Community Connections | Issue I | 2024

Greetings Opportunity Home Community,

A year ago, we rebranded from the San Antonio Housing Authority to Opportunity Home San Antonio, embarking on a new era while removing the stigma associated with affordable housing.

Our work to break that notion continues.

Since then, we have developed our core values of equity, compassion and excellence, which serve as our guiding principles when interacting with others.

Employees from all levels of the organization — maintenance technicians, housing assistance specialists and myself — have completed TraumaInformed Care training, a rigorous course that allows us to be mindful and conscious of others.

As you read this magazine and the success stories, partnerships and moments of triumph, remember none of this could be done alone.

During each moment, we walk alongside you, our residents, employees and community partners, learning what worked well and what needs to be improved.

We are honored by the journey that fosters growth in our city.

Our team of more than 600 employees are here for you every step of the way.

Yours in Service,

Ed Hinojosa, Jr. President and CEO Opportunity Home San Antonio

Dear Neighbor,

We are thrilled to introduce the inaugural issue of our official magazine, Community Connections.

Opportunity Home San Antonio forges connections every day.

Whether it’s offering a stable home through housing assistance or empowering our residents to thrive with our supportive services, each connection we establish moves us closer to our mission of building equitable and vibrant communities where individuals can achieve self-sufficiency.

This vital work isn’t accomplished in isolation.

It’s a collective effort, made possible by our dedicated employees and valued community partners who share a commitment to making a positive impact in the community. They streamline access to essential resources, such as financial literacy, health and wellness, education and transportation services, removing barriers and opening doors to new opportunities for success.

We have built, and will continue to build, this collective effort together.

Thank you for believing in our vision and providing us the opportunity to serve you.

With Gratitude,

Gabriel Lopez Board of Commissioners Chair Opportunity Home San Antonio

The Community Connections magazine is published by Opportunity Home’s Communications and Public Affairs Department for the members of its communities.

All materials contained in this magazine (including text, content, photographs, video and audio) are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published, broadcast or modified in any way without the prior written consent of the Communications and Public Affairs Department, Opportunity Home San Antonio, 818 S. Flores, Room 208, San Antonio, TX 78204.

For more information or questions, email communications@homesa.org.

ON THE COVER

Resident Loren Dantzler, a former resident commissioner, and her children, Oasis and Luciano, utilize the computer lab at Springview Apartments, one of Opportunity Home’s communities now offering free Wi-Fi.

EDITORIAL STAFF

Michael Reyes, Public Affairs Officer

Brance D. Arnold, Senior Communications Manager (Managing Editor)

Stephanie Castaneda, Digital Communications Manager (Design)

Contributing Writers

Brance D. Arnold, Senior Communications Manager

Jose Garza, Communications Specialist

Andres Guerra, Communications Specialist

Photography

Jay Ruelas

Robin Jerstad

Jose Garza

AROUND HOME THE

1. Along with newly-elected chair Gabriel Lopez and current board members Gilbert Casillas, vice chair, and Dalia Flores Contreras, four new members were officially sworn into the Board of Commissioners in September. City of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg announced the appointment of Estrellita Garcia-Diaz, Janet Garcia, Leilah Powell and Vincent Robinson in August.

2. Chief Administrative Officer Muriel Rhoder was selected as a recipient of the 2023 San Antonio Business Journal’s Women’s Leadership Award.

3. Opportunity Home welcomed 65 Blanco Apartments residents back to their homes in May after they were relocated as a result of a fire.

Residents received temporary lodging accommodations from the organization, while others chose to stay with relatives. Employees and community partners provided food, water, clothing, transportation, medication, gift cards and other essential items on a daily basis, while repairs and maintenance were performed.

4. Opportunity Home, in partnership with an affiliate of Atlantic Pacific Companies (A|P), OCI Development, the City of San Antonio, PNC Bank and Stellar Bank, were joined by San Antonio leaders in August to celebrate the groundbreaking of Vista at Silver Oaks, a new affordable housing community in North Central San Antonio and a recipient of 2022 Affordable Housing Bond funds.

5. Opportunity Home was chosen by Build San Antonio Green to be honored for the Mira Vista Multifamily Project at their annual Smart, Progressive, and Resilient City (SPARC) reception for the Multifamily with Solar Honor in November at the Witte Museum.

In addition to the honor for Mira Vista Multifamily Project with Solar, Opportunity Home has also been chosen to be honored for East Meadows I and II.

The San Antonio Business Journal (SABJ) selected Opportunity Home as an honoree of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Awards, being the only organization selected in the nonprofit category.

