In 2015 and 2018 the City of Schertz accepted an offer to participate with Bexar County in the Federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Programs. Typically, suburban cities will “loan” their population to Bexar County Community Resources Department to increase funding available for the program which is then allocated by Bexar County Commissioners Court in the unincorporated portions of Bexar County and in participating cities. This made Schertz eligible to compete for projects as it did in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
This money can be used for many income-dependent projects including the following:
• senior citizen day care and community centers (not income-dependent),
• ADA sidewalks (not income-dependent),
• water systems and mains,
• street reconstruction,
• drainage projects,
• housing rehabilitation and
• public assistance for the elderly and low income citizens
In 2015 Schertz was awarded $61,884 for the Pickrell Park ADA walkways project. Schertz subsequently applied for funds for waterline upgrades in Aviation Heights but was not awarded funds.
Additionally, Bexar County has several on-going programs Schertz residents are able to participate in including housing rehabilitation and housing replacement (income dependent).
Funding depends on Congress and is distributed to recipients (such as Bexar County Community Resources) based on formula. Bexar County will then issue a call for projects and then will issue awards.
Schertz is not eligible to become a direct recipient of funds from HUD until its population reaches 50,000.
In 2015 and 2018, Schertz entered into a 3 year agreement with Bexar County to participate in the program. The proposed agreement extends the City’s participation for another 3 years. If the City does not choose to continue to participate in the Bexar County program, it will be eligible to participate in the State Department of Agriculture’s CDBG program for rural communities.
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