When it comes to housing the homeless, Dallas County and the City of Dallas are putting their money where their mouths are and bringing more housing units to the area.
Officials have issued a request for proposals on the remodel of a former extended-stay hotel. The project, which uses bond funds and federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act, is slated to become affordable housing and permanent supportive housing (PSH) for those experiencing chronic homelessness. The property is located within Dallas City Council District 8 and borders Interstate 20 near South Westmoreland.
It’s a good start in chipping away at the massive number of unhoused people, a number that has doubled since 2020. The development will include 108 units, 20 percent of which are affordable housing, with the remainder designated permanent supportive housing with intensive care and wraparound services.
The city-owned property at 4150 Independence Drive was previously operated as a TownHouse Suites extended-stay hotel.
Officials with the Office of Homeless Solutions say they expect to award a contract for the project in April 2023.
The city’s role in the project includes procurement for the design and construction and administration of construction improvements. Dallas County is slated to contribute $6.5 million from American Rescue Plan Act funds and provide input on specifications for the administration of construction improvements.
Why Permanent Supportive Housing?
Christine Crossley, Office of Homeless Solutions director, said permanent supportive housing is a valuable, evidence-based model proven to be the most successful intervention for individuals who have long-term health conditions, including the homeless population.
“Research has shown that 80 to 90 percent of tenants in PSH remain stably housed over the long term by combining affordable housing with wraparound supportive services,” Crossley told Daltxrealestate.com. “The City of Dallas is partnering with the All Neighbors Coalition [the local Continuum of Care] in an effort to rapidly expand PSH and ensure all new units coming online within the next year are paired with rental assistance to ensure units remain affordable and comprehensive healthcare including wraparound supportive services.”
PSH also improves health outcomes and reduces utilization of costly systems like emergency healthcare and corrections, Crossley added.
We reached out to District 8 Dallas City Councilman Tennell Atkins regarding the project, but did hear back by deadline.
A Critical Shortage of Affordable Housing
There’s no doubt Dallas is experiencing a shortage of housing and a specific need for housing affordability.
Leon Holman, a Dallas resident, spoke before the city council last week on the need for more housing.
“Dallas has a housing shortage of approximately 20,000 units,” he said. “Since the [Comprehensive Housing Policy] was created in 2018, I haven’t seen any legislative initiatives to create the needed housing. The city has placed on a ballot a $1.5 billion bond referendum for redoing Kay Bailey Hutchison [Convention Center] and Fair Park, which are desperately needed, but we also need housing.”
The upgrades at Fair Park and the convention center will be funded through an increase in hotel occupancy taxes, a revenue stream earmarked for specific uses.
Dallas has, since 2017, committed $17.5 million in bond funds for projects including the Independence Drive redevelopment. The $20 million bond allocation also designates funds for homeless assistance facilities on Hampton Road, Fort Worth Avenue, and the St. Jude Center-Park Central Project.
“I came to Dallas originally in 2006 because I was homeless,” Holman said. “I was able to get housing, and now I’m a Ph.D. candidate. Housing is essential to enable people who are trying to make themselves into productive citizens.”
Holman advocated for housing south of Interstate 30, another hot topic among the Dallas City Council members in recent months.
“Since I’ve been here I’ve never seen a development of any magnitude in that sector,” Holman said. “Housing is desperately needed there. I would appreciate it if the council could look seriously into this and enact some kind of policy so we can move forward with equity and equality. Let’s do the right thing.”
Using Rental Stock to Address Homelessness
While PSH is acknowledged as a leading intervention method, growth in stock has not kept pace with the local need, city officials say.
“As such, the City of Dallas as a member of the Homeless Collaborative of Dallas and Collin Counties is participating in an effort to rapidly expand PSH inventory,” the RFP states.
The Homeless Collaborative aims to bring online approximately 2,000 PSH units over five years using the acquisition, development, rehabilitation, and conversion of existing market rental units.
The 23-page RFP outlines requirements for the developer, including compliance with housing quality standards and PSH design standards.
The RFP for the project is posted online. An in-person and virtual meeting is set for 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15, at Council District 8 Community Office Auditorium, 3624 Simpson Stuart Road. All interested general contractors are encouraged to attend.
Proposals are due by Wednesday, Dec. 28.