President and CEO Ed Hinojosa, Jr. and Director of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Dr. Jeneise Briggs accepted the award at SABJ’s award ceremony in October.

Leaven Kids, a non-profit committed to early childhood education, opened its first learning center outside of California in May at Riverside Apartments.

The center was made possible through a partnership between Opportunity Home, Leaven Kids and City of San Antonio Municipal Government.

Opportunity Home representatives accepted three National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Awards of Excellence during a conference in Washington, D.C. in March.

The organization received two community revitalization awards for the development of the Majestic Ranch Apartments and Garcia Urban Street Farm as well as a Project Design award for Majestic Ranch.

In April, Opportunity Home celebrated the grand opening of two affordable housing communities located on the South and Northeast sides of San Antonio.

The organization marked the grand opening of Frontera Crossing, with developer The NRP Group and Vista at Interpark Apartments, with development partners OCI Development, Atlantic Pacific Companies and Bank of America.

STAYING CONNECTED

OPPORTUNITY HOME’S FREE WI-FI EXPANSION IMPACTS COMMUNITIES

By Brance D. Arnold

Yvonne Andrews and Loren Dantzler, both working mothers, rely on Wi-Fi to help their families stay connected and access important information and resources, supporting job applications, education and family medical needs.

Andrews, who is a public housing resident of Opportunity Home and a resident apprentice, said having the ability to connect to free public Wi-Fi has made a tremendous impact, especially in keeping up with emails and applying for jobs.

“I was able to easily apply for the resident apprentice position with Opportunity Home because of the public Wi-Fi available in our community center,” said Andrews.

I

can check emails.

I can check social security and apply for Medicaid. I started school in September and I am able to do my homework.”

Dantzler, who is a former Opportunity Home resident commissioner and resides in public housing, felt less stressed due to the financial relief of having access to free public Wi-Fi.

“My two children use it for schoolwork and I use it for email, video calls, chat, Zoom meetings, searches on the internet, and purchasing needed items,” shared Dantzler.

“One time we lost internet due to a financial situation. I had to prioritize bills. Wi-Fi wasn’t a priority. It’s a great relief. Its an extra $50 I save a month we can use for other needs, such as groceries,” agreed Andrews.

In response to the challenges posed by the pandemic, Opportunity Home’s Board of Commissioners approved a $4 million budget in 2020 to offer free Wi-Fi to families living at its properties. The allocation was used for the installation of Wi-Fi throughout all public housing and mixed-income communities to provide an enhanced service.

“Opportunity Home has been working on digital equity since 2013,” said Opportunity Home Director of Innovative Technology Jo Ana Alvarado. “We started with two community rooms and had our first community room open with five refurbished computers, a printer and Wi-Fi for connectivity.”

“We soon learned that our residents were hanging around the parking lot after hours in their cars, mothers with children and parents seeking ways to connect to the internet. We knew we needed to do more,” she continued.

Currently, 74 Opportunity Home communities are equipped with WiFi, including all of its public housing properties. More than 24,000 residents now have the ability to connect any device to the internet.

In addition to the Wi-Fi expansion, Opportunity Home also offers digital literacy and device distribution through its ConnectHomeSA program, empowering families to thrive in the digital age. Dantzler and Andrews both completed the program’s coursework and earned digital devices. In fact, Andrews now serves as an instructor in the program.

For Andrews and Dantzler, access to Wi-Fi as well as digital literacy and devices is more than staying connected. With personal and professional aspirations, it also represents a path to achieving their dreams.

“I would like to establish a home and employment, educate myself and start a business. I wish to write a few books, particularly about awareness of domestic abuse, and go into nonprofit,” explained Dantzler.

“I am going to finish school, earn my business degree, stay active in the community and keep doing what I am doing,” added Andrews. “And this is helping me get there.”

It gave me some more security. It was one less expense I had to account for and worry about.

—LOREN DANTZLER

Yvonne Andrews and her son, Ja’Taevion Carter, at the Springview computer lab

Opportunity Home IT Director Jo Ana Alvarado, who led the Wi-Fi Program, visits Lincoln Heights Apartments.

Resident Loren Dantzler with her children, Oasis and Luciano

JANET

Resident Commissioner Janet Garcia

Garica shares a hug with her daughter at their home at Legacy at Alazán apartments.

Garcia during the Board of Commissioners Swearing-In Ceremony

A DRIVING FORCE FOR CHANGE

RESIDENT COMMISSIONER MAKES A DIFFERENCE

By Jose Garza

Five years ago, Janet Garcia visited San Antonio driving a family member’s vehicle from Midland to their new home.

Spending one day in the city gave Garcia, who was battling depression at the time due to the loss of her mother, the clarity that a fresh start in a new community was necessary after visiting McAllister Park and learning about the available pay wages.

