Dallas Housing Authority Chief MaryAnn Russ Responds to Community Outcry on Oak Lawn Project

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MaryAnn Russ MDHAMaryAnn Russ, President and CEO of the Dallas Housing Authority, responded today for our request for comment regarding a meeting between the DHA and community advocates on Tuesday. We published a story Thursday about the public outcry over the Oak Lawn DHA project set for Kings Road, citing a letter sent from advocates running the Rezoning DHA website.

Jump for the letter in its entirety.

We understand that many neighbors have concerns about DHA’s development of the site we own between Kings, Hawthorne, Hartford and Fairmont, but we believe that our customers and clients – low income families, seniors and individuals with disabilities – need and deserve to live in good neighborhoods just as higher income people do.

We have owned this site longer than anyone who is distressed by our proposed development has been in the neighborhood.  The improvements in the area began while the site was still fully occupied.  We believe that by very careful screening of applicants and strict property management, we can retain the positive aspects of this fine area.

The site cannot be used for anything except affordable housing under the terms of current Federal laws and regulations and the need for additional housing for our client base is very great.

I am sorry we cannot give you news you would like better.

MaryAnn Russ

Joanna England is the Executive Editor at CandysDirt.com and covers the North Texas housing market.

5 Comments

  1. […] published an unedited statement from Dallas Housing Authority President and CEO MaryAnn Russ on Friday, in which she said that DHA clients have just as much right as nearby residents to live in an […]

  2. […] published an unedited statement from Dallas Housing Authority President and CEO MaryAnn Russ on Friday, in which she said that DHA clients have just as much right as nearby residents to live in an […]

  3. dallas housing authority on July 4, 2016 at 3:24 am

    Thanks for sharing.. i like it

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