As promised a couple of days ago, here's an essay by Dallas Observer columnist, Jim Schutze worthy of your consideration. I'd love to hear from anyone who is better informed on this than I. Anyone with a differnt understanding would be welcome to argue with the essay.
City Hall's Desire For A Fancy Downtown (Without Too Many Poor People) Costs Developers $30 Million
By Jim Schutze Thursday, May 6 2010
Don Hill, the Dallas City Council member recently sent to federal prison for 18 years for bribery and corruption, didn't use a baseball bat on people.
He was a lawyer. He used parliamentary procedure.
The table, I call it. Hill knew developers always have a clock ticking—money sifting away like sand in an hourglass—so he tabled their issues at council, and re-tabled, and re-tabled until he got his way.
Hill got sent away. The table is still with us.
Take the curious case of Curtis Lockey, Craig MacKenzie and the LTV Tower 1600 Pacific Avenue building. Lockey and MacKenzie, who have long, serious résumés as commercial developers, tried to do a redevelopment deal that would conform to federal law.
But the people running downtown Dallas don't want developers to comply with federal law. Federal law requires a lot of low-income housing. Dallas wants fancier things downtown.
So Lockey and Mackenzie got tabled. They tell me the table cost them $30 million. Cash. Dead presidents.
To keep reading click here.
Showing posts with label Dallas urban poor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dallas urban poor. Show all posts
Friday, May 21, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Poor folks Downtown?
Are poor people welcome in Downtown Dallas?
Great question.
My office sits on the 3rd floor of our newly redone building at 511 N. Akard on the Arts District side of Downtown Dallas. It is also going to be home to over 200 low-income persons. So, since they live here, it's hard to say that poor people aren't welcome in Downtown. We had help getting the development done, including help from the City of Dallas. We're grateful for the partnership.
That said, it is clear to me that many people don't believe low-income folks can contribute anything positive to the revitalization of the central core of our city. We've heard and received various expressions of concern and opposition to our City Walk project. While the city's housing department helped us with the development by providing funds and counsel, compared to city support provided developments of upscale projects, what we received reflects the city's priorities about workforce and permanent supportive housing in the Downtown area. Poor folks and their housing needs just aren't high on the city's list.
Consider: less than 1/10 of 1% of the general revenue operating budget for the City of Dallas goes to the Housing Department. Most of those funds pay salaries and support specialized programs. The city doesn't have a robust, adequately funded strategy for the development of affordable housing or permanent supportive housing. The bulk of the development funds flowing from the city to developers comes from the federal and state governments. Our local commitment to addressing the problem is anemic.
What to do?
One: begin a stairstep increase in the Housing Department's allocation from 1/10 of 1% to a full 1% over a 5 year period. This would allow the department to implement an effective plan over 60 months as funds rose gradually.
Two: craft, support and pass a bond issue to create a City of Dallas Housing Trust Fund of $50 million in the next bond election, hopefully no later than 2011. Such a trust fund would ensure the availability of resources for developers committed to building affordable housing and permanent supportive housing (PSH) for low-income residents of Dallas. Once established, at least 30% of the fund's earnings should be earmarked for PSH.
Great question.
My office sits on the 3rd floor of our newly redone building at 511 N. Akard on the Arts District side of Downtown Dallas. It is also going to be home to over 200 low-income persons. So, since they live here, it's hard to say that poor people aren't welcome in Downtown. We had help getting the development done, including help from the City of Dallas. We're grateful for the partnership.
That said, it is clear to me that many people don't believe low-income folks can contribute anything positive to the revitalization of the central core of our city. We've heard and received various expressions of concern and opposition to our City Walk project. While the city's housing department helped us with the development by providing funds and counsel, compared to city support provided developments of upscale projects, what we received reflects the city's priorities about workforce and permanent supportive housing in the Downtown area. Poor folks and their housing needs just aren't high on the city's list.
Consider: less than 1/10 of 1% of the general revenue operating budget for the City of Dallas goes to the Housing Department. Most of those funds pay salaries and support specialized programs. The city doesn't have a robust, adequately funded strategy for the development of affordable housing or permanent supportive housing. The bulk of the development funds flowing from the city to developers comes from the federal and state governments. Our local commitment to addressing the problem is anemic.
What to do?
One: begin a stairstep increase in the Housing Department's allocation from 1/10 of 1% to a full 1% over a 5 year period. This would allow the department to implement an effective plan over 60 months as funds rose gradually.
Two: craft, support and pass a bond issue to create a City of Dallas Housing Trust Fund of $50 million in the next bond election, hopefully no later than 2011. Such a trust fund would ensure the availability of resources for developers committed to building affordable housing and permanent supportive housing (PSH) for low-income residents of Dallas. Once established, at least 30% of the fund's earnings should be earmarked for PSH.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Reflections on "the game" as Spring Training 2010 begins. . .(Part 2)
[What follows is a continuation of the post from yesterday.]
