Low-income housing to be demolished soon

Mission’s affordable housing community Anacua Village could be demolished as early as next month to make way for two new housing projects — a mixed-income, multi-family complex and a senior-living complex. If the Mission Housing Authority estimates the timeline accurately, both complexes will be finished and occupied by the end of 2026. 

Anacua has been vacant since December 2023, and all that remains is the abatement process before demolition in the next couple of weeks. 

First on deck is the multi-family development, with construction pending final approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). However, the Mission Housing Authority is already in the early stages of securing funding to develop the senior-living complex. 

The MHA has been working to acquire the funds to redevelop the site at 810 N. Mayberry St. for more than a year. The 80-unit Anacua Village was built in 1953, and MHA Executive Director Arnold Padilla said the living conditions had become embarrassing for the remaining tenants.  

“The quality and the condition of this development is truly, truly in terrible shape,” Padilla said in a 2022 Progress Times interview. “We’re doing everything we can to expedite the process of relocating [the tenants] because the units are really in very poor condition.” 

In July 2023, the housing authority received $20 million in tax credits to build a 100-unit multi-family development. But because the MHA plans to allocate 25 of those units for public housing, HUD needs to approve the project to close the financing. 

“It’s a lengthy process. Everything from the financial aspect is reviewed to the legalities of the project. It takes time,” Padilla explained. “We estimate that HUD is going to give us approval…the last week of April or some time in the first week of May is what we believe. So once that approval is given, we immediately start construction.” 

The multi-family development will sit on about 7 acres of land. The other roughly 9 acres are for the senior complex — a housing project that requires a different tax credit. The MHA applied for the senior homes tax credit earlier this month, and Padilla said they are very confident the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs will award them funding. The plan is to build a 104-unit elderly-only complex with 26 public housing units. 

“We’ve already evaluated where we sit, and based on our assessment, we should be the first or second ranking application in the type of application category we’ve submitted under,” the MHA executive director said. “Then, in July of this year is when TDHCA makes its awards. If we do get an award, which we feel confident that we should, then at the end of this calendar year, we’ll begin to work with HUD on building the senior development.” 

Padilla said the application process is incredibly competitive, so the housing authority is excited about the projection of another tax credit award. The total investment for the 16.4 acres of land will end up being about $44 million in tax credits, Padilla reported at the Feb. 12 Mission City Council meeting.

Additionally, the housing authority has an existing senior-living development they hope to demolish in the next two to three years. 

The Palm Plaza Cottages on the north side of 8th Street were built in 1976 and cost more to maintain than their worth, Padilla said. However, the Mission Housing Authority does not plan to demolish the 56 units until the new senior-living complex is complete. 

“Our intent is to move those 56 families into the new senior development once it’s constructed,” Padilla said. “So from a timing perspective, we will not displace anybody.” 

The executive director said the housing authority has a few ideas for what they want to do with the space the cottages occupy now, but the project is a little further down the road. Right now, the priority is getting the two larger complexes built and occupied. 

Councilmember Jessica Ortega praised Padilla and the housing authority for the work they have done to get families off the assistance waitlist. 

“I’ve seen a huge improvement since you guys have taken over. People have been on that waiting list for a very long time and they never got called or anything,” Ortega said. “So communication…that’s all people want. They want to know, ‘What number am I? When am I next?’ And so, getting this new project up and going is very much needed for us.”