Laredo Mayor Proposes Tiny Home for Unhoused Veterans at Lafayette

Mayor Dr. Victor Trevino told the City Council that he would allocate mayor’s priority funds to reserve one tiny home for veterans experiencing homelessness at the Lafayette Tiny Homes rental project, located at 3602 Eagle Pass. Trevino presented the proposal at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 17 and noted the Lafayette site already contains nine tiny homes and a community room; city reporting places per-unit cost at about $100,000.

Ordinance No. 2025-O-196 sets the administrative framework for the Lafayette Tiny Homes Rental Housing Project and amends the City of Laredo Municipal Housing Fund FY 2025-2026 annual budget by increasing revenues and expenditures in the amount of $62,100 for operation and maintenance. The ordinance establishes an initial proposed monthly rental fee of $575.00 per unit with a security deposit equal to the first month’s rent, and amends the full-time equivalent listing by adding one Administrative Assistant, Grade 205, and one Building Maintenance Mechanic, Grade 204. The ordinance text notes, "Laredo constructed nine (9) tiny homes and a community room located at 3602 Eagle Pass" and that the rental tiny homes were funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program and must comply with HOME-ARP and HOME program regulations.

The city’s Veterans Affairs Committee reported there are four unhoused veterans in Laredo, and council discussion included a 4- to 6-month contingency: if no veteran applicant is identified within that period, the dedicated unit could be opened to non-veterans. Trevino framed the proposal as a statement of priorities: "By allocating the mayor’s priority funds for one dedicated tiny home specifically for veterans experiencing homelessness or transitional housing needs, we send a clear message. We honor service not just with our words, but with our actions. We recognize that some veterans face housing insecurity after returning to civilian lives."

Community Development Director Tina Rodriguez confirmed that Phase 2 of the Lafayette project would add more homes but currently lacks funding. The ordinance and council materials authorize operation and maintenance spending for the existing nine-unit Phase 1 and establish tenant eligibility consistent with HOME program rules requiring beneficiaries to be low-income, experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness.

What remains unresolved in official records is whether the City Council formally approved a veterans-only designation at the Feb. 17 meeting, the exact timeline for designating or constructing the veterans unit, and the administrative mechanics for transferring mayor’s priority funds to cover the roughly $100,000 unit cost. Ordinance No. 2025-O-196 applies to the FY 2025-2026 Municipal Housing Fund and sets rent and staffing for the Lafayette site, but the expansion in Phase 2 and the veteran-selection process will depend on additional funding and subsequent council or administrative actions.