Image: APA Texas
Vacancy to Vitality, a research initiative led by Ian Caine and the Center for Urban and Regional Planning Research at UT San Antonio, received the 2026 Publication of the Year Award from the American Planning Association Texas Chapter Central and Southwest Sections.
The project examines how San Antonio can accommodate future population growth within its existing urban footprint by converting vacant and underutilized land along the city’s planned rapid-transit corridors into multifamily housing.
The award recognizes the work of an interdisciplinary team, including Wei Zhai, Gabriel Díaz Montemayor, Huanchun Huang, Esteban López Ochoa, Rudy Niño, and Christine Quattro. Additionally, student researchers Meesha Afkami, Andrea Albarrán Montes, Eduardo Lopez, Sergio Martinez, Sajida Noor, and Angel Villalobos made significant contributions.
Special thanks to the SOM Foundation, the City of San Antonio, the San Antonio Area Foundation, and the San Antonio Public Library for supporting the research!
The award was presented on August 28, 2026, in San Marcos, Texas.