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.