SJ Campus Restoration

List of 7 frequently asked questions.

• Does this purchase mean Strake Jesuit will be growing enrollment?

  This acquisition bears the intention of right-sizing our campus to best serve the students we currently have enrolled today. If enrollment ever does grow, this land will be valuable for that future, but it is not a current priority of the school to grow our enrollment.

• From whom was the land purchased?

  The property was purchased from Strake Jesuit past-parents, Mandy Kao and her late-husband William, who generously sold it to us at a price well below its appraised value.
  
  Their three sons graduated from Strake Jesuit: Tyler '18, Ethan '20, and Ashton '23.
  
  William passed away on July 4th of this summer. Please keep the Kao family in your prayers.

• What was the property being used for before its purchase?

  The property has most recently been occupied by the Belara apartment community. We recognize that the acquisition will require the families living there to relocate, and it is our obligation and duty as a Catholic institution to be thinking of these families living at Belara, and supporting them accordingly. 
  
  Strake Jesuit has developed a Transition Assistance Program with input from many people, including the former owners and apartment staff, to assist their forthcoming moves with generosity. 

   

  Texas law does not allow cities to require private property owners to provide relocation assistance to displaced residents. Every element of this program is voluntary.

  • Every household has until January 31 to relocate — nearly five months from the date of sale.
  • Each household receives three months' rent in cash.
  • The final month's rent is waived, so residents have cash in hand during the month they are actually moving.
  • Security deposits are returned in full, regardless of the condition of the apartment, without waiting on an inspection.
  • Property staff are working directly with residents to find their next home.

  Taken together, these measures are intended to do more than simply cover the cost of moving. They are designed to provide residents with meaningful financial resources, additional time, and individualized assistance as they transition to their next home.

• How was the Transition Assistance Plan Developed?

  The development of our Transition Assistance Plan began by looking at relevant data from cities with the highest tenant relocation standards in the country. The assistance offered in our plan meets or exceeds what is required from property owners in almost every circumstance, and unlike most of those programs, it is available to every household at Belara, with no income threshold and no minimum length of residence.
  
  

  We also looked at the research on what makes a move succeed or fail. Two things stood out. The first is that time matters more than almost anything else. Families given only weeks to move often cannot find housing equally ideal to their current situation. The second is that the hardest part is usually not the total cost of moving but its timing: a new security deposit and first month's rent come due before the old deposit is returned, which is precisely when a family has the least cash on hand.
  
  

  The program was built around both findings. Residents have until January 31, nearly five months, and more than four times the notice the lease permits. Three months' rent in cash and a waived final month put money in hand during the month families are actually moving, rather than weeks after. Security deposits are returned in full, without an inspection and regardless of the condition of the apartment, so no one is waiting on us to get their own money back. And property staff who already know these families are working with them directly to find their next home.

• How was this acquisition funded?

  Strake Jesuit is deeply committed to mission-first fundraising. Our mission is not to buy land or build buildings, our mission is, in brief, to form our students into Men for Others. All fundraising efforts are at the service of that one goal. There may come appropriate times to purchase land or build buildings to better facilitate the accomplishment of that goal, but ultimately, our stewardship of our community's generous partnership in our mission means we can be prepared to move on meaningful opportunities, like this one, when they arise. We are deeply grateful for everyone who supports the execution of our mission through their philanthropy.

• How can I participate in this historic occasion?

  This announcement has already begun to prompt incredible generosity from our community, and the ownership of this land will mean big things to come for the Strake Jesuit campus. Anyone who wishes to support our mission to form Men for Others at this crucial moment in our history is encouraged to reach out to our Director of Advancement, Colin Matheny '02.

• Who can I contact with questions?

  Please contact sjcom@strakejesuit.org with any questions.