San Antonio’s public housing authority, Opportunity Home, this week approved a controversial change to its operations that tenants, activists and at least one city councilwoman warn could lead to displacement and a rise in homelessness.
During a Wednesday board meeting, Opportunity Home approved a plan to begin converting its 6,000 or so Section 9 units — traditional government-owned public housing projects — to a different form of subsidized housing via the federal government’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program.
Facing another multi-million budget deficit and $550 million in deferred maintenance, Opportunity Home maintains moving to RAD — which relies on longer-term contract-based subsidies tied to the federal voucher system instead of annual government appropriations — will bring in more money and allow easier financing for needed repairs…