Quote:
In 2012, HUD tested this theory and implemented this change of policy in the suburbs of Dallas Texas. It worked. Landlords blinded by the lure of government guaranteed rent and higher profits eagerly opened the flood gates and warmly welcomed this expansion of section 8 into their suburbia rentals. These landlords took the bait like a "hungry fat kid" and section 8 spread like a wildfire into all areas of the Metroplex (all 163 zip codes).
This "demonstration project" was designed to improve the quality of life for tenants by integrating them into "safer" neighborhoods with better schooling, economic opportunities and services, however it seems the exact opposite occurred. This improperly regulated flood of imported tenants into a foreign area (Suburbia) corrupted the safe neighborhoods and turned them into crime zones with "unprecedented spikes in rapes, assaults,break-ins and home invasions."On the surface it seems fair and equitable but in practice it seems the collateral damage is the existing residents of these suburban areas who are being subjected to violent crimes via government sanctioned reverse rental "Block Busting".
New area to avoid living nearWozlaw said:
https://lakehighlands.advocatemag.com/2019/08/city-proposes-new-affordable-housing-near-greenville-and-forest/?fbclid=IwAR09-7GJK0yOceCaipEb8tahv84wPYeAi6_C-zENDszWbYm_QREs_Eydza8
Hadn't seen this posted yet, but figured y'all might want to know.
Ol Jock 99 said:
Looks like there were a TON of people there.
The city picks on LH because we are RISD and DISD won't have to deal with the fallout.hatchback said:
That was unpleasant.
I am disappointed with city staff for not better communicating the dates for these four meetings. But a lot of people should have checked their attitude at the door to make the meeting more productive. Also, for the bro-tato d-bag who yelled "why should *we* care about this?" over the crowded room, I hope you can find a little compassion in your heart in the coming days.
I can understand the frustration for the 12000 Greenville site and not continuing to concentrate affordable/transitioning housing in one area of D10, but the city has got to do something about the homelessness issues. I know, I know: everyone is worried about their own property values and crime rates. Dallas, however, can't continue to concentrate low-income housing in certain areas and expect things to improve.
I don't envy the city, though, trying to create 1,000 living units with a $20,000,000 budget over the next 3-5 years. Assuming an average of 750 square feet per unit that comes to $26.67 per SF for construction which is simply impossible. I heard too many people in the back of the room say this was TOO MUCH money. As they mentioned tonight, public-private partnerships are the only way to make this happen.
Even in the meeting they were trying to bury the lead.Quote:
Representatives with Dallas Animal Services tried to open the presentation with plans to add a new adoption center at 12000 Greenville, adjacent to the proposed supportive housing. Lake Highlands residents don't travel to shelters in the city's other corners, and the new center would house 150-200 pets at a time up to 2000 per year. The speaker had a tough time gaining traction.
"Nobody cares," said one attendee. "That's not what we came here to talk about." Attendees clapped and nodded agreement.
From Adam. Emphasis mine.Quote:
Homelessness and affordable housing are challenging issues that impact everyone in our community. I had the opportunity to speak at tonight's meeting with a few citizens currently experiencing homelessness. We are way more alike than we are different. We have a great need in our city for affordable housing options, and we have crime, safety and property management issues that are not adequately being addressed. This turns into issues of fairness, equity and trust.
Tonight I also spoke with a large number of neighbors who don't trust our local government, and I can't blame them. City staff is charged with incredibly difficult jobs and deserve our respect. I was a city staffer for 10 years, so I understand how difficult it can be, but they also must listen to community. They must be transparent. People deserve to be heard and know their opinions make a difference. It feels like city staff doesn't care about what the community is saying, or has already decided they know better than all of us, and that is unacceptable.
I am excited about several of the ideas being worked on and discussed about innovative housing options and would love to support a project that would include high-quality housing with affordable units for workforce, teachers, youth sports and others in need of options that bring people together. We can do this when we listen to community and have honest dialogue.
