BRENHAM CITY COUNCIL VOTES 5-2 AGAINST BRENHAM JUNCTION HOUSING PROJECT
Worries about illegal aliens played a role in the Brenham City Council’s decision today (Thursday) to vote down a proposal for a mixed-income community housing project west of Brenham, the third rejection of new tax-credit housing in as many years.
Trinity Housing Development, the designers of Brenham Junction, sought to build a 48-unit, non-age-restricted complex on the north side of Highway 290, west of Westwood Lane, and needed a resolution of support from the council in order to secure state funding for the project. Shannan Canales and Leah Cook voted in favor of allowing the complex to proceed, with the other five councilmembers voting against.
Much of the council’s discussion revolved around the possibility of the housing being offered to illegal immigrants and if non-local applicants would end up moving in through the government voucher system.
Brenham Housing Authority (BHA) Executive Director Ben Menjares said part of the BHA’s application process requires a birth certificate, social security number, driver’s license and at least one family member to be a United States citizen or legal resident. He said while that would not stop a situation from a family with only one legal citizen from moving in, the amount of assistance is prorated to where only that one person would receive the subsidized assistance; the others would have to pay the full amount.
Trinity Housing Development Vice President Michael Fogel said the project would be required to accept vouchers, but the developer’s other projects typically have very few residents who use them. He said they would communicate with the BHA in order to encourage local applicants, which usually make up a large majority of the referrals received. Menjares added that the BHA’s voucher budget is limited, and other housing authorities typically do not want to have to go through all of the paperwork of sending residents to the BHA unless it can absorb the cost. He said in those situations, it is usually from somewhere within this area of the state.
Approximately half of the 48 one- to three-bedroom units in Brenham Junction would have been bound to tax credit rent and income restrictions at or below 60 percent Area Median Income (AMI). Fourteen units would have gone for full market rate, and the remaining 10 would be considered workforce housing, or 80 percent AMI.
Fogel said the tax credit funding system would be a stable method to bring new housing supply into Brenham beyond market-rate properties that are at the mercy of the changing economy.
When the project was first brought before the council last month, Fogel said Trinity would ask for a property tax abatement from the city and county for additional support. However, that contingency was later removed from consideration.
Brenham | Washington County Economic Development Director Susan Cates said Brenham has not added any new tax credit or workforce housing, not counting age-restricted developments or Brenham Housing Authority-led renovations or replacements of existing units, since 2002.
Brian Fathauer was one of the residents who spoke at the meeting, asking “when is enough enough” when it comes to subsidized housing and saying the city should not pursue projects like this when it is nearing its limit on new water customers that can be served.
Blake Brannon of Brannon Industrial Group said the council should take more time to explore ideas presented by Councilmember Clint Kolby on behalf of the city’s housing task force, including container housing, reduced lot sizes, and allowing duplexes in single-family zoned areas.
Councilmember Atwood Kenjura said he would like to delay any action on projects such as this until the council is sure they are the best alternative.
Canales asked the council where a solution it would agree with would come from, and said by rejecting this, it is going to “kick the same can down the road over and over again.”
The council’s vote today follows a rejection of a tax credit home development on Pecan Street in 2021, and a workforce housing community that would have been located on Prairie Lea Street in 2022.
Also at today’s meeting, the council:
- Accepted a bid from KRPS Contractors, LLC for the Brenham Family Park Main Creek Crossing project for $271,732.
- Approved final payment of $26,132 to Carlson McClain Construction Company for the rehabilitation of the two Henderson Park pedestrian bridges. The total contract amount was $163,400.
- Accepted a bid from Dudley Construction, LLC for $1,130,000 for the Stone Hollow lift station project. The approval is contingent on the city’s acquisition of property for the relocation of the lift station.
- Accepted a bid from D&S Contracting, Inc. in the amount of $924,932 for the Stone Hollow force main and Ralston Creek gravity sewer crossing.
- Approved a professional services agreement between the city and McCord Engineering, Inc. for the Lower Colorado River Authority load shedding upgrade in an amount not to exceed $57,000.
- Approved a license agreement between the city and Brenham Market Square, LP related to the construction of a multi-tenant pylon ground sign.
Click here to view the agenda packet for Thursday's meeting.
Brenham is among the top in Texas for subsidized housing per capita. Ask anyone who has been in the local school system for at least a decade how this is working out for our schools. Brenham ISD has transformed into a low-performing school district over the last 20 years. This is a result of policies that have imported poverty into our community with no plan to lift people out of the cycle of poverty that subsidized housing communities create. Crime is increasing in Brenham and the schools are out of control.
More government handouts is not the solution. It is the problem!