The following week when I arrived at John's house to pick him up for an early morning game, he came to the door to inform me he didn't want to play. When I asked why, he told me that a cousin was in town and he didn't want to leave him at the house to go to the game. I encouraged him to invite the cousin to come along and help us out in the dugout. On the way to the park John leaned over and thanked me for allowing his guest to join us for the game.
"Coach, I was afraid to leave him at the house. I was afraid if the police came they would arrest him for 'selling' because he is fifteen," John explained. Talk about a heightened sense of personal responsibility: my little twelve-year-old buddy feeling the pressing need to care for his 15-year-old cousin. This is simply John's reality.
John lives at a frightening intersection in our community. From where he stays, not only can John see the most important issues facing our city; he lives with a number of them. Just click down John's list with me for a reality check.
[Return tomorrow for John's "reality list."]
The following week when I arrived at John's house to pick him up for an early morning game, he came to the door to inform me he didn't want to play. When I asked why, he told me that a cousin was in town and he didn't want to leave him at the house to go to the game. I encouraged him to invite the cousin to come along and help us out in the dugout. On the way to the park John leaned over and thanked me for allowing his guest to join us for the game.
"Coach, I was afraid to leave him at the house. I was afraid if the police came they would arrest him for 'selling' because he is fifteen," John explained. Talk about a heightened sense of personal responsibility: my little twelve-year-old buddy feeling the pressing need to care for his 15-year-old cousin. This is simply John's reality.
John lives at a frightening intersection in our community. From where he stays, not only can John see the most important issues facing our city; he lives with a number of them. Just click down John's list with me for a reality check.
[Return tomorrow for John's "reality list."]
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Imagining poverty in Dallas. . .
Working on a committee with Untied Way of Metropolitan Dallas, I picked up these facts of life in wealthy Dallas County:
11% of our households live on less than $10,000 annually
7% of our households live on between $10,001 and $14,999
16% live on annual income of 15,000 to $24,999
14% live on annual household income of $25,000 to $34,999
17% live on annual income of $35,000 to $49,999
15% live on between $50,000 to $74,999
7% live on between %75,000 to $99,999
6 % live on annual household income of between $100,000 and $149,999
3% live on annual income of $150,000 to $199,999
4% live on annual income of more than $200,000
Total residents of Dallas County, Texas as of July 2008: 2,412,827
Number of housing units in 2007: 938,053
Number of households 2000: 807,621
Consider the following definitions of livable wage earnings for Dallas, Plano and Irving, Texas without employer sponsored health insurance:
One adult/no children: $24,057
Two adults/ no children: $34,110
Single parent, one child: $38,644
Single parent, two children: $45,032
Single parent, three children: $59,671
Two parents, one child: $50,138
Two parents, two children: $54,259
Two parents, three children: $70,628
What are the most surprising findings that you notice in these numbers?
.
11% of our households live on less than $10,000 annually
7% of our households live on between $10,001 and $14,999
16% live on annual income of 15,000 to $24,999
14% live on annual household income of $25,000 to $34,999
17% live on annual income of $35,000 to $49,999
15% live on between $50,000 to $74,999
7% live on between %75,000 to $99,999
6 % live on annual household income of between $100,000 and $149,999
3% live on annual income of $150,000 to $199,999
4% live on annual income of more than $200,000
Total residents of Dallas County, Texas as of July 2008: 2,412,827
Number of housing units in 2007: 938,053
Number of households 2000: 807,621
Consider the following definitions of livable wage earnings for Dallas, Plano and Irving, Texas without employer sponsored health insurance:
One adult/no children: $24,057
Two adults/ no children: $34,110
Single parent, one child: $38,644
Single parent, two children: $45,032
Single parent, three children: $59,671
Two parents, one child: $50,138
Two parents, two children: $54,259
Two parents, three children: $70,628
What are the most surprising findings that you notice in these numbers?
.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Hard times
Here are the facts:
From January through June 2008, Central Dallas Ministries worked with 25,542 different individuals and, among other things, distributed 277,056 pounds of groceries and foodstuffs to assist low-income people "make ends meet."
From January through June 2009, CDM worked with 31,100 different individuals and distributed 614,522 pounds of groceries and foodstuffs to assist in the "making ends meet" exercise.
While serving 22% more individuals, pounds of food distributed increased by a whopping 222%!
Our ability to serve so many more people so much more food is the result of our planning last year. Included in these strategic plans was our new working relationship with Crossroads Community Services, an urban ministry of First United Methodist Church, located in Downtown. Thanks to our collaboration, we've been able to raise more funds coordinating our work than we could have acting only on our own.
The food we provide families today is of a much higher quality than at any time in our history. The new approach kicked into gear at just the right time.
Still, we face a real challenge to sustain the effort at the current level.
More people needing our support.