While I loved that so many people came out tonight, I left the meeting feeling frustrated. I don't want to waste this opportunity. We have $20 million to impact our affordable housing needs. Instead of trying to shove a square peg into a round hole, we should deploy these resources to several projects that can address our huge needs.
As I left tonight, a top-level city staffer told me she talked to enough councilmembers before this project was ever even briefed to our previous council (seven new members now) that she was convinced she had support for this project. Basically, she seems to believe she either doesn't need to listen to the elected representative and our community, or we are simply NIMBY and she knows better. This is why people lose trust in their city government.
I will do my absolute best to represent #ALLinD10, including those in really rough spots. I will continue to look for innovative options and creative projects that could help improve the quality of life for those who need it most. I will hope city staff will start to listen to more of us, but based on what I have heard and experienced at this point, I will do whatever I can to fight against the current plans at 12000 Greenville.
Robert C. Christian said:
Thanks for the added background info. I read the follow up article, which included this fun snippet:Even in the meeting they were trying to bury the lead.Quote:
Representatives with Dallas Animal Services tried to open the presentation with plans to add a new adoption center at 12000 Greenville, adjacent to the proposed supportive housing. Lake Highlands residents don't travel to shelters in the city's other corners, and the new center would house 150-200 pets at a time up to 2000 per year. The speaker had a tough time gaining traction.
"Nobody cares," said one attendee. "That's not what we came here to talk about." Attendees clapped and nodded agreement.
My $0.02....Forest/Greenville is right in the center of the Fed's "Project Safe Neighborhoods". Like a lot of Lake Highlands, you have a very good area (Moss Farm) with a bunch of sketchy apartments next door. And the crime that goes with them. The view (understandably) is that this project will not help the cleanup effort.Quinn said:
People are against this because it will make a borderline area into a bad area? Or because it will spill into a good neighborhood? Both? Lack or transparency with the process?
J.P. 03 said:
Im curious to see whether, if the city gets its way, that Kroger goes from its current status of "Do not go at night" to "Do not go at all." And if that happens, does that push them over the edge to close it? I shudder to think what would go in its place as a lot of businesses seem to be shifting south and east away from that intersection.
Correct.hatchback said:
I was under the impression that the $20 million was for the total 1,000 units to be built over the next 3-5 years and not just for the initial three developments of 110-195 units in Lake Highlands and Old East Dallas.
Wozlaw said:
I think it leads to many of us looking to move elsewhere, which sucks.
That exact thing happened about a year ago. Lady in her motorized wheelchair tried to cross Forest east of Greenville and didn't make it.Deats said:J.P. 03 said:
Im curious to see whether, if the city gets its way, that Kroger goes from its current status of "Do not go at night" to "Do not go at all." And if that happens, does that push them over the edge to close it? I shudder to think what would go in its place as a lot of businesses seem to be shifting south and east away from that intersection.
Walmart wins. Some handicapped person gets killed bc they are driving down Forest from Greenville and get hit by a car.
double aught said:That exact thing happened about a year ago. Lady in her motorized wheelchair tried to cross Forest east of Greenville and didn't make it.Deats said:J.P. 03 said:
Im curious to see whether, if the city gets its way, that Kroger goes from its current status of "Do not go at night" to "Do not go at all." And if that happens, does that push them over the edge to close it? I shudder to think what would go in its place as a lot of businesses seem to be shifting south and east away from that intersection.
Walmart wins. Some handicapped person gets killed bc they are driving down Forest from Greenville and get hit by a car.
This new place will be right down the street from Forest Green Manor, a textbook case on how not to construct public housing.Deats said:Wozlaw said:
I think it leads to many of us looking to move elsewhere, which sucks.
While this sucks, it's just a drop in the LH section 8 bucket. If this causes you to move out of LH, I don't know what you were looking at when you bought here.