Aren’t subsidized housing supposed to be temporary? This is not to stay where you are, but to save and move on to own a home. That’s the problem with the mentality of these things. Improve your situation and move on.
With those on very limited SSI checks, buying a home is impossible. Would you be able to buy a home , pay insurance, taxes, utilities, buy groceries, gasoline (if you even have a car) on $700 a month?. Your statement shows you are opinionated with only ignorance. Learn the facts before start judging.
I will have to do more research in this matter to be better informed. I don’t live in the city but I know how expensive rent is for folks starting out, if unexpected medical or other emergencies or medical problems arise, etc. At first glance I do not agree with the No votes. Costs keep going up but factory, food service workers pay and other entry level jobs do not pay a lot. Often there are few benefits with these jobs. I know several city residents that work two or more part-time jobs to be able to buy medical insurance. I was disappointed before when they didn’t allow tiny and modular homes.
I’m not a city resident but I have friends and family that this affects. If you have an opinion, either way pls voice your concerns ti a city council member or attend any open meetings.
The vote by City Council was the right thing to do. People do not move to Brenham because it is a “Job mecca”. Small towns usually do not have the big industry or corporations, and one cannot expect to buy a home on entry level jobs at fast food restaurants or working an assembly line in any town. It also takes education to move up the pay ladder. Brenham cannot become the ‘go to’ town just to live in a nice apartment and work at a fast food restaurant. We are suppose to be bettering the town, not bringing it down. The city has more than it’s fair share of subsidized housing, and container housing in absolutely insane. Some of you keep complaining about the rich people moving here. Well, I can tell you that these people have helped to keep our hometown economy going. Be proud that they contribute, because without them this town faces a grim future.
Babs, This project would not have taken any housing away from the rich people you adore. Also, if the City Council wanted to vote yes on this project and then also implement other ideas then they could’ve done that too. This vote was on whether to add new housing, not on how to allocate what we’ve got. It was not zero sum.
Also, the income restricted units would’ve been capped at 60% of median income. That looks to be about $40,000 per year or $19 per hour at a full time job. Look at the City’s own many unfilled job postings. We are talking about firefighters, water and wastewater workers, animal control, fleet maintenance, pretty much everything except IT and police. Are you telling me that our municipal workers don’t deserve to live here because they’re “bringing it down”?
The majority of the wealthy residents are out of the city limits and live on 11 acres or more to get a
Fifty percent reduction in property taxes. And the larger properties hire illegals for ranch and landscape work, and pay in cash to avoid paying SSI tax. And if we cannot provide adequate housing for low income workers,
then, who is going to work in their fast food and restaurants? Work in the several nursing homes, manicure their
Yards, clean their homes, pour concrete? Education you say? If everyone had a four year degree, who would be left to take menial labor jobs? 20 years ago far too many were graduating with a BA in Business , and could only get jobs in retail, if they were lucky.
We need the affordable housing, but the investors in these business ventures need to come up with a majority
of the investment. Maybe they were mislead by the city giving Chi fil a $10,000 to build one here.
I am getting sick and tired of the discrimination toward the middle and lower class here in Brenham. I understand that the 5 members who voted no are “trying to do what’s best for Brenham” by turning this down, but this is getting ridiculous. Brenham’s population has grown since the last complex was built in 2002. If the 5 members would stop being so worried about “illegal aliens” potentially living with a US citizen and start worrying about the people in this town who are struggling. This would have been able to help 48 families, 48 young couples, 48 single working people… that was 48 roofs over people’s heads. This would have been able to help not only people who only have a single household income but also people who are just starting out in careers and are working entry-level positions in Brenham trying to gain experience. By the way, the average entry-level job in Texas is between 22K and 46K. Those people who have been able to apply to live in these homes.
The five city council members who voted against this keep making up more and more excuses on why we shouldn’t bring in more affordable housing. Your excuses are getting ridiculous. You were elected to the city council to help the citizens in your ward. That includes all classes. If you cannot do your job and help the citizens in your ward, then what the heck are you doing on the city council? I understand you might have an idea of how the people in this city should live, but not everyone can afford to live on a big ranch, multi-family home, or even a home in one of your big fancy subdivisions. Shame on you five for continuing to not care about the other people in your wards, your neighborhoods, and your city.
To Council member Shannan Canales, and Council member Leah Cook, thank you for trying to fight for everyone in your wards. Thank you for being passionate about housing in Brenham for all classes of people. Hopefully, we can get more leaders and new council members who try to do what’s best for their community like y’all do.
Finally, To Council member Atwood Kenjura, who is running for mayor, glad to see that your priorities are not for helping any of the middle class and lower class in your community but are focused on what’s best for your biggest donors and the wealthy in town. It sure does help show me how I should vote in the upcoming election.