More food available to support our neighbors.
More funds must be found to continue.
If you'd like to join our food security team, send your contributions to: Central Dallas Ministries, c/o Central Dallas Ministries, P. O. Box 710385, Dallas, TX 75371-0385.
From January through June 2008, Central Dallas Ministries worked with 25,542 different individuals and, among other things, distributed 277,056 pounds of groceries and foodstuffs to assist low-income people "make ends meet."
From January through June 2009, CDM worked with 31,100 different individuals and distributed 614,522 pounds of groceries and foodstuffs to assist in the "making ends meet" exercise.
While serving 22% more individuals, pounds of food distributed increased by a whopping 222%!
Our ability to serve so many more people so much more food is the result of our planning last year. Included in these strategic plans was our new working relationship with Crossroads Community Services, an urban ministry of First United Methodist Church, located in Downtown. Thanks to our collaboration, we've been able to raise more funds coordinating our work than we could have acting only on our own.
The food we provide families today is of a much higher quality than at any time in our history. The new approach kicked into gear at just the right time.
Still, we face a real challenge to sustain the effort at the current level.
More people needing our support.
More food available to support our neighbors.
More funds must be found to continue.
If you'd like to join our food security team, send your contributions to: Central Dallas Ministries, c/o Central Dallas Ministries, P. O. Box 710385, Dallas, TX 75371-0385.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Poverty in very wealthy Dallas, Texas region
Every year the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas conducts and publishes a very useful and enlightening "Community Needs Assessment" for its four-county service region (Dallas, Collin, Rockwall and Denton). What follows are some important and revealing "tidbits" that I've lifted out of one version of the report.
Consider. . .
Consider. . .
- Shortly after 2025, Hispanics will be the majority population group in the region.
- By 2040 just under 70% of children under 5-years-old will be Hispanic.
- Basically the same reality will be the case in every other age grouping until the 50-54-year-old group.
- By 2040 the only majority white age group will be the 65+ crowd.
- In Dallas County the population grew at less than 5% between 200-2007, while the numbers living in poverty grew by oer 30%.
- In Collin County (Plano, Texas) the population grew by over 40%, but those living in poverty increased by 100%!
- For the entire region the population grew by 16% while those living in poverty shot up 41%.
- In 2007, 1 of 4 families (26%) with children under 18 residing in Dallas County live in poverty--higher than the state average of 1 in 5.
- In Dallas County, 23.27% of whites, 23.32% of Hispanics, 24.01% of blacks and 10.83% of Asians live in poverty.
- In 2007, 45% of renters in Dallas County were spending more than 30% of monthly income on housing, the recognized national benchmark of the expected cost of an affordable home.
- In 2006, the annual household income required to afford a 2-bedroom apartment at fair market rent (FMR) for our region was $31,920--or the income from 3 minimum wage jobs.
- In Dallas County from 2005-2007, 33.9% of the working families are classified as "lower-income" and 40% lived at or below 200% of poverty.
The Dallas and Plano and Frisco that most people know is very different compared to the same communities that thousands of our neighbors experience every day.
.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Dallas and the new HAC
Almost two years ago now, Dallas voters approved a city bond package that provided almost $24 million for the development of a new "homeless assistance center" (now known as the HAC).The funds also provided for the development of much-needed permanent housing in the form of studio apartments or single room occupancy (SRO) units.
Central Dallas Community Development Corporation received a commitment of $1 million for this purpose from this same fund. We are now in the process of developing 209 units of Downtown housing due, in part, to these funds. We are most grateful for our partnership with the City of Dallas.
We are also proud of the progress the city has made in regard to the HAC.
Dallas homeless Czar, Mike Rawlings, has done a phenomenal job of pulling everyone together to see the project through to this stage of its development. Groundbreaking for the HAC took place on February 27.
Thanks to Mike's leadership, the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA) Board of Directors has been reorganized and now serves as the governing body for the HAC.
Among the Board's first official actions was the hiring of Mike Faenza as our new Executive Director for the HAC and MDHA. Mike returns to Dallas after serving for several years as the leader of the National Mental Health Association in Washington, DC. A number of years ago Mike served as the executive leader for the Dallas Mental Health Association. We are very fortunate to have Mike back in Dallas. Already he is making a difference for our homeless neighbors. Mike is a person who really "gets it" when it comes to the very poor among us.
The new center will be a beautiful place. It will serve as a community tool and a place of refuge for regrouping and movement forward for hundreds of homeless men, women and children.
I was very proud of my district's council member, Pauline Medrano who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony. She offered a very helpful reminder when she said:
"HOPE works in these ways:
. . .it looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst,
. . .it discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what can not,
. . .it regards problems, small or large, as opportunities,
. . .it pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit,
. . .it lights the candle instead of cursing the darkness."
Thanks, Ms. Medrano. Of course, you are correct. It is all about hope.
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