Supporting strategic growth: Housing, retail and cost-effective development

Supporting strategic growth: Housing, retail and cost-effective development

Published 3:00 pm Monday, January 12, 2026

During the past year, residents may have heard us talking about “Growing Victoria”—that is, enhancing Victoria’s amenities and, by extension, our tax base through retail recruitment, small business development, housing and related initiatives. In order to be effective, growth must be also be strategic. In particular, developing with density in mind—using existing structures or developing near existing streets or utilities—helps to ensure the most efficient use of resources and the greatest return on investment.

My department was created to help the City pursue goals related to economic development.

Residents often confuse us with the Victoria Economic Development Corporation, which focuses specifically on attracting employers and creating jobs. Although the City works to support the VEDC in achieving goals; my department focuses more on supporting new and existing businesses and making our community a great place to live, work and play.

We often hear from residents who are eager to see a particular restaurant or entertainment spot come to Victoria. Although we don’t control which businesses come here, an important part of my job is marketing Victoria to developers. As an example, Victoria Village (the collection of new storefronts being built near Kohl’s) came about through a conversation at a conference with the developer who owns the land. The businesses that open there will be determined by the free market, but regardless of what businesses may come, we are looking forward to having more options for dining and shopping locally, as well as the tax revenue that this development will bring.

With all this talk of popular chains and franchises, it is important to remember that small businesses — of which we have more than 3,000 and counting — are the foundation of commercial industry in Victoria.

My department supports small business owners by connecting them with resources and helping them navigate permitting, redevelopment and other stages of their journey. We are in the process of adding a new business retention & expansion manager, who will help to build greater collaboration between the City, business owners and local partners such as Texas A&M University-Victoria and the Chamber of Commerce.

 Loading …

Housing development is another key part of growing Victoria. Recently, my department has been focused on preparing unused City-owned properties for private redevelopment. For example, we will soon begin seeking builders for single-family homes at the site of a former water treatment facility on Pine Street, and we are also exploring the possibility of a mixed-use development downtown near the Street of Ten Friends sign.

Both of these properties are located near streets and utility lines, making them cost-effective options for residential development. When we support private development in this manner, our community reaps the benefits of new housing, new value on our tax rolls and the elimination of maintenance costs for currently dormant properties.

We also provide support and guidance for developers who are pursuing state tax credits for housing developments, such as “Enchanted Gardens” and the forthcoming “FishPond at Victoria” and “The Victorian,” two apartment complexes designed to serve our senior resident and with rooms set aside for those with limited income.

Housing—especially for our most vulnerable residents—is a crucial resource with a complex development process, and supporting these and other private developments is key to expanding our community’s housing options in a fiscally responsible manner.

2026 will be a year of building our intentional growth strategy and forging stronger community partnerships as we seek to bring more people on board with the “Growing Victoria” mission. I am looking forward to sharing even more exciting updates about how we are making this mission a reality.

In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about my department or if you are seeking business-related support, visit www.growingvictoriatx.com.