After 15 years, the Mirasol housing development still sits on the city's Westside. Once much ballyhooed, the run-down neighborhood full of boarded and abandoned houses waits for the ominous rumble of excavators and other earth movers. But, when that might be is still in question.
The houses were plagued with problems from the beginning, from poorly designed houses without back doors to shoddy materials and cabinetry, to serious issues with foundations.
The houses, which aren't all abandoned were constructed by KB homes, and the quality promised in the bid to the San Antonio Housing Authority, was not what was delivered, according to Tim Alcott development services and neighborhood revitalization officer for SAHA.
"What was ultimately delivered was something different. What we had to do in the lawsuit was to show that something went wrong there that San Antonio Housing Authority was duped, so to speak."
SAHA sued the builder and the company that oversaw the construction. In 2011, there was a settlement of $20 million, with less than half going to residents and the rest going towards the razing of the other buildings. That should have been the end of it, but as Vianna Davila wrote in the San Antonio Express-News late last month, the buildings still stand and neighborhood residents have been left waiting.
According to SAHA, the project was built with Housing and Urban Development funds, so HUD needs to approve the deconstruction.
Where are we on Mirasol?
Guests:
- David Nisivoccia, Interim President and CEO
- Tim Alcott, Development Services and Neighborhood Revitalization Officer