“That park saved my life,” she said. “I had no family here, and I was just here by myself. I know why I am here.”

Garcia, a participant of Opportunity Home’s public housing program, made the move from El Paso to San Antonio after finding new employment, and has since made an impact in her new city.

She currently serves as a resident representative on Opportunity Home’s Board of Commissioners, appointed by Mayor Ron Nirenberg.

Prior to being selected to serve on the board, Garcia was a member of her property’s resident council, where she and her neighbors discussed and developed solutions to improve their community, and a volunteer with the Avenida Guadalupe Association, where she packed food for distributions and handed out flyers promoting events on the Westside.

Garcia remembers when she got the call she was selected to serve on the organization’s board, jumping up and down in the living room with her children when they got home.

“My daughter was asking, ‘Did you get it?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know yet, honey.’ It didn’t hit me until the swearing-in ceremony that I was a part of the board,” she recalled.

Garcia’s time in San Antonio hasn’t been without its challenges.

An illness and two surgeries led to her being unemployed, homeless and applying for housing assistance from Opportunity Home.

Garcia then took advantage of her new beginnings to create a path toward self-sufficiency by enrolling in the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program. The FSS program assists residents with working toward short- and long-term goals, such as education, employment and homeownership, within a five-year period.

Currently enrolled in the program, Garcia is pursuing a Community Health Worker certificate at Alamo Colleges’ Westside Education and Training Center and is looking to further her education after she graduates in April 2024.

She is actively gaining work experience in the field as an intern at the House of Neighborly Service, where she conducts assessments of homes in the Westside community to determine if upgrades are necessary.

Garcia’s long-term goal to become a community health worker is to inform residents how health, housing and education are connected and can collectively impact San Antonio.

Having that knowledge and sharing it with others is a blessing because not everybody can.”

Garcia credits Resident Service Coordinator Zandra Garcia for helping provide the resources she needed to excel in her community, such as clothing from Dress for Success to wear for a job interview.

“I have not become the person I am today by myself,” Garcia said. “She has been my mentor since day one. I am where I am because of the foundation laid by Zandra. My light was turned on because someone saw the potential in me. If I didn’t have that push, I wouldn’t have become successful.”

STEEL DOORS TO FORTY ACRES

FORMER RESIDENT PURSUES JOURNEY TO EARN DOCTORATE

By Jose Garza

student Enrique Salinas

For many, it is typical to get scolded by your family when caught in a situation of trouble. But, for Enrique Salinas, danger was repetitive in his life.

Growing up in a family with a history of incarceration and poverty — his father, grandfather, uncles and cousin each faced the prison system — following their path was the “normal” way to live life.

“Growing up, (going to prison) was normalized,” said Salinas, who spent time at the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center for a felony burglary charge. “It was my bias that this is what a man does because that was what my father was doing. You take on that behavior and repeat it.”

A former participant of the Housing Choice Voucher Program and resident of Alazán-Apache Courts, Salinas is changing the family trajectory once marked on his head by pursuing his doctorate in social work at The University of Texas at Austin (UT). Salinas earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Texas State University prior to attending UT.

“It was just the right time and the right place to get exposure to things that changed the trajectory of what I was used to.”

Expected to graduate in 2025, he wants to show future generations of his family and those from similar backgrounds that they can achieve success if they put in the work.

“When I have a son, niece or nephew, they won’t have to pursue college alone like I did,” Salinas said. “I can walk and support them through every level of education. I just want to bring others along and not be a gatekeeper.”

Salinas credits the teachers and administrators at Por Vida Academy, a local charter school, for the encouragement they provided to take a path toward pursuing a higher education, particularly the school’s principal who earned a degree in social work.

He remembers educators taking him and his classmates on college campus tours nationwide, helping him improve his SAT scores and lending a listening ear when he spoke about his family history of incarceration and poverty.

“I give thanks to Por Vida because they showed me there is another world out there,” said Salinas, who attended after

dealing with a history of truancy. “It was just the right time and the right place to get exposure to things that changed the trajectory of what I was used to.”

In the classroom, Salinas never forgets his struggles, living at Alazán-Apache Courts with his siblings and cousins, his mother raising six children with an annual income of $10,000 and picking up food and clothing from a local church.

“Not having enough food motivated me as an adult because I wanted more,” he said. “I want to be able to keep the lights on. I want my kids to not worry about the things I had to worry about.”

Salinas encourages others to define what success means to them and not let anyone diminish their accomplishments.

