Ten Dallas Bond Propositions to be Decided Saturday, Housing Advocates Rally Support
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Dallas voters will decide Saturday on the biggest bond package in city history, a $1.25 billion measure that pledges funds for parks, streets, storm drainage, economic development, homelessness, housing, and more.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Find your polling place here.
Ten Bond Propositions
A bond brochure distributed by the City’s Bond and Construction Management Office outlines each of the 10 propositions.
Here’s what’s on the ballot:
Proposition A — Streets and Transportation: $521.2 million. If passed, Proposition A would fund the construction of, repair to, and land purchase for roads, bridges, sidewalks, traffic signals, safety projects, and railroad crossing noise reduction.
Proposition B — Parks and Recreation: $345.27 million. If passed, Proposition B would fund the construction of, repair to, and land purchase for parks, recreation centers, trails, specialty parks (ex: dog parks, skate parks), athletic fields, a golf center, pedestrian bridges, and playgrounds.
Proposition C — Flood Protection and Storm Drainage: $52.1 million. If passed, Proposition C would fund the construction of, repair to, and land purchase for flood protection, storm drainage, erosion control, and utilities relocation.
Proposition D — Library Facilities: $43.53 million. If passed, Proposition D would fund the construction of, repair to, and land purchase for libraries. The projects may include, but are not limited to the Preston Royal Library and the replacement of the North Oak Cliff Branch and the Park Forest Branch libraries.
Proposition E — Cultural and Performing Arts Facilities: $75.2 million. If passed, Proposition E would fund the construction of, repair to, and land purchase for cultural arts facilities. The project may include, but is not limited to the Oak Cliff Cultural Center, Annette Strauss Square, AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Dallas Museum of Art, Kalita Humphreys Theater, Latino Cultural Center, Majestic Theatre, Meyerson Symphony Center, Moody Performance Hall, Sammons Center for the Arts, Winspear Opera House, Wyly Theatre, South Dallas Cultural Center, and the Bath House Cultural Center.
Proposition F — Public Safety Facilities: $90 million. If passed, Proposition F would fund the construction of, repair to, and land purchase for public safety projects. The projects may include, but are not limited to: the repair of police substations, fire stations, police and fire administrative facilities, and police and fire training facilities. Proposed projects may include but are not limited to the construction of a Police Training Academy, the renovation of Fire Station No. 11, and the replacement of Fire Station No. 43.
Proposition G — Economic Development: $72.3 million. If passed, Proposition G would fund economic development programs pursuant to the City of Dallas Economic Development Incentive Policy, including grants and incentives for commercial, industrial, retail, residential, or mixed-use development, infrastructure development, and land purchase.
Proposition H — Housing: $26.4 million. If passed, Proposition H would fund affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization initiatives, including constructing affordable housing, infrastructure construction, and land purchase.
Proposition I — Homelessness: $19 million. If passed, Proposition I would fund the construction, repair, and land purchase for permanent, supportive, and short-term housing for the homeless.
Proposition J — Information Technology: $5 million. If passed, Proposition J would fund the construction of, repair to, and land purchase for the City’s information technology facilities. The projects may include but are not limited to constructing a City Data Center and improving access control systems, power supply, and fire alarm/life safety systems.
Housing Advocates Rally For Bond Money
Advocates with Dallas Housing Coalition made a final push last week, hosting a “Party at the Polls” advocating for Propositions G, H, and I. Kirk Presley with Ojala Partners, H. Billy Lane and Diane Ragsdale with Innercity Community Development Corporation, and Stacie Morris with The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center were featured speakers at the event.
Bryan Tony, co-founder of Dallas Housing Coalition, told CandysDirt.com that at a cost of $200,000 per unit, it will require more than $6 billion to close the current housing gap.
The Dallas Housing Coalition advocated for an investment of $200 million in the City of Dallas’ 2024 bond program. They didn’t get what they wanted, but they’re continuing to fight over opposition that has claimed there already are numerous funding sources for housing and that the category lacks project specificity.
Ultimately, a total of $82 million across three propositions (G, H, and I) will “enable our city to leverage municipal funding with private investors and other sources of public funding,” Tony said.
“If Propositions G, H, and I are approved, the funding will be leveraged to create over 3,000 housing units according to the Child Poverty Action Lab’s Dallas Housing Calculator,” Tony said. “Dallas’ continued growth and future economic strength directly depend on whether or not our workforce can afford to live here. Without adequate attainable housing, we will continue to lose our population — along with their brain trust and talent — to the suburbs.
“This will ultimately lead to the surrounding areas becoming stronger cities and the hub of DFW could shift, directly impacting where businesses decide to locate, jeopardizing the City of Dallas’ future,” Tony continued. “We urge Dallas residents to handily pass Propositions G, H, and I to reinforce how important having attainable housing options available at a variety of price points is to our future as a city and send a strong message to policymakers that housing and addressing homelessness matter and are worthy of future investments and policy solutions.”
Stay tuned to CandysDirt.com for how each of the propositions fared at the polls and reactions from the community and elected officials.
