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Nearly every week in 2025, Where I Live contributors invited us into their homes and neighborhoods. They shared with us their memories, traditions and favorite local spots. And they told us their stories — their challenges, triumphs and the routines of their everyday lives.
From living downtown on the River Walk and Museum Reach to the bustling Medical Center, to suburbs outside of town like Leon Springs, Scenic Oaks and Cinco Lakes, contributors shared the people, places and moments that shape what it means to call San Antonio home.
As we ring in the new year, we look back at the neighborhoods we got to know in 2025.
We started the year off in The Reserve at Schertz, where Sharon Denson wrote about the bonds that come from shared military backgrounds.
“Whether swapping stories about past deployments or lending an empathetic ear to one another, we’ve found a circle of people who truly ‘get’ us,” Denson wrote.
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To Denson, what makes her neighborhood unique is the emphasis on connection and community. She described community gatherings like holiday potlucks and driveway movie nights filled with laughter that create a “warm and welcoming atmosphere.”
Sharon Denson (right) lives in Schertz with her daughter Emalee Denson (back left) and her husband Scott Denson. Credit: Bria Woods / San Antonio Report
Marcia Holliman enjoys time at the pool with friends at the Army Retirement Community. The pool and focus by community members towards leading an active lifestyle was a major factor in her decision to move there. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report
Marcia Holliman puts her over fifty years experience as a dance instructor to use by leading the Sassy Senior Sisters in performing routines and shows for the other members of the Army Retirement Community. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report
Marcia Holliman and her husband Bruce live in Army Residence Community, where she says life is “full and rewarding.”
As retired Air Force, the couple hadn’t considered ARC as a place to live, but were surprised to discover the community has more former Air Force residents than Army. Retired civilian government employees, Coast Guard, and Navy residents also call ARC home.
ARC offers over 200 activities every month. Bruce loves to hop on his bike and ride across campus to the three lakes, where he enjoys fishing. Marcia’s favorite activity is being part of the Sassy Senior Sisters, “a group of twelve lively ladies who put on four programs a year.”
On the Lower Southeast Side, Amber DeLeon shared how her neighborhood became part of her identity and how her community helped her family after their home burned down.
“It taught me how quickly life can change and how strong we can be when we have no choice but to rebuild,” DeLeon wrote. Her story was one of the most-read Where I Live essays this year.
In Lavaca, Penelope Boyer shared decades of witnessing her neighborhood change. She noted how the area’s name — Spanish for “the cow” — recalls its past as grazing land connected to early missions.
Amber DeLeon poses for a portrait in front of her grandmother’s home in the East Side of San Antonio on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report
Amber Deleon embraces her grandmother Yolanda Contreras at Yolanda’s East Side home on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report
An altar space constructed of different pieces of art, trinkets and momentos adorn the front porch of Penelope Boyer’s home in Lavaca. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report
In King William, Justine Scott says of her neighborhood, “there’s always something going on.” Living just steps from the River Walk and surrounded by arts and activities, she says it’s hard to get bored.
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“What I love most about King William is its historical architecture,” Scott wrote. “The neighborhood is full of beautiful, old homes, each with its own unique character. Every building seems to tell a story, and it’s inspiring to live surrounded by so much history.”
On the border of Monte Vista and Tobin Hill, Alberto Bisi and his wife, Valentina, opened San Antone Books after moving from Bologna, Italy. He says he’s living the dream, spending most days talking to customers about books.
“It’s not something I had considered before, but I am noticing that we are creating a community, and it feels amazing,” he wrote.
Justine Scott says she enjoys living in King William because of the mix of culture, food, music and art all within walking distance. Credit: Bria Woods / San Antonio Report
Justine Scott lives in the King William neighborhood. Credit: Bria Woods / San Antonio Report
Business owner Alberto Bisi assists Hailey Eddy at San Antone Books, the bookstore he opened three months ago on the edge of the Monte Vista and Tobin Hill neighborhoods. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report
Business owner Alberto Bisi poses for a portrait inside his bookstore, San Antone Books, which opened three months ago on the edge of the Monte Vista and Tobin Hill neighborhoods. Credit: Clint Datchuk for the San Antonio Report
In Fox Grove, Jovin De Jesus described his neighborhood as “the kind of place I could see myself sticking around for a while.” He calls Fox Grove a “hidden gem” where he enjoys tree-lined streets, friendly neighbors, local food spots, and a community basketball court.
Mason Field talks about life as a first-time renter living on UTSA Boulevard, writing that the neighborhood “feels like the right place to start this next chapter of my life.”
“The small, quiet joys make this place feel like home,” Field wrote. “On warm evenings, I’ll jog the greenway and catch deer nosing along the brush. On Sunday mornings, I’ll take a walk for tea and pastries, then catch up on the latest chapters of my favorite reads.”
In Crownridge, Trey Ponce — who moved here from New Orleans — found community through sports by joining a wrestling club and playing golf. He spends his evenings putting the ball “while watching the sunset on San Antonio’s beautiful hill country.”
Browse more neighborhood stories using our Where I Live map and, if you’re feeling inspired, get in touch to share your own story.
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