AGENDA - San Antonio Housing Authority

TRANSFORMATION PLANEASTSIDE CHOICE NEIGHBORHOOD TRANSFORMATION PLANOverviewThe transformation of this Eastside neighborhoodinvolves building on current assets,not erasing its rich history; it is an opportunityto assist the neighborhood in reclaimingthat history while reshaping its future. TheHousing, People and Neighborhood componentsof the plan are based on communityinput and are grounded in other City-adoptedplans.The Urban Studies Program at Trinity Universitycoordinated the community engagement,data collection, and data analysisfor the Eastside Choice Neighborhood. Atriangulated research methodology wasdeveloped to ensure objectivity and to overcomethe limits of overdependence on onetechnique. To do so, four methods of datacollection were used.• Qualitative research (in the form of focusgroups and work groups),• Survey research,• Observational methods,• Secondary data analysis (using censusdata and other data available throughthe Texas Education Agency, the City ofSan Antonio, and Bexar County AppraisalDistrict).Fourteen focus groups were conductedwith various stakeholders in the ChoiceNeighborhood, six of which were held withthe residents of the Wheatley Courts. Inaddition to the residents, focus groups wereconducted with area business leaders, faithleaders, teachers and school administrators,neighbors, safety and security officers,Wheatley Courts staff, and members ofthe neighborhood associations. A detailedhousehold survey was administered to 135households of the 248 households in theWheatley Courts (54%). The survey addressedall members of the household andcaptured demographic data, needs raisedby the stakeholders: economic self-sufficiency;relocation and housing; and communityassets and design. The combination of thesediverse research methodologies ensuredthat all voices and interests are representedin the Choice Neighborhood design plan. 11 Source: San Antonio Eastside Choice Neighborhood: Community ProfileChristine Drennon, PhD. Urban Studies Program Trinity UniversityOctober 201230