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FOX San Antonio - FOLLOW UP STORIES
Housing Study Released On Eagle Ford Shale -- Grace White
Oil that's sparked an economic boom south of San Antonio, but a new study by researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio reveals a need for more housing.
It's lunch hour at this hardware store in Cotulla, but no one's on break, they are busy. "The good lord didn't send us rain he sent us oil, that's been a blessing because the oil paid a lot better than the rain," said Chris Meyer, who owns the ACE Hardware store in Cotulla.
The oil and gas boom is bringing more people to South Texas towns like Cotulla, but housing and infrastructure are still far behind. "They're building 50 houses out here and starting a subdivision, that's supposedly going to be 50 houses, but the economics of the area has never justified it," said Meyer.
U.T.S.A. presented results from a study on housing to help developers learn more about the area. "If you want to build a hotel and get financing for 30 years, how long are you going to rent those rooms out?" said Robert McKinley, U.T.S.A.
The study looked at population in a six counties, Dimmit, Frio, La Salle, Maverick, Webb and Zavala. Right now, there's around 356,000 people. By 2025, they expect that number to rise by almost 100,000 people. Researchers say they will need more housing options to support the growth and the key word is affordable.
"I think it's going to continue growing, but I don't think your gonna see the big 400-500 house subdivision in these areas, just because it's very difficult," said Butch Alanis, a developer. U.T.S.A. researchers recommend more single-family homes and apartments be built in larger communities near drilling sites in cities like Cotulla, Laredo, Dilley, and Pearsall researchers say affordable temporary housing like mobile homes are also needed.
For Meyer, he hopes the challenge of developing a rural area won't keep investors away. "I hope more stability, more long term housing, more recreation, more individuals just being here permanently."
Researchers say more than three-quarters of the hotels studied south of San Antonio were 90 percent booked by people planning to stay for 30 or more days.
Posted by: Grace White
Follow Grace on Twitter @Grace__White and on Facebook
Oil that's sparked an economic boom south of San Antonio, but a new study by researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio reveals a need for more housing.
It's lunch hour at this hardware store in Cotulla, but no one's on break, they are busy. "The good lord didn't send us rain he sent us oil, that's been a blessing because the oil paid a lot better than the rain," said Chris Meyer, who owns the ACE Hardware store in Cotulla.
The oil and gas boom is bringing more people to South Texas towns like Cotulla, but housing and infrastructure are still far behind. "They're building 50 houses out here and starting a subdivision, that's supposedly going to be 50 houses, but the economics of the area has never justified it," said Meyer.
U.T.S.A. presented results from a study on housing to help developers learn more about the area. "If you want to build a hotel and get financing for 30 years, how long are you going to rent those rooms out?" said Robert McKinley, U.T.S.A.
The study looked at population in a six counties, Dimmit, Frio, La Salle, Maverick, Webb and Zavala. Right now, there's around 356,000 people. By 2025, they expect that number to rise by almost 100,000 people. Researchers say they will need more housing options to support the growth and the key word is affordable.
"I think it's going to continue growing, but I don't think your gonna see the big 400-500 house subdivision in these areas, just because it's very difficult," said Butch Alanis, a developer. U.T.S.A. researchers recommend more single-family homes and apartments be built in larger communities near drilling sites in cities like Cotulla, Laredo, Dilley, and Pearsall researchers say affordable temporary housing like mobile homes are also needed.
For Meyer, he hopes the challenge of developing a rural area won't keep investors away. "I hope more stability, more long term housing, more recreation, more individuals just being here permanently."
Researchers say more than three-quarters of the hotels studied south of San Antonio were 90 percent booked by people planning to stay for 30 or more days.
Posted by: Grace White
Follow Grace on Twitter @Grace__White and on Facebook
TEXAS NEWS
Manson disciple's tapes being analyzed by LAPD
May 23, 2013 21:44 GMT
By TAMI ABDOLLAH Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Los Angeles police have obtained the decades-old taped conversations between a Manson family disciple and his attorney.
Detective David Holmes says the department has had the tapes for a couple of weeks and Robbery-Homicide Division and the Los Angeles County district attorney's office are analyzing them.
A federal judge ruled in March that Charles "Tex" Watson waived his right to attorney-client privilege when he allowed his lawyer to sell the eight cassette tapes to an author nearly 40 years ago for a book on his life.
The tapes are being reviewed to determine whether there's evidence that could resolve unsolved murders.
Watson is serving a life sentence for his role in the 1969 murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others. He sought to prevent turnover of the tapes.
FOLLOW UP STORIES LIST
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TEXAS HEADLINES
Manson disciple's tapes being analyzed by LAPD
Ex-police officer gets prison for abusing suspect
Police: Man fatally shot was Mexican attorney
Gun measure triggers Republican fight in House
Deputy shot by Colo. suspect to return to work
Texas has 8 of top 15 fastest-growing cities in US
Texas cities among fastest-growing in US
Federal indictment in real estate investment scam
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BUSINESS NEWS
Bernanke signals Fed to maintain stimulus efforts
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Chairman Ben Bernanke is telling Congress that the U.S. job market remains weak and that it is too soon for the Federal Reserve to end its extraordinary stimulus programs.
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AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- When the Dow first crossed 14,000, investors were overjoyed. ...
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LAKELAND, Minn. (AP) -- High school student Zach Sobiech (SOH'-bee-eck) says he wanted to be remembered as "a kid who went down fighting and didn't really lose."
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LAS VEGAS (AP) -- David Cooper wants to bring a little more sin -- to Sin City.
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