San Antonio is embarking on a multi-faceted approach to quell the tide of violence in the southeast sector of the city, specifically targeting a high-crime apartment complex known to locals as the Rosemont at Highland Park. The city's plan, which moves beyond traditional policing strategies, includes increasing lighting, installing security cameras, improving infrastructure, and promoting access to community services. According to the San Antonio Report, this initiative comes at the heels of a citywide effort to address violent crime hot spots identified by data from the city's Integrated Community Safety Office and analysis by UTSA.
Spearheading these interventions, the local housing authority Opportunity Home San Antonio has been working in collaboration with the city. "We are currently looking at the data to see what formula we can come up with to effectively identify the properties that need holistic attention like this," Maria Vargas-Yates, director of the Integrated Community Safety Office, told San Antonio Report. Council members have expressed optimism about the plan's potential and anticipate expanding this holistic approach to additional troubled spots.
Interestingly, the Rosemont complex was unique in UTSA’s research, ranking in the top 10 for not only the volume of violent crime but also for calls for help regarding violence and arrests pertaining to violent incidents. Erin Gallegos Reid, president of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association, conveyed a sense of urgency when she revealed to the San Antonio Report, "The shooting is pretty constant." Reid however cast doubt on the infrastructure approach alone, arguing that regular patrols are needed to effectively deter crime. UTSA will continue to evaluate the area's crime statistics to determine the intervention's success.
The city's phased plan began with "hot spot" policing tactics, which have been credited with a significant reduction in violent crime incidents. According to data cited by the San Antonio Report, that strategy has so far correlated with reduced violent crime, but officials acknowledge it does not address the deeper, systemic issues contributing to criminality. The initiative is not only about policing but encompasses broader social investments. "True community safety ... looks like a future where everyone's basic needs including housing, transportation, health care and other opportunities are met and they’d be without the sense of hopelessness and desperation that people find themselves in often before committing a crime," Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez told the San Antonio Report.
Upcoming municipal investments include mobile cameras and an animal vaccine clinic, with funding approved pending council approval in August. These specific interventions, amounting to $405,000 for cameras and $15,000 for the clinic, will tap into a larger fund aimed at revitalizing designated hot spots. Moreover, neighborhood engagement is touted as a critical factor in the initiative's success, as Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran emphasized the importance of community involvement in her conversation with the San Antonio Report.