Many of you do not realize what you are asking. I am not affluent and live in a modest home. My family had to work hard and sacrifice to purchase it. I do not want Brenham overrun with government/subsidized housing. Almost every business around has a sign out saying they need employees. Hard work pays.
The reason this was even brought before the city council for a vote was because we already have more twice what is acceptable. The housing problem is not unique to Brenham, it is a problem through the US. More and more subsidized housing is not the solution.
As far as the comments about BIG, they provide a service that is needed. Noone is in business to lose money. None of you complainers would provide a service for free. BIG has also been very generous and supportive to many nonprofits in our community. I see their name listed as a sponsor at almost every fundraiser.
If you read the article, the idea of containers, duplexes, and smaller lots came from Councilman Clint Colby, not Brannon. He was just suggesting they look into those options.
I agree Blake was just repeating what had already been brought up as “Possible” options . I too worked very hard and had two jobs for about ten years, started out living in a Mobile Home on rented land, worked my way up to a small “Fixer Upper” after that I finally was able to purchase a nice home. It did not happen over night and took years of doing without many items that other people take for granted. Although I do see a need to Housing here in Brenham, For the most part the Housing we already have seems to be above the States Normal amount. We do not want to become a town “Over run” with Government Homes. Home prices have increased because of supply chain issues and inflation. a home that once cost 150,000 to build now cost 250,00 to build. So of course rent will be higher on those homes. If your not happy about living here the road leaves town in many directions
It seems that you are not informed.
If young people, who are starting out, (working mostly in the service industries), can not afford to work and live here, then they move away. They move to College Station, Houston, or Austin, etc.
If we can provide cheaper housing for the locals then we should. These people are good enough to help you out at HEB, or Home Depot, or Lowe’s, but not have a starting price point to rent? They are needed to serve you food at the local restaurants, but to lazy to get more options on living local?
As for your compliments to the BIG group, I disagree. That deal was not good for any city resident, and they continue to pay low amounts for the metals we recycle. I am not impressed at all with their products.
“More than twice what is acceptable.” Nope, that is not how the state law reads. There is not a hard limit. Nor does there does not exist a threshold of moral acceptability. And there shouldn’t exist a limit when communities like ours are under so much pressure from outsiders that will always be able to outbid locals. The root cause of our desirability to outsiders is that WE HAVE A CIVIC-MINDED TRADITION THAT HAS MADE THIS COMMUNITY DESIRABLE. We need to take stock in what we have, how we got there and how well our values have served us, and how vitally important it is to not abandon the traditions that made us a great place to live.
A project like this is not just an either/or proposition. It’s “yes and”. We can have prosperity and house our workforce too.
And your comment also reminds me. We shouldn’t just make a target of the five Councilmembers that voted against. They only have veto power because it’s afforded to them by state law. We need to look to our legislators to strip them of this power because they are using it in the very same way as Californians do to prevent housing construction there. If they won’t prevent the Californication of Brenham then vote them out too.
This is fundamental to what it means to be a Texan. No political machine should be able to buy up the housing, buy up the politicians and have them so beholden to them and their narrow petty self-serving interests that they can shut the door of economic opportunity behind them for all the future generations of Texans that want to be able to work hard and simply own a house of modest size and character.
The poor are not welcome in Brenham. People need to listen more when they go to church. Our lord and savior was a champion of the downtrodden.
They are obviously welcomed here since we have more than double the state average already.
Many of those people were born right here. Alot of you are so closed minded that if it doesn’t effect you or your immediate family, then it just doesn’t exist. True shame. Remember the wristbands kids were wearing a few years back? WWJD
Can we please do something about these 5 ?
Petition or recall. Make them accountable for their constituents, the people who live next to these ” housing addresses ” we have to deal with this . The 5 that voted for live in high class neighbor hoods not effected by thier votes.
The 5 that voted to keep our city from being overrun with more government housing are fine with many of us. I worked hard for my down payment and my credit to get a loan for my house. Brenham is fair, more than fair.
Well I’m glad you were able to work hard on your down payment and your credit to get a loan for your home, now let the rest of us continue to work hard to try to get a home here in Brenham. But until we get to the point we can get a loan for a home, where would you like us to live? The population has grown in Brenham, but housing for renters who cannot afford to own their own home yet has not grown. So where should those of us who are trying to get where you are live?
Debbie You are Incorrect some of these council people do NOT live in so called”High Class” neighborhoods and you can’t Cancel people simply because they don’t do what you want. What you can do is run for council and make changes that way.
And yet there was 4 positions available for people to run and 1 is contested. Anyone that has something to say about removing them please provide an option. Or why don’t you run yourself??
