SAN ANTONIO – A press conference calling for the reinstatement of Ed Hinojosa Jr., the now-former president and CEO of Opportunity Home, will be held on Friday.
Watch the press conference outside City Hall live at 9 a.m. in the video player above. Delays are possible; if there is not a livestream available, check back at a later time.
The press conference will include representatives from the Coalition for Tenant Justice, Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, Coalition for Dignified Housing, Pueblo Over Profit, Historic West Side Residents Association, Oppressed Revolutionaries for Worker Power, Westside Preservation Alliance and Domesticas Unidas, as well as tenants of Opportunity Home and community members.
Hinojosa had his contract cut by the housing authority’s board of commissioners on Wednesday, citing “a need for fresh leadership to propel the organization into a new direction.”
“The board appreciates Mr. Hinojosa’s service to the organization and his championing of increasing affordable housing opportunities in our city,” part of an emailed statement read.
The statement further cites the city’s housing crisis as something that “requires steadfast and hands-on leadership that consists of innovative approaches that are built around the people we serve and our long-standing partnerships which are key to increasing affordable housing options and ensuring the financial sustainability of the organization’s efforts.
Opportunity Home said the board unanimously appointed Michael Reyes, formerly their public affairs officer, as acting president and CEO, effective immediately.
The board expects the acting president to take bold action and devise creative solutions to counter the organization’s challenges.
“We know we have the most dedicated public servants working at the organization and residents full of promise. We are confident and excited about the future of Opportunity Home,” the statement read.
Acting President and CEO Michael Reyes sent the following statement to KSAT on Thursday afternoon:
“To protect our residents, all pending, eligible Notices to Vacate (NTV) issued last month to public housing households will be rescinded immediately. All households under the $3,000 current repayment policy will be automatically eligible for a repayment agreement. Additionally, the organization will propose to the Board a one-time repayment policy adjustment to double the allowable arrears balance of up to $6,000 for pandemic-era (post-March 2020) balances to protect additional households. Therefore, the eligibility criteria for this directive would be households with active NTVs and a total household balance of up to $6,000. This action will protect more than 80% of affected NTV households and 100% of yet-to-be issued NTV households, which would have consisted of more than 500 additional households in arrears under one year. We must do all we can to protect our vulnerable households, particularly those who are still reeling from the effects of the pandemic,” said Acting President and CEO Michael Reyes. “This is the right thing to do and we will continue to find ways in the coming days and weeks to further protect our residents.”