The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs announced on April 1 that two affordable housing developments in Alice, Texas have had a positive effect on the community. FishPond at Alice and MillPond at Alice, both supported by competitive housing tax credit awards, were cited as improving local housing quality and revitalizing properties in need of rehabilitation.
Affordable housing is a challenge for many rural communities across Texas. The addition of these developments addresses needs related to aging infrastructure and limited funding opportunities for such projects. Mayor Cynthia Carrasco said, “These developments (Fishpond at Alice and Millpond at Alice) have had a positive impact on our community by improving the quality and condition of housing in the area and helping revitalize properties that needed rehabilitation. The improvements have contributed to a stronger sense of pride in the neighborhood and have provided residents with safer, better-maintained places to live. Overall, the investment has helped strengthen the community and support continued growth within our city.”
FishPond at Alice provides 69 units for residents aged 55 or older—67 of which are considered affordable—while MillPond offers 80 fully affordable units through a contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Over $18.5 million was invested into these projects via tax credits awarded between 2021 and 2023.
David Fournier, principal at FishPond Development LLC, described challenges faced during construction: “For FishPond Alice, the biggest challenge was the abatement and demolition of the structure in an infill location,” he said. Regarding MillPond’s rehabilitation work around existing tenants he added: “We also encountered many issues which we did not budget for, including replacement of all sanitary sewer and replacement of a significant amount of termite damaged framing.” Fournier credited strong support from city officials as key to overcoming obstacles: “The City Manager, Mayor, Council and all City staff have been incredibly supportive…the city was thrilled for the rehab.” He also noted changing conditions make rural development more difficult today than it was over a decade ago.
According to Mayor Carrasco: “When communities have adequate affordable housing options, it supports economic stability, workforce retention, and overall quality of life for residents.” Information about applying or searching for similar properties is available through TDHCA’s Help for Texans online resource.
