City Of San Antonio: San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh Appoints Chief Housing Officer

Press release from the City of San Antonio:

September 28, 2021

CONTACT: Laura Mayes, City of San Antonio (210) 207-1337
laura.mayes@sanantonio.gov

Michelle Vigil, City of San Antonio (210) 207-8172
michelle.vigil@sanantonio.gov

San Antonio (September 27, 2021) - City of San Antonio City Manager Erik Walsh today announced the appointment of Mark Carmona as the City’s first-ever Chief Housing Officer. Walsh also announced several organizational improvements to better align with the Strategic Housing Implementation Plan (SHIP), enhance the historic and cultural contributions of significant projects in San Antonio and elevate and streamline neighborhood engagement.

“Throughout the pandemic, San Antonio has been nationally recognized for its housing assistance programs. Mark’s experience and understanding of the issues our community faces make him a great asset to the City. Under his leadership, the City will deploy a more coordinated approach to housing affordability, addressing homelessness and long-term housing solutions,” said City Manager Erik Walsh.

Carmona was appointed after a national recruitment process. For the past three years he served as a consultant to the H.E. Butt Foundation and led a cohort of churches to develop a coordinated response to mental health needs in San Antonio. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer for Haven for Hope. He brings more than 20 years of various social services and housing experience to the organization. Mark has a Master of Business Administration in Leadership from the University of Texas San Antonio and a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from St. Joseph Seminary College.

“I am looking forward to having Mark join the City team to work with our community to ensure a coordinated approach to housing,” said Walsh.

Walsh also announced several executive appointments and organizational realignments. Veronica Garcia was appointed to Deputy Director of the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department (NHSD). In this role, she will continue to oversee the City’s fee waiver program and project coordination efforts. She will also assume oversight of housing preservation and production programs, as well as grant monitoring and administration. Positions within the Center City Development Office (CCDO) that currently manage the fee waiver program will also be realigned under NHSD. Garcia was appointed Assistant Director of CCDO in 2018 and has served with the City of San Antonio since 2004. As the Assistant Director she led the development, real estate, leasing, contracts, and facilities divisions.

“Veronica has overseen some of downtown’s most transformational projects and has also worked on other prominent issues including retooling development incentives with a focus on affordable housing,” continued Walsh.

Additionally, Neighborhood Engagement staff and initiatives that currently reside in NHSD will relocate to Government and Public Affairs. These positions will add capacity to the City’s public participation efforts and streamline communication with neighborhoods.

Walsh also appointed Renee Frieda as Human Resources Director. Renee has more than 15 years of experience with the City of San Antonio and 26 years of Human Resources leadership experience. She most recently served as the Interim Human Resources Director and previously served as the Assistant Director of Human Resources overseeing the Employee Relations Division. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources Management and is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources.

“Renee brings great experience, leadership and thoughtfulness to the Human Resources team,” said Walsh. “Recruitment efforts are ramping up for vacant positions within the City and Renee will bring excellent vision and strategy to filling those roles, while also continuing to focus on making the City of San Antonio an employer of choice.”

Walsh also appointed Shannon Sims as the Animal Care Services Director. Shannon has served with Animal Care Services since 2014 and as the Assistant Director since 2017. He previously served as the Field Operations Manager and the Chief of Field Operations for Animal Care Services.

“Shannon has done a great job leading the Animal Care Services Department over the past year as interim director. I am glad to see his continued leadership in the organization,” said Walsh.

In addition, John Stevens has been appointed interim Assistant Director of CCDO. Stevens currently serves as the Assistant to the Director in CCDO and has been the project lead on the City Tower renovation project. Walsh also appointed Andrew Gutierrez as Assistant Director of the Solid Waste Management Department. Andrew has served the residents of San Antonio since 1992 most recently as Division Manager overseeing the Brush Division. Andrew previously held managerial and supervisory positions overseeing residential collections, recycling efforts, downtown collections and others and has led our post storm recovery efforts locally and in Houston after Hurricane Harvey.

Walsh also announced the formation of. a Transformation Project Division within the Office of Historic Preservation, under the leadership of Shannon Miller. The division will oversee projects such as the Alamo Redevelopment, San Pedro Creek, Riverwalk Capital Improvements, La Villita Culinary Concepts, Deco District Revitalizations and Hemisfair.

“This new Office of Historic Preservation Division will streamline resources better equipped to facilitate specific types of development with housing project facilitation residing in NHSD, cultural and historically significant project facilitation in OHP, and economic development projects,” continued Walsh.

With the approval of the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget the Diversity Equity & Inclusion Office was formed, which includes a Civil Rights Coordinator. The City Attorney and staff have begun the initial work of creating this office and are in the process of identifying an interim Director.

“With the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget and several major initiatives, such as the bond program and allocation of American Rescue and Recovery Plan funding and Metro Health’s Strategic Growth Plan on the horizon, the City of San Antonio stands ready to serve our residents,” said Walsh.

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