City Of San Antonio: Councilwoman Teri Castillo Supports The Neighborhood & Housing Services Department's Request To Apply For Housing & ...

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

September 2, 2021

CONTACT: Amador Salazar, 210.207.8290
Amador.Salazar@sanantonio.gov

SAN ANTONIO (September 2, 2021) -- During City Council’s A-Session Councilwoman Castillo expressed her support for the Neighborhood & Housing Services Department’s (NHSD) request to apply for the maximum available grant funding of $3,000,000 from the Housing & Urban Development’s Eviction Protection Grant Program to supplement local Right to Counsel efforts.

According to NHSD, “…Over 950 households have received Right to Counsel services through the program. These services include advice, representation, and payments to the court to cover needed fees to file an appeal. Though not every client has an eviction filed against them, of those that do about 94% are able to avoid being evicted.”

If the grant submission is successful, the City’s Neighborhood & Housing Services Department would fund five full-time Housing Navigators who will work strictly in the Justice of the Peace Courts where eviction hearings take place. Furthermore, the plan is also inclusive of our legal aid partners - Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) and San Antonio Legal Services Association (SALSA).

TRLA would receive grant funding to add four full-time attorneys, three paralegals, and more staff to host more know-your-rights trainings. While the SALSA would receive funding for one full-time attorney and several coordinators who will work with local private practice attorneys to leverage more pro bono support for the community.

“This grant funding comes at a critical time for our city as the national eviction moratorium is no longer in effect. Not only can tenants face eviction for non-payment of rent they can also be evicted if their utilities are disconnected,” said Councilwoman Castillo. “All of our local housing assistance partners have been all hands-on deck in getting assistance out, but there are still quite a few families who are falling between the cracks.”

Currently, 68,826 CPS Energy and 46,035 SAWS customers are delinquent. There have been anywhere from 12,000-19,000 filings in Bexar County since March 2020 based on information from the Justice of the Peace Courts and the Constable’s Office.

This press release was produced by the City of San Antonio. The views expressed here are the author’s own.