SAN MARCOS CITY COUNCIL
At its April 21 meeting, the San Marcos City Council considered allocating an additional $100,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to each of two local home repair nonprofits but opted to delay funding for Mission Able pending additional information and a clear remediation plan for a home repair issue at 719 Center Street.
Stephanie Baez, the homeowner, was asked by council member Amanda Rodriguez to speak at the meeting. She told the council about issues she had following repairs done by Mission Able. She said she and Mission Able had agreed to get the foundation of her home leveled.
“I was sitting in the living room because they told me I didn’t have to leave,” Baez said. “I’m sitting there watching TV, and all of a sudden the wall moves and my floor moves, and I’m looking outside.”
The Mission Able board stated that the organization exists to serve neighbors and mobilize people to meet real needs, including critical home repairs, and explained their side of the situation in an email to the Record. They said they were “surprised” to learn of the issues Baez was talking about during the meeting.
“Ms. Baez came to us seeking help with a complex foundation issue — repairs that can be especially challenging in older homes,” the board stated. “After Mission Able found the initial repair unacceptable, we hired a new contractor to complete the project. This second repair was provided at no cost to the homeowner or Ms. Baez, and was fully covered by significant private donations. All foundation work was completed and signed off by October 2025 with the understanding of the residual risks of foundation repair. For this reason, the events at Tuesday’s Council meeting came as a surprise to us, as we understood all agreements had been fulfilled last year in regards to the foundation repair.”
At the meeting, Council Member Alyssa Garza expressed frustration with how the situation was handled and the lack of oversight by the city for organizations who receive ARPA funding.
“I am very frustrated because I have brought up this concern — not specifically about Mission Able, but just in general — with our funding of external organizations, particularly with the ARPA money,” Garza said. “I think it’s very uncomfortable to have this conversation on the dais, especially finding out that multiple past and current elected officials were aware of this issue, and when I raised issues about — how are we measuring the impact and the satisfaction of services that these organizations that we fund give out — everybody acted like everything was fine. I apologize to everybody involved that we have to talk about this in public. It could have been prevented by just trying to do check ins with the organization or something.”
City Manager Stephanie Reyes said city oversight occurs during the inspection process, which the contractor must schedule at the conclusion of the project as part of the permitting process. She explained that the first contractor did not pull permits, so inspections were never triggered. The second contractor pulled permits but had not yet requested an inspection.
The council voted to postpone the Mission Able funding decision until staff can conduct inspections, including a courtesy inspection, meet with Mission Able and Baez separately, and develop and bring back concrete proposed solutions to rectify the situation.
The motion passed six to one with Council Member Lorenzo Gonzalez dissenting. The Mission Able Board stated that their goal remains unchanged.
“We are here to serve, and we are committed to being part of constructive solutions for our neighbors and our community,” the board stated. “We are committed to good faith talks working toward the best solution for all parties involved.”
Monica Followell, Mission Able founder and executive director, shared some of the nonprofit’s statistics from 2024-26: 45 homes were repaired with ARPA funds 137 homes with private funds 336 workdays 1,650 volunteers 15,166.65 man-hours $536,264 donated labor value through Mission Able service 479 people served through individual requested projects “As we enter the final year of our ARPA partnership, Mission Able has evolved from a grassroots effort into a powerhouse for housing stability. Since January 2024, we have completed major rehabilitations for over 45 households, ensuring our neighbors can remain safely in their homes,” Followell said.
“Our strength lies in our ability to multiply every dollar received. Since 2024, our local and national volunteers have contributed over 15,166 man-hours, generating a staggering $536,264 in donated labor value,” she said. “By pairing professional- grade materials with this immense community heart, we provide a return on investment that few others can match.”