“You don’t have to go to UT (for example) to be successful. If you want to graduate high school and go to work, that is success,” he explained. “Make sure when you go through this journey, you have self-belief. It is all on you.”

Former resident, Enrique Salinas, visits Opportunity Home's Central Office.

WHAT’S NEW

Opportunity Home Launches

Owner Incentive Program

Opportunity Home San Antonio’s Board of Commissioners approved the Owner Incentive Program policy for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) and Mainstream programs in May, offering incentives for current and new landlords. In an effort to increase successful leasing for voucher holders in a competitive rental market,

City Bond Funding Allocation

Opportunity Home has implemented incentives up to $500 to owners who lease to HCV and Mainstream program participants under new contracts and owners newly partnering with the organization.

Contact landlords@homesa.org or 210.477.6033 for more information.

Opportunity Home received $17.3 million in housing bonds from the City of San Antonio to build new income-based communities and renovate existing ones including the expansion of Alazán Courts ($8.2 million), Woodhill ($6.9 million), Cottage Creek ($1.7 million), Pecan Hill ($438,000) and the Westside Reinvestment Initiative ($218,655).

Funding Secured to House Persons With Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allocated 50 vouchers for individuals with disabilities totaling $350,298 to Opportunity Home. The vouchers will help those who represent the city’s most vulnerable population live independently. Program participants receive full access to case management services and resources to ensure a successful transition once they move into their communities.

The organization was one of 98 public housing authorities in the nation to receive funding for permanent affordable housing to persons with disabilities.

City Votes to Fund Opportunity Home, Investing in Public Housing Infrastructure

The San Antonio City Council voted in September to support Opportunity Home San Antonio through an Accessibility and Modernization fund as part of the FY 2024 Annual Operating and Capital Budget.

The $1 million budget allocation will address capital needs, including repairing, rehabilitating and modernizing housing units, at some of the more than 70 housing communities across the city affecting more than 60,000 families.

Housing Vouchers to Address Homelessness

Opportunity Home allocated 150 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) in October to Close to Home, formerly the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless (SARAH) to assist the City of San Antonio in addressing homelessness in the community.

HCV vouchers offer families in need the ability to rent from a landlord in the private rental market where the owner agrees to rent under the HCV program. Opportunity Home will work with homeless families and individuals who receive one of the vouchers by connecting them with properties participating in the HCV program. Homeless service providers will be able to apply through Close to Home to help their clients.

Affordable Connectivity Program Grant Secured

In March, Opportunity Home was the sole San Antonio recipient of a $125,000 Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Grant by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Increasing awareness and participation in the FCC’s program helps narrow the digital divide, connecting residents from underserved communities to broadband access and devices at alternative rates. Those who qualify receive a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service and a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, computer, desktop or tablet from participating providers.

Opportunity Home Receives National Awards

Opportunity Home received several national awards during the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Annual Conference in New Orleans on October in the following categories:

Resident and Client Services

= Book Rich Environments

= Sherwin-Williams’ Homework Training Program

Project Design

Legacy at Alazán

Community Revitalization

Legacy at Alazán

Administrative Innovation

= Request for Rental Change

= Virtual Housing Assistance Specialist Training

= San Antonio Fear Free Environment (SAFFE) Officer Program

2023 HAI Group Award Recipient

The Risk Management Department recently received the 2023 Risk Management Award in the category of Employee Safety for their annual Employee Safety Fair from the HAI Group.

The department also earned honorable mentions in the following categories:

Risk Champion

Jennifer Dominquez, Senior Risk Manager

Collaboration with Local or Community Organization Building a partnership with the City of San Antonio’s Office of Emergency Management

Best Use of Grant Program Funds

Emergency Safety and Security Improvements

Resident Safety Award

San Antonio Fire Department

Resident Fire Training

Legacy at Alazán

SAFETY & SECURITY

Director of Security Highlights Partnerships with Local Entities

Director of Security Domingo Ibarra wrote and published an article with ASIS International, How Technology Helps MultiHousing Community Managers Work with the Fire Department to Improve Incident Response. Ibarra shared how technology and security intertwine to keep families safe across Opportunity Home communities. ASIS International is a global community of security practitioners, each a role in the protection of assets — people, property and information. To read the article, visit asisonline.org.

Security Department Earns NAHRO Award of Merit

The Security Department received the 2023 National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Award of Merit for Administrative Innovation for the Public & Beacon San Antonio Fear Free Environment (SAFFE) Officer Program. In addition, the SAFFE program was nominated for the Award of Excellence. Organizational representatives accepted the award at the Awards of Merit Reception in New Orleans in October.

