Castro opens HUD confirmation mentioning West Side roots

Former neighbors express their hopes, pride in Cabinet nominee

Mayor Julian Castro began his Senate confirmation hearing describing where he began his life: on San Antonio's West Side.

SAN ANTONIOBesides having worked with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as mayor of San Antonio, Julian Castro on Tuesday told a Senate confirmation hearing he also brings his personal experience to the job of HUD secretary.

"I grew up on the West Side of San Antonio in a neighborhood of hard-working families with very modest means," Castro said.

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Jaime Castillo, the mayor's spokesman, said of the four West Side neighborhoods where Castro grew up, the last one was near St. Mary's University off Culebra Road.

The Castro home later was razed and replaced by another house.

"It was very humble people, very humble neighborhood," said John Ramos, who lived near the future HUD nominee's house. "The fact that you're not rich, you're rich in the culture you live in."

Ramos said he believes Castro still has that within him.

Castro told senators at his hearing, "I've seen with my own eyes how talented and driven Americans who just want a fair shot, are weighed down by the conditions in which they live, and this simply isn't right."

Longtime neighbor Molly Vera said, "It's been nice to know that we have someone in our neighborhood, that knows what it's like to grow up in a neighborhood like this one."

The quiet middle class neighborhood is in the midst of an area that has seen its share of struggles.

"At one time, the streets were in bad condition. We had a lot of graffiti. We had a lot of gangs," said Kathleen Rogers, who has lived in the neighborhood more than 40 years.

She said she credits Rosie Castro for setting her twin sons on the right path, Rep. Joaquin Castro and Mayor Julian Castro, the HUD nominee.

"Not everybody falls into those shoes," said their former neighbor John Ramos. "To whom much is given, much is expected."

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About the Author:

Jessie Degollado has been with KSAT since 1984. She is a general assignments reporter who covers a wide variety of stories. Raised in Laredo and as an anchor/reporter at KRGV in the Rio Grande Valley, Jessie is especially familiar with border and immigration issues. In 2007, Jessie also was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame.