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