About

As far back as the 1960’s, Alpha Tau Omega Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®  has always advocated for the elderly and for over 40 years our Roseville Apartment Complex has been a visible example to the entire San Antonio community of the chapter’s commitment to serving and honoring our senior citizens. Its initial work began with the creation of the Eastside Senior Citizen’s Center funded with a grant from the Economic Opportunities Development Corporation of San Antonio. The Center, which was located at 715 South Rosary, offered a variety of social services to persons 60 years of age or older, whose income level was within the poverty index at the time.

The Roseville Apartments were a natural extension of Alpha Tau Omega’s commitment and experience working with seniors. The idea for the apartment community was brought to Alpha Tau Omega Chapter on November 6, 1966, which is significant in that the U.S. Congress did not establish the Fair Housing Act (FHA) until 1968. This underscores Alpha Tau Omega’s visionary leadership in working ahead of others to ensure equitable housing for minorities in San Antonio. Alpha Tau Omega members overwhelmingly approved the idea, and a committee was formed to plan and implement the project. The Roseville committee continued to function until July 1, 1970 at which time Roseville Housing Trust of San Antonio was formed.

In 1968, the U.S. Congress enacted the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which prohibited racial discrimination in public and private housing. That same year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) began offering financial support for the construction of low-income housing. This legislation created the pathway for making Alpha Tau Omega’s dream a reality. Members of the chapter met with the local FHA office in 1969 to make an appeal for the construction of the Roseville Apartments at its present location. A grant application was prepared and submitted to HUD for funding. On May 3, 1970, HUD approved a loan for over $1,000,000 to construct the 88-unit (80 1-bedroom/8 2-bedroom) senior citizen community. The groundbreaking ceremony occurred on January 14, 1971, and the first residents began occupying units in the Fall.