The El Paso City Council has cast a pivotal vote, endorsing the rezoning of a tract in West El Paso, which has paved the way for a new affordable housing complex to rise. According to KVIA, the council's decision fell at 6 to 2, allowing the housing authority, HOME, to embark on the construction of the 104-unit development that has been a subject of heated debate among residents.
Despite the city council's approval, significant pushback from the community underscores a divide, with concerns over increased traffic and potential crime weighing heavy on the hearts of those within the West El Paso neighborhood. "We were lied to. We were ignored," is the sentiment expressed by Cristina Jimenez, the president of the Coronado del Sol Neighborhood Association, emphasizing a perceived lack of transparency, as obtained by KVIA.
Community opposition remained firm before the vote, with KTSM reporting a significant number of calls, emails, and petitions circulating in disapproval of the rezoning. Jimenez, on behalf of the neighborhood association, articulated the frustration due to unanswered inquiries directed at the housing authority. "The problem is that we are going to have to face all together the traffic conditions that we will be living. We will have to be facing, everyone, all of us together, the environmental impact that this will have on all of us. I don’t think City Council thought about that," she said, as per KTSM, painting a picture of collective concern for the future of their community.
In contrast, Gerald Cichon, CEO of HOME, anticipates integration and harmony between the new development and existing residents. "We’ve had a lot of opposition and after we build our stuff and we’re a member of their community, it changes. We get along well with the people around us. We see ourselves as members of that community. We meld well with the members of that community and we look forward to bridging those relationships," Cichon said, as noted by KTSM.
The choice of location for the affordable housing was strategic, aiming for proximity to quality schools, job opportunities, and accessible food sources. While the traffic concerns were raised during a city council meeting, representatives noted that the current city ordinances do not mandate a traffic study, despite concerns from Carlos Celso, the President of the Sunland Park North Neighborhood Association, about the potential congestion on local streets. As reported by KFOX-TV, HOME expects the construction of the project to span over two years.
