SA to sell vacant lots for affordable housing

City-owned vacant lots in San Antonio may soon become single-family affordable housing.

The San Antonio City Council unanimously approved transferring eight vacant lots on the city’s East, West and South sides to San Antonio Affordable Housing Inc., the San Antonio Express News reported.

The lots are located at 1928 West Poplar Street, 1506 Lombrano Street, 415 and 419 Runnels Avenue, 2334 McKinley Avenue, 400 Elgin Avenue, 601 Gillette Boulevard and 406 Azucena Street.

San Antonio Affordable Housing proposed building seven single-family homes for households that earn at or below 120 percent of the area median income. That’s about $100,000 annually for a family of four. The eighth lot could become a multifamily rental property for families that make no more than 60 percent of the area median income, or just under $50,000 for a family of four. The group hasn’t indicated which site of the eight would be used for multifamily.

The property on Gillette is the former Fire Station No. 2. San Antonio acquired the other vacant lots through tax foreclosures. The city has owned the lots on Runnels Avenue since the mid-1960s.

Revenue from the sale of the eight properties, assessed for tax purposes at $349,000 combined, will go toward the city’s affordable housing fund.

Earlier this week, the San Antonio City Council eased rules for accessory dwelling units in a measure they hope will contribute to affordable housing.

San Antonio Affordable Housing was established in 1995, two years after the city’s urban renewal agency decided to focus on affordable housing efforts within Loop 410.

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— Victoria Pruitt