SAN ANTONIO – U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner visited San Antonio on Tuesday to highlight local efforts to expand affordable housing and discuss challenges communities face in making homes more accessible.
Turner toured The Baltazar, a 60-unit affordable housing development located along west Interstate 10 on the city’s northwest side. The property opened in 2025 through a partnership between NRP Group Development, Opportunity Home San Antonio and the City of San Antonio.
The development includes one, two and three-bedroom apartments and serves households earning 60% or less of the area median income. Ten percent of the units are reserved for households earning 30% or less of the area median income.
During his visit, Turner also participated in an affordable housing roundtable with local officials and housing industry leaders.
Turner said The Baltazar represents the type of public-private partnership he believes can help communities address housing needs.
“This was a team effort,” Turner said. “I think that’s an example that we can use throughout the country.”
Turner said the development’s success shows the impact of collaboration between developers, local governments, housing authorities and community partners.
During the tour, Turner also met with a resident who shared his experience moving into the property and finding stability for himself and his teenage daughter.
Turner said stories from residents are what demonstrate the impact of affordable housing beyond just the number of units built.
“It’s not only a place for me to lay my head,” Turner said, describing the resident’s experience. “It’s a place where I can heal.”
During the visit, Turner said one of HUD’s focuses is reducing barriers that he believes make it harder and more expensive to build housing.
Turner said HUD is taking what he described as an “all-of-the-above” approach to expanding affordable housing, including increasing supply, reducing construction costs and supporting homeownership.
He pointed to regulatory challenges as one factor affecting housing costs nationwide.
According to information provided by HUD, multifamily housing development costs in Texas are significantly lower than in California, with HUD citing regulatory barriers as one contributing factor. HUD also said projects in California can take nearly two years longer to complete compared with projects in Texas because of permitting and regulatory processes.
Turner encouraged cities and local governments to review their own rules and identify regulations, fees or processes that could slow housing development.
“We want to bring down the cost, raise the supply and at the end, the end user — the American people — can afford to buy a home,” Turner said.
San Antonio has continued working to address affordable housing needs as families across the city face concerns over housing costs.
According to HUD, the median home sale price in San Antonio is $310,950 in 2026, down 2.8% from 2025.
Turner said San Antonio’s approach, including partnerships between the city, housing organizations, developers and financial institutions, can serve as a model for other communities.
“San Antonio is doing a great job,” Turner mentioned. “I want to amplify places that are doing good work.”
Turner also highlighted San Antonio’s efforts to support foster youth transitioning out of the foster care system. He said housing stability can help young adults focus on education and careers.
He also discussed HUD’s efforts to increase access to homeownership, including through the Federal Housing Administration’s mortgage insurance programs.
According to Turner, HUD has supported more than 1.5 million homebuyers under the Trump administration, with more than 80% of those buyers being first-time homeowners.
He said expanding access to mortgages, lowering barriers to construction and increasing housing supply are key parts of HUD’s strategy.
“The theme here is taking our regulations, reducing barriers, taking the cost down and raising the supply up,” Turner said.
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