Workshops Continue This Week on Dallas Accountability for Housing Equity

If you’ve been critical about the lack of housing stock, the inability to afford rent or a mortgage, or the equity situation in Dallas, now’s your chance to be heard. 

The city is hosting a series of community meetings in all 14 districts to engage the public on accountability for housing equity.

Upcoming meetings include: 

• Tuesday, Sept. 20, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Singing Hills Recreation Center
• Thursday, Sept. 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Martin Weiss Recreation Center
• Saturday, Sept. 24, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at Victory Park Library
• Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Larry Johnson Recreation Center
• Thursday, Sept. 29, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Walnut Hill Recreation Center
• Saturday, Oct. 1, from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (Virtual Community Meeting)

Dallas Accountability for Housing Equity

The accountability program is an effort by the city to “operationalize the 11 strategy recommendations from the equity audit of the 2018 Dallas Comprehensive Housing Plan,” according to a flier issued last week. “A framework of accountability will establish goals, measure progress, and ensure transparency in the development of housing in our city.” 

District 1 Councilman Chad West advertised the meetings in his biweekly newsletter.

“I have not had a chance to deep dive with Housing staff on this initiative, but at the high level, these meetings will collect community feedback and priorities regarding how the city should revise the Comprehensive Housing Policy to be more equitable, inclusive, and expansive,” West said. 

“In most cases, we look at community outreach as a checkpoint rather than a key factor that we incorporate into the design of our products, programs, and policies. We’re looking to make some changes to that.”

DAVID Noguera, Director of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization

Dallas Director of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization David Noguera said the city is engaging consultants with Community Equity Strategies to work on further amending the city’s Comprehensive Housing Policy to meet the 11 strategy recommendations.

“It was intended to drive affordable housing to high-opportunity areas and to provide unrestricted or market-rate units to our high-poverty areas,” Noguera said. “It was also intended to redevelop some of our blighted communities.” 

Community Feedback

The city of Dallas offers a lot of opportunities for public feedback. Some are required by law; some appear to be born from a genuine interest in gauging public support or hearing ideas that might improve an existing plan. There’s a public meeting on the city calendar just about every day of the week. 

But when it comes to the issue of housing, the city is faced with challenges including a lack of market flexibility, compliance constraints, and a lack of community-led strategies, Noguera said during an August meeting of the Housing and Homelessness Task Force. 

Community input is not reflected in project or program designs, he said. Additionally, programs and resources focus on housing production, not neighborhood revitalization. 

“In most cases, we look at community outreach as a checkpoint rather than a key factor that we incorporate into the design of our products, programs, and policies,” he said. “We’re looking to make some changes to that.”