Community Leaders Bring New Life to Closed Funeral Home
Published on December 04, 2024
Community Leaders Bring New Life to Closed Funeral Home with Housing Supported by City’s Affordable Housing Bond
SAN ANTONIO (December 4, 2024) – The City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Alternative Housing Corporation joined local leaders on December 3 to celebrate the groundbreaking of Memorial Apartments. This new rental housing community on the Westside is being built on the site of the former Memorial Funeral Home, originally constructed in 1910.
“The Affordable Housing Bond that was backed by voters continues to yield results,” said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. “Memorial Apartments will serve the inner Westside for decades to come by providing safe, quality and accessible homes for families who need it. I look forward to seeing the transformational impact Memorial will have for our west side.”
Memorial Apartments will provide rental opportunities to three households earning up to 30 percent of the Area Medium Income (AMI), nine households earning up to 50 percent AMI, six households earning up to 60 percent AMI, and 12 households earning up to 80 percent AMI.
Memorial Apartments is the seventh multi-family development supported by the City’s 2022 Affordable Housing Bond. With this project, more than 3,100 homes are under construction or complete with support from the 2022 Affordable Housing Bond, which contributed $715,000 for Memorial Apartments.
“As San Antonio families continue to feel the pressure of the high cost of everyday items, projects like the Memorial Apartments are providing a lifeline of relief,” said District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo. “The additional amenities such as free internet and rainwater collection show the level of thought and care put into this project that will benefit residents for years to come.”
Originally constructed in 1910, the building that preceded Memorial Funeral Home changed ownership multiple times until the matriarch of the Zamarripa family purchased it in 1945. For decades it served residents of San Antonio’s Westside. After deciding to close operations, the family wished that the property continue to serve the Westside.
The legacy funeral home building will be renovated into a community clubhouse, business center and property management office. Site amenities include free Wi-Fi Internet to all residents, bike storage racks and a community courtyard area. Rainwater collection will be reused to supplement site irrigation.
“Memorial Apartments will provide low-to-moderate income families clean and modern affordable housing convenient to shopping and public transportation without any displacement of nearby residents,” said Executive Director of the San Antonio Alternative Housing Corporation J. Keith Newcomb. “Residents can lease a new unit at a rate not exceeding 30 percent of their monthly income. We appreciate the support from the Historic Westside Resident Association, District 5 Councilmember Castillo, the City of San Antonio Neighborhood and Housing Services Department and the Mayor’s office in this endeavor.”
Memorial Apartments will support the goals of San Antonio's Strategic Housing Implementation Plan, commonly referred to as SHIP, to address the city’s affordable housing needs. Overall, the SHIP aims to complete 28,000 affordable units for low- and moderate-income households by 2031.
"The deep affordability of Memorial Apartments ensures our cost-burdened households have an affordable place to call home in our city,” said Veronica Garcia, Director of the Neighborhood and Housing Services Department. “Its proximity to public transit not only enhances connectivity but also aligns with our City's vision for sustainable growth. Memorial Apartments provides stability and opportunities while supporting our City’s housing goals by fostering equitable access to affordable, transit-oriented living for individuals and families."
The 2022 Housing Bond, approved by San Antonio voters, allocated $150 million to support creating and preserving affordable housing throughout San Antonio. It focuses on projects for low-income families, seniors and people experiencing homelessness, and aims to address the city's housing crisis by increasing the availability of affordable homes.
Construction for Memorial Apartments is scheduled to be completed in September 2025.