Council votes to help fund housing program

The San Marcos City Council made changes regarding its funding from the American Rescue Plan, allocating $400,000 to shelter and transitional housing programs and efforts. 

“The real critical needs are keeping people in their homes that may not be able to stay there,” councilmember Melissa Derrick said. 

The City of San Marcos was allocated $18,101,483 from American Rescue Plan funding. The American Rescue Plan is a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed through Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11. Through the ARP, the U.S. Treasury launched the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, which totals $350 billion.

The City of San Marcos received $9,050,741 on June 1 and will receive the remaining funds 12 months from now. ARP funds must be incurred between March 3, 2021-Dec. 31, 2024 with funds expended by Dec. 31, 2026. 

Alongside the changes made during Tuesday’s meeting, the city council made a decision to take an additional $147,000 from the Conventional Business Bureau (CBB) and help fund the start of the housing rehabilitation program. Approximately $150,000 would be given back to the CBB during the second round of allocated funds. 

“We’re spending a lot on tourism and now may not be the time,” Derrick said. “We’ve got the Delta variant going on.” 

In other business, the city council unanimously approved to order a general and special election to elect city council members for places 5 and 6 as well as consider proposed amendments to the San Marcos City Charter to the voters in order to make provisions for the election.

The election will take place on Nov. 2 and the polling locations will be announced at a later date. 

The council also unanimously passed the motion regarding the allocation that provides $823,415.00 of the CDBG Entitlement Funds for the 2021-2022 program year.

The establishment of a Mexican American and Indigenous Heritage and Cultural District was discussed during the meeting. Due to input still needed from those within the neighborhood where the cultural district would be located and potential changes being made, the item was postponed until the first city council meeting in November. 

If passed, the cultural district will be located in the area of Hopkins Street at City Park along the San Marcos River and east of Interstate 35 to Durango Street and Staples Road, south to Ellis Street and west to Purgatory Creek. 

The council would also unanimously pass the motion to pursue the preservation and renovation of the Dunbar School’s Home Economics Building. The Home Economics School Building is the only surviving African American school building in Hays County and serves as a significant structure in the Dunbar Historic District. 

The city council has allocated $25,000 to help launch the preservation project for the city-owned local landmark.