Manny Pelaez

🚀 Did you know LaunchSA has relaunched their services to support small business owners in San Antonio? My colleagues and I on City Council recently approved a $1.7 million, three-year agreement with Geekdom to empower local entrepreneurs. Geekdom will enhance LaunchSA’s impact using their expertise in entrepreneurial programs, funding, and networking.

Discover more about LaunchSA’s new chapter at https://launchsa.org/!

Thanks to the San Antonio Board of REALTORS® for inviting me to their meeting last week. I’m looking forward to future collaborations at the local, state, and federal levels to find creative solutions for some of our challenges.

Many of you already know that in my spare time I enjoy bird watching, but I also enjoy painting. So, I was delighted to bring together two of my favorite hobbies for this special creation. It's my first attempt at an oil painting. What do you think?

Share your hobbies with me in the comments!

I recently visited Form Communities, home to the San Antonio Clubhouse program. It was inspiring to see their incredible community in action. From indoor gardening to a full kitchen, this clubhouse provides essential support and opportunities for individuals living with mental illness. The sense of belonging and mutual support here is truly remarkable. To learn more about their mission, visit www.saclubhouse.org.

Super proud of my mom, Marta Pelaez, and the entire Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence for partnering with Clear Channel to use digital billboards and static signs across the city to bring community awareness to domestic violence. Together, we can address this epidemic and ensure victims and survivors know where to find help.

Spreading holiday cheer with San Antonio Police Department during their annual Blue Santa event with Valero Energy! My team loves bringing joy to families in need. Joining forces to deliver gifts and smiles—it warms our hearts to be part of this special tradition.

Your safety has always been my #1 priority. Right now my colleagues and I are having a discussion with the City Manager and Chief of Police about creating a University Safety District. I’ll be sure to keep you updated. In the meantime, take a look at the full story below.

City leaders work to reduce crime around college campuses in San Antonio City leaders said they're working to coordinate efforts to reduce crime in areas surrounding college campuses in San Antonio, after concerns are voiced.

This holiday season, my dog Milli and I are here to say don’t litter our City parks! I’m a Grinch against litterbugs.

A brighter, safer tomorrow is ahead!

My team attended a recent meeting discussing the City's streetlight study. Conducted in FY2022 across 3,292 miles, the City found the need for 4,300 lights, of which 194 have been installed.

Homeowners face no installation costs or impacts on their electricity bills, and these lights won't affect property values. Residents can opt-out, if preferred, with no eminent domain needed for easements. With 200-400 lights installed yearly, completing all 4,300 will be a years-long process, but will eventually lead to better things. Residents can view a map of the proposed lights by visiting https://www.sanantonio.gov/DSD/Resources/Streetlights.

Last week, my team and I had the privilege of joining the Crownridge HOA meeting. We had an engaging conversation with community members, and here are some of the key concerns voiced by our neighbors:

🚗 Speeding and traffic violations in the Crownridge area.
🔒 Vehicle break-ins reported in and around Crownridge.
🌳 Presence of homeless individuals in the greenbelt surrounding their neighborhood.

Your safety and concerns matter to me, so to address some of this concerns, we also invited our SAFFE Officers who shared valuable insights and information.

If you want our team and city departments to be part of the next HOA meeting or have any further concerns, please reach out to our office by calling (210) 207-0943 or emailing us at [email protected]. Your voice makes a difference, and together, we can continue to build a safer, more connected community.

We’re connecting communities and nature with every step! The Huebner Creek Greenway Trails Project is a monumental endeavor fully funded by the City’s 2022 Bond Program, bringing together 1,650 acres of land, 100 miles of completed trails, and an incredible new pedestrian bridge that will cross over Babcock Rd. It also include a new trail from Floyd Curl to Eckhert that will not only link neighborhoods but also pave the way to our future Medical Center Park. A joint effort with Leon Valley ensures its extension in the area, making this an inclusive and expansive project. Get ready to traverse new heights and explore the beauty of our city!

I was thrilled to join the momentous ribbon-cutting at San Antonio Zoo! It's a milestone moment in their growth. Our City loves our Zoo and has invested $40 million in recent years to help transform this cherished place, and by supporting our Zoo, we fuel tourism and our local economy. The new entrance, featuring stunning art crafted by local artists, unveils a gateway to adventure, knowledge, and endless joy for visitors. Kudos to the Zoo team for enriching our community! 🙌

Thrilled to have added local artist Angela N. Weddle's captivating art to my collection! Her poignant drawings powerfully depict the complex challenges faced by urban landscapes, urging us to reflect on our surroundings.

Supporting local artists like Weddle is crucial—her talent and unique perspective challenge norms and redefine the concept of 'home'. Let's champion local art and artists like Angela, whose remarkable journey and powerful creations inspire us all. Learn more about local artists by visiting https://www.getcreativesanantonio.com/Public-Art

Who could resist these little guys? Meow is the puuurrrfect time to consider fostering or adopting a new furry friend. It goes a long way toward supporting our City of San Antonio Animal Care Services and keeping our streets clear of strays. Can you imagine if every one of these kittens found a forever home?

http://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/ACS/Help/Foster

“Somebody had to die in order for this bar to finally be brought to its knees, and that’s the tragedy here…I’m relieved that this business is no longer in operation.”

