San Antonio developer Weston Urban places bid on affordable housing complex

Weston Urban, the developer behind San Antonio's proposed $160 million minor-league ballpark, is looking to expand its downtown footprint again — this time by bidding on the low-income Robert E. Lee Apartments.

In August, San Antonio-based Weston Urban offered $4.35 million to purchase the 72-unit complex, according to a letter the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs sent to Robert E. Lee residents. The bid is $2 million over the property's appraised value.

The Robert E. Lee is an affordable housing project where all residents must earn below 60% of the area median income, or $37,200. Records show that RELEE Partners bought the historic former hotel in 1999.

Weston Urban's bid has residents of the downtown property on edge, according to the San Antonio Report. Last week, tenants held a meeting to discuss the letter, the news site reports.

Word of Weston Urban's planned purchase comes weeks after the development company, led by co-founder and CEO Randy Smith, unveiled plans to demolish the Soap Factory Apartments in downtown's northwest corner to make way for a new stadium for the Double AA San Antonio Missions.

Although the Soap Factory isn't technically an affordable housing complex, the average income for residents is about $40,000, and rents for a one-bedroom start at around $700, Smith recently told City Council.

Despite public outcry from tenants and nonprofit advocacy group the Texas Organizing Project, council voted 9-2 to move forward with the baseball stadium project.

District 8 Councilman and mayoral candidate Manny Pelaez told the Express-News last week during its "Meet the Contenders" question-and-answer session that Weston Urban is no longer leasing apartments in the Soap Factory.

However, a leasing agent at the complex told the Current on Monday that it's still accepting new tenants.

Weston Urban's potential purchase of the Robert E. Lee also comes days after four City Council members, led by District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte, axed plans for an affordable housing project in an affluent Northeast San Antonio neighborhood.

After the vote, District 9 Councilman and mayoral candidate John Courage, Texas State Rep. Diego Bernal and former District 1 Councilman Mario Bravo accused council of supporting redlining and a not-in-my-backyard approach to development.

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