Henry Cisneros, founder and chairman of CityView; former mayor of San Antonio 1981-1989.

This piece ws originally published in the San Antonio Report. The photo is by Al Rendon, the words are by Henry Cisneros.

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Great cities need a mix of housing types. While the city needs to be attentive to its economic and fiscal realities, it also needs to provide housing for its workers and create the richness that comes from a vibrant streetscape. Cities have to be attentive to include housing along with commercial and retail and then to make sure there is a mix of incomes. That adds to the sense of vibrancy, it makes the city more livable, it supports amenities, and creates a city where people can perform all of the functions a city should have: places where people live, work, learn, gather and govern themselves. That ought to be the goal of creating a truly inclusive and vibrant city.