about

El Cenizo is located seventeen miles from Laredo adjacent to the Rio Grande River in a rural setting surrounded by cacti, mesquite trees, and the Cenizo shrubs, from which the town received its name. It consists of 921 lots on 306 acres. Standard Realty Investors initiated the El Cenizo development in 1983 and most residents moved there after 1985.

After several years of legal problems and bankruptcy, D&A Realty, an enterprise with which the original developer was associated, purchased Standard Realty's holdings. Quarter-acre lots were sold for $50 down and $85 a month on contract for deeds that would be paid in full in less than 10 years. Although the developer argued that these flexible purchase arrangements responded to the somewhat precarious financial situation of residents, often the contracts became negatively amortized and the debt grew each month.

El Cenizo was marketed to residents of Laredo unable to find affordable housing in Laredo. The developer promised adequate infrastructure would be built in the future. Failure to provide a wastewater facility on a timely basis led to lawsuits brought by local residents, with assistance from Texas Rural Legal Aid (TRLA), and D&A Realty was ordered to establish a trust fund that would finance the construction of a sewer plant. Completed in 1988, the plant failed to meet building and environmental standards and was found to pollute the Rio Grande. The community voted to incorporate as a general law city in August 29, 1989.

Demographics

El Cenizo, Texas
El Cenizo is a city located in Webb County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,545.

Geography
El Cenizo is located at 27°19'42" North, 99°29'48" West (27.328442, -99.496658)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 km² (0.5 mi²). 1.3 km² (0.5 mi²) of it is land and 1.89% is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 3,545 people, 730 households, and 680 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,683.8/km² (6,919.6/mi²). There are 811 housing units at an average density of 614.0/km² (1,583.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 80.73% White, 0.28% African American, 1.07% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 14.67% from other races, and 3.19% from two or more races. 98.90% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 730 households out of which 72.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.8% are married couples living together, 19.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 6.8% are non-families. 6.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 3.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 4.86 and the average family size is 5.04.

In the city the population is spread out with 48.9% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 10.9% from 45 to 64, and 3.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 18 years. For every 100 females there are 102.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 96.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $13,333, and the median income for a family is $13,438. Males have a median income of $14,200 versus $10,625 for females. The per capita income for the city is $3,610. 68.1% of the population and 66.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 74.3% are under the age of 18 and 60.0% are 65 or older.

Plant of El Cenizo

Cenizo is known as Texas Sage, Purple Sage, Texas Ranger Plant, Barometer Bush, Texas Silverleaf and many other common names. Cenizo grows in abundance on limestone hills, bluffs, in ravines, and on brushlands and dry plains in some parts of the Edwards Plateau, South Texas, Trans-Pecos Texas, and northern Mexico. It has become a favorite xeriscape plant for residential and commercial landscapes. Although the native cenizo is still sold in a few nurseries, varieties of cenizo that are more suitable to landscaping have been developed from selective cuttings of the native species. These varieties include: Green Cloud, White Cloud, Compact, Convent, and Silverado. Cenizo is an evergreen shrub, but in the winter its attractive gray-green foliage will thin out. Its bell-shaped flowers are really what it is known for. Flower colors range from white, pink, purple, lavender, and violet. Some believe that the plant blooms only after a rain; in truth, however, an increase in humidity whether before or after a rain will cause it to bloom.

Geography El Cenizo is located at 27°19'42" North, 99°29'48" West (27.328442, -99.496658)1.

Geography
El Cenizo is located at 27°19'42" North, 99°29'48" West (27.328442, -99.496658)¹.