San Antonio’s $45 Million Home Rehab Program Faces Scrutiny After City-Commissioned Study Reveals Issues
A recently uncovered study commissioned by the City of San Antonio has revealed significant problems with its $45 million home rehab program, sparking renewed concerns about the quality of construction and oversight of the initiative. The findings come after years of complaints from homeowners regarding shoddy workmanship and cost overruns, prompting the city to investigate the program’s effectiveness.
Homeowner Complaints Highlight Program Flaws
In 2023, Alice Stuart contacted News 4 San Antonio after a foundation repair on her southside home resulted in a crooked floor and cracked walls. Her son, Randy Stuart, stated, “You could notify just by walking on that foundation, on the inside floor, you could tell it just wasn’t right and you could also witness at the top of my mother’s room it wasn’t straight across.” Despite initial inspections approving the repair, photos of substandard perform led the city to authorize further corrections, with Randy Stuart noting, “It should never have passed inspection.”
Study Findings: Lack of Expertise and Oversight
The city contracted the WHY Group to conduct a comprehensive review of the home rehab program. The study identified key areas of concern, including a lack of construction knowledge among some contract coordinators and deficiencies in the close-out process. Specifically, the report found that “some construction contract coordinators lack knowledge in construction techniques and lead abatement,” and that “the absence of checklists or formal procedures during the close-out process can result in missed steps or quality issues.”
Concerns Over Homeowner Understanding and Loan Terms
The program offers forgivable loans of up to $145,000 for major repairs, but the study also highlighted issues with homeowners fully understanding the terms. Some families expressed confusion about the program’s requirements, including the need for a family member to reside in the home for up to 20 years to qualify for loan forgiveness. One homeowner, Saide Duarte, stated in 2023 that she believed she was signing up for a minor repair, not a long-term commitment.
City Response and Program Improvements
The city acknowledges the issues raised in the study and asserts that improvements have been implemented since 2024. These include clarified program policies, new internal controls, a formal quality assurance process, and ongoing staff training. The city is providing homeowners with more individualized support and partnering with non-profit organizations like Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid (TRLA) to offer legal guidance and assistance with title issues.
Program Progress and Funding
As of March 2026, the city has assisted 1,743 households through Home Rehab programs since Fiscal Year 2023, including 291 major rehab homes. Currently, 527 households are in the delivery pipeline for Fiscal Year 2026. Of the 415 home rehabilitations scheduled to be completed with 2022 bond funds, 116 have been finished, and 93 are in progress. The city allocated $37,950 to the WHY Group for the review and implementation of improvements.
The City of San Antonio’s Neighborhood and Housing Services Department (NHSD) stated, “these actions demonstrate NHSD’s commitment to continuous improvement and to delivering high-quality, timely services to San Antonio communities.”
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