to include community in the various functions of the City, including through our engagement portal SASpeakUp! Residents can also call 311 Services in order to report any concerns or share feedback! In addition, the City houses the Center City Development & Operation Office which oversees maintenance of the River Walk, coordinates downtown events, and more!

Further operations include the Management & Budget Office, the City Attorney’s Office, the City Auditor, City Clerk, Office of the City Council & Mayor, City Manager’s Office, the Finance Department, Information Technology Services, the Office of Risk Management, and the Department of Government Affairs.

You can visit sanantonio.gov to learn more about each of our City Departments!

Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez was joined by the Fire Department at our Back2School Backpack Drive at PreK4SA.

Last year, the District 2 office joined our seniors at the D2 Senior Center and Roseville Senior Apartments and gave out carnations.

Members of the District 2 staff sign community members in at our Budget Town Hall, which saw attendance of over 300+ District 2 residents.

What’s New in District 2?

District 2 is currently home to 9 Fire Stations that span the entire District. Our City’s Fire Department works tirelessly to keep our community safe. In fact, each Firefighter works a 24 hour shift every three days. This holiday season, we delivered Tamales and Big Red to each of the fire stations in the District. During our visits to each fire station, we got to tour them all and meet many of the people working in this department. We are excited for the opportunity to support each of them in their growth, and provide the tools they need to excel! District 2 houses Fire Stations #1 (N Cherry), #3 (E Commerce), #5 (Mason), #9 (Delmar), #18 (S WW White), #24 (Austin Hwy), #30 (Gembler), #38 (Distribution), and #54 (N Foster).

We are nearing completion on Fire Station #24, replacing the old station further down Austin Highway!

Fire Station #24 will include a 3D Mural facing Austin Hwy.

District 2 is an expansive district, spanning nearly 60 square miles! Our community has a history of fighting for the civil rights of marginalized communities, which has manifested in both systemic change in our city as well as symbolic traditions such as the largest MLK March in the nation. For decades, our District was underinvested in which led to the deterioration of our infrastructure and need that outweighs existing resources. In recognizing the need for equity, the City has committed to addressing this underinvestmen. District 2 now receives historic investment that surpasses every other Council District, demonstrated in programs such as the Major and Minor Home Repair Programs, where we’ve received 1/3rd of program funding in the pastyear, as well as in the F-Street Funding, where we receive 17% of all funds for failing street repairs. However, while we may have challenges, we have much to be proud of. Some of our homes have protected our families for decades, and established a beautiful fabric in our communities. Residents of our community have cultivated businesses and non-profits, aimed at fulfilling our needs. We also share some of the most beautiful art in the city, honoring the vibrant culture and history of our beloved District. We are #District2Proud!

#District2Proud

Last year, following the conclusion of the 2020 census, the City conducted its 10-year redistricting process. Members of the community were appointed by the Mayor or their Councilmember to form a redistricting advisory committee. This committee was responsible for redrawing district boundaries after the 2020 Census revealed a change in population. Our District was represented by Dwayne Robinson and Devorah Frost.

During this process the committee met 15 times and recommended their final plan to City Council in June 2022. As a result, District 2 was unchanged.

Why does redistricting matter?

Census data helps the federal government make decisions about public services that benefit and impact our community on a daily basis such as healthcare, education, public safety and transportation.

HEALTHCARE ROADS/ TRANSPORTATION EDUCATION

Programs such as CHIP, Medicaid, and WIC are funded according to census data. In addition, hospital use census data to identify needs, plan for future locations, and more!

San Antonio’s 25 Head Start centers, the school lunch program, special education, and student financial aid programs and grants for our schools are funded based on census data.

Funding allocated through federal and state programs supports highway and road construction, as well as local and state-wide transit systems like VIA.

District 2 was one of only two districts that did not change at all during redistricting!

What’s New in District 2?

Sign up to receive text message notifications from the City of San Antonio in one easy step.

Text COSAGOV to 73224

We are excited to provide this new service by the City!