SAN ANTONIO – A newly uncovered study paid for by the city found glaring problems with its $45 million home rehab program.
For years, the News 4 I-Team has been investigating complaints of shoddy construction work and cost overruns.
Workmanship complaints led the city to commission the study that hasn’t been made public until now.
Back in 2023, Alice Stuart called us after a foundation repair on her southside home left the floor crooked and walls cracked.
“You could tell just by walking on that foundation, on the inside floor, you could tell it just wasn’t right and you could also see at the top of my mother’s room it wasn’t straight across,” Alice’s son Randy Stuart said.
At the time, the city and its project partner said the repair had passed inspection and was no longer under warranty.
But photos showing substandard work beneath Stuart’s home led the city to approve further repairs.
“It should never have passed inspection,” Randy Stuart said.
The following year the city hired a local consultant firm called the WHY Group to do a review of the entire home rehab program.
It found “some construction contract coordinators lack knowledge in construction techniques and lead abatement.”
And “the absence of checklists or formal procedures during the close-out process can result in missed steps or quality issues.”
Some families complained their older loved ones didn’t understand the program, which provides forgivable loans of up to $145 thousand for major repairs.
However, it requires a family member live in the home without selling for up to 20 years for loan forgiveness.
“She didn’t quite understand it, what she signed up for was a minor repair,” Saide Duarte told us in 2023.
The study found “there is no standardized methodology in place for keeping homeowners updated on the progress of construction and ensuring that the project remains on track.”
The city says since that review it has improved oversight and accountability and established a formal quality assurance process. It’s also giving homeowners more one-on-one attention and support.
Of the 415 home rehabs scheduled to be completed with 2022 bond funds, 116 have been finished and 93 are in progress.
The city’s Neighborhood and Housing Services Department tells the I-Team: “Overall, these actions demonstrate NHSD’s commitment to continuous improvement and to delivering high-quality, timely services to San Antonio communities.”
The city says it paid the WHY Group $37,950 to conduct the review and help implement improvements.
Here are the City of San Antonio’s full responses to the News 4 I-Team’s questions:
“Since the implementation of the Affordable Housing Bond in 2022 the City has assisted 1,743 households from Fiscal Year 2023 to Fiscal Year 2025 through Home Rehab programs, including 291 Major Rehab homes. An additional 527 households – including approximately 57 Major Rehab homes – are currently in the Fiscal Year 2026 delivery pipeline.”
“Of the 415 home rehabilitations that are scheduled to be completed with bond funds, 116 homes have been rehabilitated, and another 93 projects are in progress.”
“Since 2024, the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department (NHSD) has made several key improvements to the Home Repair Program focusing on strengthening compliance, improving efficiency, and enhancing the experience for homeowners.”
“NHSD clarified program policies and procedures to improve oversight and accountability. New internal controls have been established, including a formal quality assurance process to monitor compliance and ensure continuous improvement. Staff also participated in ongoing training sessions to reinforce these standards and support timely service, from taking applications to guiding homeowners through the construction process.”
“NHSD introduced scheduled customer appointments to enhance communication, provide clearer expectations, and offer one on one attention for homeowners. This includes dedicated support to review required eligibility documents, which provides applicants guidance throughout the process.”
“NHSD also enhanced customer service by partnering with nonprofit entities to provide additional homeowner support. For example, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid (TRLA) provides homeowners with legal guidance that supports their participation in the Home Repair Program. Through this partnership, attorneys assist homeowners with questions related to property ownership, title issues, loan terms, and other legal matters that can affect eligibility. NHSD also provides title-remediation assistance free of charge, through a third-party partner, which helps homeowners resolve ownership issues. NHSD also has several non-profit partners that provide home rehab services directly to homeowners.”
“Overall, these actions demonstrate NHSD’s commitment to continuous improvement and to delivering high-quality, timely services to San Antonio communities.”