The Lofts at Creekview, a 301-unit affordable housing development on San Antonio's East Side, has received a final certificate of occupancy from the City of San Antonio, clearing the last major hurdle for a project that has spent years working through construction delays, cost overruns and litigation before welcoming its first residents.
The milestone marks the formal green light for the long-awaited complex, according to Construction Owners, which reported that the approval confirms the project has reached the stage required to move residential units toward occupancy by tenants. The 301-unit, $60 million development is owned by the San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corporation, according to the San Antonio Housing Trust, which described it as the first housing project to be 100% solely owned by the trust. Cohen-Esrey served as developer and San Antonio-based Galaxy Builders handled construction, per the same source.
A Complex Financing Trail and a Lawsuit Along the Way
The project's path to completion wasn't smooth. The housing trust issued roughly $60 million in tax-exempt bonds to fund construction, according to the San Antonio Express-News, which reported in 2024 that the project was already $9 million over budget. That same reporting detailed a lawsuit filed by Preston Hollow Community Capital against Cohen-Esrey principals over an alleged $2 million fifth payment tied to a completion guaranty.
The delays unfolded even as demand for lower-priced housing was described as soaring in San Antonio, the Express-News noted. Cohen-Esrey has called Lofts at Creekview the largest development in its portfolio, and the company credited its development partners, design team and construction crews for their collaboration on the project, though it did not disclose specifics on the unit count, total development cost or construction timeline in its own statement, per Construction Owners.
Leasing Underway, Residents Moving In
With the final occupancy approval secured, leasing has continued to pick up. More than 100 apartments had already been leased as residents moved into newly completed units, Construction Owners reported in earlier coverage of the lease-up. The complex offers amenities including a resort-caliber swimming pool, granite countertops and a fitness center, along with a playground and community kitchen, supporting the project's goal of pairing affordable homes with shared community spaces.
Project descriptions have varied on some site details. The San Antonio Housing Trust's 2022 announcement placed the development on 12 acres of vacant land at 3623 E. Commerce Street, while the trust's own project list elsewhere cites 21 acres at the same street address, and engineering firm Southtown Engineering lists the site at 3815 E. Commerce Street. Southtown Engineering has described the project as a single four-story wrap building containing all 301 units.
Part of a Bigger Affordable Housing Push
Lofts at Creekview was Cohen-Esrey's second development with the San Antonio Housing Trust, according to the trust's announcement, and the San Antonio Heron has reported that the project represents the trust's 40th overall, pushing its portfolio above 10,000 units that were built or under construction. The project adds to Cohen-Esrey's affordable-housing work in San Antonio.
The project's completion arrives as San Antonio's broader apartment construction pipeline cools. Housing starts in the city fell from 12,500 units in 2022 to 9,000 in 2023, according to the San Antonio Report, which noted that affordable housing developers have remained among the region's most active builders despite elevated interest rates. Developers broke ground on just 660 housing units in the city during the first half of 2026, the outlet reported, even as national builder Dominium moves forward with plans for the 404-unit Silo development in Southwest San Antonio, envisioned as 14 buildings with one- to four-bedroom units.
Market analysts expect the slowdown to continue. Apartment completions across San Antonio are forecast to drop 21% annually in 2026, according to Northmarq, while vacancy is expected to tighten by 90 basis points. The firm's research found that roughly 5,400 multifamily units were absorbed across the city in 2025, with Class C properties accounting for about 45% of that year's total multifamily transactions.
