Members of the Soap Factory’s tenants union discuss their relocation options in an open area at the downtown apartment complex. Credit: Michael Karlis
Tenants at the Soap Factory Apartments, which would be demolished to make way for a downtown ballpark development, launched a petition urging San Antonio ISD to bargain harder with the project’s developer to increase their relocation stipends.

The petition — posted online late last week by Phillip Adcock, founder of the complex’s tenants union — also calls on city officials to build more affordable housing downtown. As of Wednesday morning, the petition had 1,000 signatures.

The Soap Factory — one of downtown’s few low-cost apartment complexes — emerged as a flashpoint after real-estate developer Weston Urban unveiled plans in August for a $160 million stadium for the San Antonio Missions minor league baseball team. The plan to demolish the complex to make way for the development has ignited debates over displacement, gentrification and housing affordability.

As part of the development plan, city officials said qualified tenants affected by the Soap Factory’s demolition would receive $2,500 relocation stipends by Jan. 1. However, no money has been disbursed to tenants as of press time.

Last week, Adcock and other Soap Factory residents contacted free legal resources, including Rio Grande Legal Aid and San Antonio’s Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, to speed up the promised payments from the city and Weston Urban.

The average annual income for Soap Factory tenants is about $40,000, Weston Urban CEO Randy Smith told City Council during a meeting last year.

SAISD’s Board of Trustees was scheduled to vote Tuesday whether to sell a 2.3-acre parcel of land that Weston Urban wants for the ballpark project. However, the board removed that item from its agenda over the weekend.

Weston Urban hopes to build the 4,500-seat ballpark on the SAISD-owned land. In exchange for the property, the district is demanding:

  • A seat on the San Antonio Housing Trust
  • Land for a new Advanced Learning Academy
  • A five-year, measurable housing plan from the city that includes 1,2500 new affordable units
  • A new parking garage built by the county with at least 250 spaces
SAISD’s board next scheduled meeting is Feb. 10.

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This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2025.

Michael Karlis is a Staff Writer at the San Antonio Current. He is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C., whose work has been featured in Salon, Alternet, Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, Orlando...