Statement on VIA’s Scobey Development

San Antonians for Rail Transit (SART) sees the Scobey redevelopment as a site of opportunity for equitable transit oriented development (ETOD) with the potential to serve as a model for the city with its historical investments in public schools, public transportation, and deeply affordable housing.

Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is necessary to deliver high quality public transportation, but it is also imperative that TOD is done with an equitable lens that empowers the nearby residents with anti-displacement measures and economic support services, so that existing residents are not displaced from increased housing costs driven by new development.

We encourage VIA, the City, and other stakeholders to use this unique opportunity to model ETOD principles and to develop a plan in concert with residents, especially individuals whose homes and livelihoods will be directly impacted by the development. We are excited by the potential for the creation of a walkable, welcoming neighborhood in the epicenter of VIA’s transit network and in the vicinity of a historic center of rail transit, but also keenly aware that such developments must be carefully planned to be representative and not displace impacted neighbors.

In the event that the Scobey development moves forward under its current plan, the development of 110 apartments is not affordable to many of the existing Westside residents in the 78207 zip code (one of the most impoverished areas of San Antonio and the country) nor to most working class residents in San Antonio. We believe that VIA should commit to the city’s own Strategic Housing Implementation Plan which sets higher affordability thresholds for such infill and transit oriented development.

SART is supportive of ETODs to deliver high quality public transportation that drives transit ridership and supports the creation and preservation of deeply affordable housing throughout San Antonio so that residents of all income levels can live near high quality public transportation and high quality jobs, especially those residents who currently rely on it for their daily needs. VIA has a unique opportunity here to set a precedent for affordability in the area.

We encourage VIA to work with the City of San Antonio, and community groups to promote best practices towards ETODs and create a plan for Scobey that sets the stage for the creation of a Cattleman’s Square neighborhood that is reflective of the city’s diversity of class and ethnicity, while also serving as a walkable cornerstone for a future revival of passenger rail service to Centro Plaza and the historic Missouri Pacific (MoPac) Station.