Drones Assess Property Lighting

As part of the organization’s strategic goals, Opportunity Home has conducted inspections using commercial-grade drones to assess property lighting for improved safety. The approximately 10-month project used data mapping to identify needed improvements. Initial inspection of all of Opportunity Home’s public housing and Beacon communities has been completed and will be reinspected in 2024.

Winter Weather Resources

To help you and your loved ones stay safe during the winter season, Opportunity Home has created a list of resources to ensure preparedness, including important information related to hydration, water dripping, what to do if there’s no power or water, winter care for pets, and more.

Visit homesa.org/winterweather for details.

DATA DIVE

Resident Survey Results (January – June 2023)

The survey results are from a stratified random sample of public housing and housing choice voucher residents. The responses were collected online and via mail. A stratified sample was used to ensure the sample was representative of our overall resident population. Data collected will help guide our efforts to improve the quality of life in our communities.

HOUSING QUALITY

In the last 30 days, how satisfied were you with the quality of your housing?

59%

of residents were very satisfied or satisfied with the quality of their housing

FEEL SAFE

In the last 30 days, how safe did you feel?

of residents felt always safe or mostly safe

UTILITIES

In the last 30 days, how satisfied were you with your utilities?

HOUSING CHOICE

In the last 30 days, how satisfied were you with your housing choice?

QUALITY OF LIFE

In the last 30 days, how satisfied were you with your quality of life?

BY THE NUMBERS

WHAT WE DO

WHO WE SERVE

DEVELOPMENTS

A NEW BEGINNING

Opportunity Home San Antonio hosted a grand reopening in September for Victoria Plaza Apartments, a 185-unit public housing community serving senior and disabled residents located south of Hemisfair.

The newly renovated community now features an in-house health clinic made possible through a partnership with the Center for Health Care Services (CHCS). This marks the first time in the State of Texas a public housing authority and a local mental health authority have come together to create a housing model of this kind. The clinic will provide mental health care with supportive services, including skills training, psychosocial rehabilitative services and case management, to residents who are actively receiving mental health outpatient treatment with CHCS.

Built in 1959, Victoria Plaza underwent a multi-million dollar renovation with construction beginning in January 2019. Renovations consisted of expanded fire sprinklers and fire alarm systems, and upgrades to the building, including a new electrical system, air

conditioning, new flooring and new energy-rated apartment windows, among others.

“The renovations and improvements, along with the health clinic, will have a tremendous impact on the residents of Victoria Plaza and help ensure they have what they need to thrive in this community,” said Gabriel Lopez, Opportunity Home Board of Commissioners chair. “We are also grateful for the City of San Antonio’s continued support and excited for the upcoming renovations made possible by city bond funding.”

In addition to Lopez, Ed Hinojosa, Jr., Opportunity Home president and CEO; John Valdez, Victoria Plaza resident; Sergio Ramirez, CHCS in-house clinic representative; Irene Chavez Galvan, Congressman Greg Casar (District 35) district director; and Zuleika MoralesRomero, HUD San Antonio Field Office director; spoke during the grand reopening ceremony. Texas Senator Jose Menendez (District 26) also attended the event and gave remarks.

“What I see today is respect for our senior citizens,” said Menendez.

“Thank you to Opportunity Home and their leadership. It is key that our seniors are important enough to invest in this historic building. Thank you for standing up for our seniors and making it possible for them to live in their neighborhood and close to their families.”

“Opportunity Home has increased the number of affordable units they have, but they have also thought about the properties they currently have, making sure they live up to the standards that everybody wants to live up to,” said Morales-Romero.

City Council voted in June on the city’s selection to fund 14 housing projects totaling $32.1 million.

Four Opportunity Home projects were approved for $8.3 million in funding, including the Victoria Plaza Apartments rehabilitation project. Victoria Plaza Apartments received $2,500,000 to be used for overall renovation, including new energyefficient roof and stormwater capture improvements, and a new solar panel system to offset electricity usage.

(l-r) Leilah Powell, Commissioner; Jose Menendez, Texas Senator (District 26); Gilbert Casillas, Board Vice Chair; Irene Chavez Galvan, Congressman Greg Casar (District 35) District Director; Gabriel Lopez, Board Chair; Zuleika Morales-Romero, HUD San Antonio Field Office Director; Ed Hinojosa, Jr., Opportunity Home President and CEO; Dalia Flores Contreras, Commissioner; and Estrellita Garcia-Diaz, Commissioner

The renovations and improvements, along with the health clinic, will have a tremendous impact on the residents.

—GABRIEL LOPEZ

Victoria Plaza residents enjoy lunch during the grand reopening.

The interior of Victoria Plaza’s in-house health clinic

Victoria Plaza Apartments, c. 1960