Thank you to San Antonio Express-News for following up on this story. Our office will continue to monitor for any new developments.

Privat Social Club quietly closed after fatal May shooting Privat Social Club quietly closed this summer after fatal shooting, years of complaints, and failure to pay for its alcohol and rent

This morning I had the opportunity to sit down with the pre-law club at Brandeis High School to talk about some of the biggest issues we are tackling at City Hall.

I always enjoy engaging with San Antonio's future leaders. These students have a bright future ahead of them!

Now that is over, we can go full speed ahead into mode. My ugly sweater and I are ready for the celebrations! Do you think this one can win some contests? In the immortal words of Mr. T, I pity the fool who tries to outdo my sweaters.

Are the holiday blues already getting to you? Why not have some comfort food at Tony G's Soul Food on South Hackberry for ?

From fried catfish to fried chicken and chicken fried steak, there's a southern fried option for everyone. If it's too crowded there, try the Southcross Boulevard location. Do you like jazz? Stop by tomorrow for their weekly Sunday Jazz Brunch starting at 10am!

🛍 Today is Small Business Saturday! 💝 It’s the perfect time to Buy Local San Antonio! The holidays are an easy way to support our local economy and score locally unique gifts! 🎁

When possible, Buy Local, San Antonio!

ℹ www.sanantonio.gov/SBO/Buy-Local-SA

It's tomorrow, and now that we've had our fill of turkey, break the monotony of leftovers with some BBQ at 2M Smokehouse & catering on W.W. White Road. Open Thursday-Sunday, they are among the best in a city filled with BBQ options. They even do group catering and will host a party for you on-site. Check them out next time you're over on the east side of town or just make the trip! It's worth it!

In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, our office will be closed November 23rd-24th. City Hall and most municipal offices will be closed. Public safety and emergency services will remain in operation.

Curbside holiday collection schedule for this week (Nov. 23 - 25 2023)
• Thursday collection slides to Friday
• Friday collection slides to Saturday

For a complete list of City services, go to: https://bit.ly/49PMHKP

Happy Thanksgiving!

With around the corner, I've been putting a spotlight on some small, locally-owned businesses throughout San Antonio this week. Have you ever been to Wild Birds Unlimited on Huebner Road? It's a cute store with everything you could ever need to take care of the bird friends in your backyard. Their bird baths and bird houses would make nice house-warming gifts, and they've even got binoculars and guides for you to start a bird-watching hobby. Swing by and pick something up for yourself or for the nature-lover in your life.

I'm continuing to highlight local businesses in the days leading up to , and I wanted to show some love to one of my favorite locally-owned bakeries in all of San Antonio. There's always so much food to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner, and adding dessert can make things even more stressful. If you find yourself short on time, pick up some pies from Panaderia Jiménez & Coffee Shop on Fredericksburg Road. My staff knows first-hand that Frank Jimenez and his team take the time to ensure every pie is picture-perfect. You can't go wrong with pumpkin, apple, or pecan, but try out the cherry pie sometime!

This Saturday is Small Business Saturday, so this week I wanted to highlight some of my favorite local businesses around San Antonio. We'll kick things off with Penner's, a historic West Commerce clothing store that's been family-owned since 1916. I love their Guayaberas, and their customer service is among the best in the business. There's a reason they've been in business for over 100 years.

The season is officially here! There’s always so much going on and so much to get done before Thanksgiving comes around. Do you already have something special lined up for the big day or are you keeping things simple this year? What are your plans for ?

As an avid fan of libraries, I'm always surprised to hear that people don't realize they offer so much more than books to borrow. Our appointee to the library board, Juspreet Kaur, has a deep connection with libraries that she now shares with her own family. I hope you take the time to read her story and see for yourself how important it is that we support our City of San Antonio libraries. https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/library-free-information-learning-18478659.php

With Thanksgiving around the corner, my team and I served lunch to 150 seniors this week, and we had a blast playing bingo too! Thank you Panaderia Jiménez & Coffee Shop for providing the pies, and to Blue Cares SAPOA Outreach for sponsoring them. I have many things to be thankful for this year, but I’m especially thankful for our seniors and the time I get to spend with them.

My team met with our neighbors alongside SAPD Careers and SAPD Prue SAFFE for coffee and pastries at their Coffee with the Community event. Events like these help us build a stronger bond and community, and a strong community means a safe community. Thank you, SAPD, for taking the time to build community through events like these!

Did you know that District 8 is home to several incredible public art installations, including the Bloom at Eisenhower Park? You can find a map of every public art installation at https://events.getcreativesanantonio.com/public-art/map/. It might be a fun adventure to try to visit them all, but take your time! There are a lot more than you might think.