Mendelsohn: ‘We Are Terrible at Developing Property,’ Dallas to Sell 711 S. St. Paul

Members of the Dallas Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee are fired up about long-vacant properties that should have been housing the homeless and one city-owned property that was unintentionally performing that task. 

In a three-hour committee meeting Monday, members of the panel chaired by District 2 Councilman Jesse Moreno recommended that staff proceed with selling  711 S. St. Paul St. 

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“This has been a problematic building and the discussions have already been had around selling it,” Moreno said. “I think this will send a clear message to staff that this is a priority and we need it offloaded as soon as possible.” 

The site was vacated by a nonprofit last fall, reportedly left in pristine condition, and officials discovered in May that the City-owned building was overrun with feces and filth, apparently inhabited by homeless individuals. 

The nonprofit that previously occupied the building politely asked the City of Dallas to keep its name out of their mouths, but officials couldn’t stop themselves during Monday’s meeting.

Recommendation to Sell 711 S. St. Paul 

District 12 Council Member Cara Mendelsohn questioned why the Dallas Real Estate Division wasn’t ready to sell 711 S. St. Paul when it was vacated and returned to the City in October.

“The property has been vacant for three-quarters of a year,” she said. “Why didn’t we have the appraisal done? Why weren’t we ready to go? Why weren’t we ready to act?”

Officials with the Real Estate Division, which falls under Public Works, were not present at the HHS meeting, so a response was not provided. District 13 Councilwoman Gay Donnell Willis said it was premature to decide to sell the building before an appraisal is done. 

“We’ve hired a consultant to give us their thoughts,” she said. “We’re talking about selling it before we get our consultant’s advice. I won’t support that and I think it’s premature at this point. All of a sudden we’re like, ‘Sell, sell, sell,’ and we’re just on the brink of understanding more to where we can make the most prudent decision for our taxpayers.” 

District 1 Councilman Chad West said he agreed with Willis but supported it because “it’s such a small piece of ground.” 

“I don’t see this as being something we can master plan away at the city with some long-term 99-year lease revenue situation,” he said. “I think it could be picked up by one of the surrounding property owners and made into something more meaningful.” 

Mendelsohn agreed. 

“We have to admit as a city we are terrible at developing property. We need to let the private market do its job. That’s why we need to sell this property. There is a lot of development that is happening even just across the street. There are people who will be interested in it. Providing the guidance to staff will help it go through quicker.” 

District 12 Dallas City Council Member Cara Mendelsohn

Selling Another Vacant Property?

Councilman Zarin Gracey proposed also selling a building at 2929 Hampton Road in District 3. His motion failed, as Willis pointed out that it was purchased with bond funds and may have special restrictions tied to it. 

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Gracey pleaded with his colleagues to consider selling the Hampton Road property and using the funds to create permanent supportive housing at yet another vacant site at 4150 Independence Drive. Mendelsohn supported the proposal, noting that District 3 residents have made it clear they are not open to the ideas for the Hampton Road site previously suggested by the City Council. 

“The math on this decision is really not that complicated,” Gracey said. “It was purchased with 2017 homeless proposition dollars. To sell that property means we could take that money and focus those dollars on potentially finishing out Independence as well as any other properties that are still lying in wait to be completed. Selling this property will net us more units for permanent supportive housing.” 

The Math Is Not That Complicated

Gracey has held four community meetings and received 325 resident surveys on the Hampton Road site, he said.

“It is a resounding message that they do not want to use this [Hampton Road] property for permanent supportive housing,” he said. “However there are a number of public purpose uses that the community has come up with.” 

Meanwhile, businesses are on the brink of closing on Independence Drive because there are tents in front of stores, Gracey said, noting that problems with homelessness, drugs, and crime have been created during the time the site has not been providing permanent supportive housing. 

“There’s a lot of opportunity to bring a quality of life to this property that’s being missed,” he said. 

Council members discussed the matter further Monday in a meeting of the Government Performance and Financial Management Committee meeting. Assistant City Manager Donzell Gipson provided an update on security measures in place at the St. Paul building and Moreno emphasized again that selling the building is a priority.