Abilene City Council rejects support of low-income housing downtown

A group named OPG Cypress Partners, LLC wants to turn their multi-story property at 301 Cypress Street into a 60-unit low-income housing community, and they’re seeking a Multifamily Direct Loan Program loan from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to help fund the project.

City Council approval would improve the odds of getting this loan, which is highly competitive. Still, during a meeting on Thursday, January 23, council members gave a 5-1 vote against supporting the project after several downtown business owners came forward and expressed their concerns.

One business owner from Free Play Arcade, Sarah Kader, said she is familiar with living in low-income housing communities, and her experience raising her family there has made her question if having something similar in downtown Abilene would be safe.

“I experienced arson, the beheading of a neighbor, and all kinds of really traumatic things; safety is my concern in this area,” Sarah Kader said.

Her husband, Derek Kader, expressed different concerns, saying he’s not sure low-income housing fits the vision for the future of downtown Abilene.

“I’m also not sure that a project like this also aligns with the downtown revitalization. However, I can’t speak in detail about that. That it doesn’t exactly vibe with what’s going on with that area,” Derek Kader said.

OPG Cypress Partners, LLC can still proceed with their loan application without the city’s support if they so choose. Because the property is already zoned for housing, the project does not need approval from city council.