SAN ANTONIO – An administrator with San Antonio’s Neighborhood and Housing Services Department (NHSD) resigned last year while being investigated for receiving discounted home foundation work from a construction company under contract with the agency, records obtained by KSAT Investigates show.
Ann Eaton resigned as affordable housing administrator in August 2024, two months after the city’s Office of Municipal Integrity (OMI) began probing her relationship with Pro Masters Remodeling, LLC.
The investigation, which was completed in October, determined that Eaton paid Pro Masters $16,500 for extensive foundation work at her Southeast Side residence in 2024.
The city reviewed foundation work performed by Pro Masters at five other homes that participated in a rehabilitation program and determined the work done at Eaton’s home should have cost approximately $28,000, meaning Eaton received a more than 40% discount on the project.
“Eaton could not explain why the cost to complete the foundation work at her home was significantly lower than similar projects performed by the contractor on other homes,” the OMI report states.
The report also noted that Eaton did not consult with leadership before Pro Masters completed the work.
Eaton did not respond to a request from KSAT seeking comment for this story.
A spokesman for the City of Austin, where Eaton now works, referred KSAT’s inquiries back to NHSD.
NHSD special projects manager used Pro Masters to build detached carport
A second NHSD employee, special projects manager Johana Sias, used Pro Masters to build a detached carport at her West Side home, records show.
Sias paid Pro Masters and two of its subcontractors a total of $25,312 to build the 480-square-foot structure, according to records.
KSAT could find no record that this project was done at a discount.
Sias did not respond to a request for a message left with a person at her home.
OMI completed its investigation in October and determined that neither Eaton nor Sias committed any policy violations.
The report noted that NHSD, after the investigations of Eaton and Sias were opened, added a policy prohibiting its employees from hiring program contractors for personal use.
Pro Masters paid more than $14 million by NHSD since 2019
NHSD paid Pro Masters $14,417,109 for construction work from May 2019 through June 2025, invoice records released by the city show.
Eaton’s digital signature appears on some Pro Masters invoices under the phrase “reviewed and approved,” OMI records show.
“Sounds like corruption to me,” said James Hamilton, a resident of the Lewis Chatham Apartments who also serves as resident council president for the public housing complex south of downtown.
“Sounds like somebody was receiving some type of kickback in exchange for something, monetary or probably even a contract or two,” said Hamilton, who is not involved with the Pro Masters projects in question.
Officials with Pro Masters did not respond to requests for comment left at several addresses associated with the company.
City officials declined to make NHSD Director Veronica Garcia available for an interview, telling KSAT in an email that the public official had “no interview availability.”
A city spokesman told KSAT via email, “The City’s rules required an internal investigation, and no evidence of policy violation was found. Accordingly, no disciplinary action was warranted. To reinforce our rules and ensure compliance, NHSD implemented a policy prohibiting employees from hiring program contractors for personal use unless prior approval is obtained.”
The contractor, Eaton and Sias have not been accused of any illegal conduct in connection with the work completed.
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page.