The best-qualified people to exercise the power of the position of a city council member or mayor are likely disqualified by being employed by the City in some capacity. The best-qualified people to represent the needs of the workforce are busy actually being the workforce and are unable to attend regularly-scheduled daytime council meetings during which issues affecting working people are handled.
Hi 🙂 I am on City Council, and I own a business, have 2 kids that are very active in things and manage a sales department for someone else. This is not to argue with you by any means but, more to let people who think they can’t because of those reasons. It can be done, and we need more people willing to run! It’s that people won’t because of comments and backlash when we do make tough hard decisions. It takes tough, thick skin people to do this public service job.
Hi Shannon, not sure why there’s not a reply button below your name but I hope you see this. Public service takes a thick skin. You’re more likely to be punished for doing the right thing than the easy thing or maybe especially the wrong thing. I appreciate your perspective, your vote on this issue, and also that you’re monitoring constituent concerns and addressing them directly. It sets you apart in the best possible way.
But there are constraints on well-meaning people. It’d be career suicide if I so much as ran for public office, much less tried to attend regularly scheduled daytime meetings. That’s the truth. A lot of people’s jobs are like that. The very best I can do is to vocalize my ideas and concerns and hope that they are weighed and that I am represented.
Thank you council women Cook and Canales for your wise votes. Please consider recruiting candidates for the other council seats for the next election. It is our only hope of getting big local business influence overruled and out of local government. Contrary to DC, government is for people, not business.
The city and county say they want tourism dollars, and they spend untold thousands of taxpayer dollars to obtain that income.
Tourists require and want quality food service. The local food service businesses are and have been in dire straits for quality labor for decades, and that issue is at an all time high. But the council majority won’t provide affordable, normal housing. And for the council members who suggested shipping containers, well, each one should live in one for a few months.
At least 2 people got it right. The other 5 need to go. Time for change in Brenham.
So let me get this straight. We can’t claw our tax dollars back from D.C. to help build a project here to help with the labor shortage and help local people because we might accidentally help some strangers too. Helping strangers is bad. How bad? Incredibly bad. It’d be ruination.
Strangers are so bad that we must worsen the local housing shortage so that local people continue to be pushed out of our community, unable to buy or rent because: strangers are moving in and buying up all the housing and everything else.
Ruination.
And this all went down at 1pm on a Thursday when the local workforce was at work. Again. Just like the last votes on affordable housing.
Container housing. Because that’s what we need. Acres of shipping containers with people living in them. I know, I know, they’re “nice” shipping containers, but really? People in this town fussed about the metal building homes off of South Dixie and and now we’re suggesting shipping containers? I think he said the quiet part out loud when he said, “that could be very fruitful for us”. I’m guessing he would be the one selling the containers.
I am not for more government regulation but when I hear a fluent business man suggest to build duplexes in a single family neighborhood I cringe. I am flabbergasted and lost for words. I can’t afford the huge country lot west of town, and I can’t afford multifamily next ho my single family home in town. But after this. I’ll wait until I’m driving through Navasota to recycle my beer cans.
I cannot believe that someone who holds a large City of Brenham contract would suggest this. Maybe we need to clean house on the staff of the City of Brenham responsible for giving BVR this contract when the City could have purchased their own automated trucks and saved costs in the first place. Makes sense though. Condense the lot sizes, container housing, duplexes, etc. That would maximize BVR’s corporate profits. More densely packed lots = increased customer base = higher profitability. See this person’s statement for what it is – corporate greed. I just can’t believe they would be this transparent about putting a proposal forward that would be a detriment to Brenham, just to make themselves rich. **This should outrage everyone.**
I read your comments and in my opinion you may be misinformed. Let me explain please. You said the city should buy their own trucks. Have you priced one of these trucks? Have you priced the number of dumpsters you would need to buy? Have you thought how much it cost to maintain each truck? Once you get those numbers multiply it by 20. Then add a driver cost and a landfill dumping fee per truck. It doesn’t make sense to me to raise everyone’s taxes just to say the city can do it themselves. You also said it is corporate greed. I would like you to get to Kwow the Brannon family there is no greed there. They care more about their employees than they do making a dollar. I am a manager at the company and I can tell you first hand you will never find a better company to work for. I also saw another comment talking about low prices of scrap. It is a market item. It goes up and down everyone has the right to call and get prices before they come. If you don’t like the price at the time you have the option to not bring it in. It changes depending on the market. Thank you
I got to agree with Ken a person has to work hard and do with out some things if they want there own home. Like not having a new car the latest version cell phone expensive clothes going out to eat every day and other extravagant and money wasting things but some people don’t want to do this