1-1                                     1                                  
 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 471
 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas takes great
 1-4     pride in recognizing EL PARAISO, a low-income housing community
 1-5     for the elderly located in the City of Corpus Christi, on the grand
 1-6     occasion of its 10th anniversary, which is being celebrated on
 1-7     March 17, 2001; and
 1-8           WHEREAS, EL PARAISO was conceived of by the late
 1-9     Mr. Blas Pedro Avila, who in 1989 began looking for ways to finance
1-10     housing for low-income elderly persons; Mr. Avila is credited with
1-11     securing the grant approval from the federal government to fund the
1-12     project; and
1-13           WHEREAS, The fulfillment of Mr. Avila's dream came true
1-14     on April 10, 1990, when a groundbreaking ceremony was held; his
1-15     refusal to be overwhelmed by difficulties had resulted in a
1-16     $1.8 million federal grant to build 40 units of low-income housing
1-17     for the elderly in Corpus Christi; and
1-18           WHEREAS, The dedication ceremony for EL PARAISO
1-19     took place on March 22, 1991, and since that time almost 200
1-20     families have been housed; the housing project's first resident,
1-21     Mrs. Catalina Garcia, is still a resident today; and
 2-1           WHEREAS, EL PARAISO is an exceptional accomplishment
 2-2     and is the result of the perseverance and hard work of numerous
 2-3     individuals who united for the purpose of helping senior citizens;
 2-4     since it opened in 1991, EL PARAISO has continued to hold an
 2-5     impressive 98 to 100 percent occupancy level and is a major asset
 2-6     to the elderly in the Corpus Christi community; and
 2-7           WHEREAS, Along with establishing a low-income housing
 2-8     community for the elderly, Mr. Avila served as president of the
 2-9     Nueces County Senior Citizens, a group organized in 1972 by the
2-10     late Deciderio B. Saavedra, the group's first president; in 1989,
2-11     Mr. Avila became chairman of the Nueces County Housing Assistance
2-12     Corporation, where he served until his untimely death in 1993; the
2-13     late Commissioner David Berlanga, Sr., continued Mr. Avila's work
2-14     until the election of Carlos Valdez, the corporation's present
2-15     chairman; and
2-16           WHEREAS, The 10th anniversary celebration of EL PARAISO
2-17     is dedicated to the memory of Blas Avila and David Berlanga, Sr.,
2-18     who gave so generously of their time and energy on behalf of the
2-19     senior citizens of Nueces County; now, therefore, be it
2-20           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,
2-21     77th Legislature, hereby express appreciation to all who were
2-22     responsible for the establishment of EL PARAISO and extend
2-23     best wishes to those attending the project's 10th anniversary
2-24     celebration; and, be it further
 3-1           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be
 3-2     prepared for EL PARAISO and for the families of Blas Avila and
 3-3     David Berlanga, Sr., as an expression of esteem from the
 3-4     Texas Senate.
 3-5                                                    Truan
 3-6           Armbrister           Gallegos            Ogden
 3-7           Barrientos           Harris              Shapiro
 3-8           Bernsen              Haywood             Shapleigh
 3-9           Bivins               Jackson             Sibley
3-10           Brown                Lindsay             Staples
3-11           Cain                 Lucio               Van de Putte
3-12           Carona               Madla               Wentworth
3-13           Duncan               Moncrief            West
3-14           Ellis                Nelson              Whitmire
3-15           Fraser                                   Zaffirini
3-16                      Ratliff, President of the Senate
3-17                                  ______________________________________
3-18                                          President of the Senate
3-19                                       I hereby certify that the above
3-20                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate
3-21                                  on March 14, 2001.
3-22                                  ______________________________________
3-23                                          Secretary of the Senate
3-24                                  ______________________________________
3-25                                            Dean of the Senate