In his recent book, The Affordable City, Shane Phillips outlines a comprehensive, three-pronged strategy designed to address pressing housing crises in urban environments. Phillips emphasizes the necessity of pursuing supply, stability, and subsidy simultaneously, advocating that a holistic framework is essential to successfully resolve affordability issues.
The emphasis on producing more affordable housing units has been a long-standing approach in urban planning. However, Phillips cautions that an overemphasis on production alone poses risks for sustainable growth if it isn’t paired with efforts focused on stability and subsidies.
Rather than merely increasing housing units indiscriminately, a well-rounded approach that incorporates all three elements is critical for laying the groundwork for a thriving affordable city.
The evolving landscape around housing has made it a central topic of discussion in recent years. Ten years ago, affordable housing was not at the forefront of community dialogues, and many neighborhoods in Dallas benefitted from a stock of naturally occurring affordable housing options. As areas like West Dallas and South Dallas began to recover from depressed land values, strategic subsidies were implemented to help bridge the gap between market rates and development costs.
However, the pressing need for affordable housing is now widely recognized, a reflection of a more mature and engaged urban ecosystem.
Various stakeholders have begun to actively participate in housing advocacy and policy discussions. The Dallas Fort Worth Regional Housing Consortium is a coalition that focuses on promoting effective housing policies while conducting necessary research and education. Meanwhile, grassroots efforts from entities like the Dallas Housing Coalition have succeeded in amplifying diverse voices within this essential conversation.
In August, the Greater Dallas Planning Council initiated a housing program aimed at fostering collaboration between industry professionals to leverage their expertise on the matter.
City leadership in Dallas has also made strides, announcing a restructuring within the housing department aimed at enhancing operational efficiency.
Even suburban municipalities, such as Farmers Branch, are taking innovative approaches to address workforce housing, utilizing city-owned land for development initiatives.
The increased involvement by philanthropic organizations, particularly with the Communities Foundation of Texas pledging to enhance their investments in housing, signals a positive trend toward addressing the complex layers of supply, stability, and subsidy in the housing sector.
While this progress inspires hope, professionals in the field must strive to maintain a holistic perspective on housing issues. Disagreement over strategies may exist, but it’s essential to come together on the indispensable need for diversity in housing options.
This sentiment was notably highlighted in the controversy surrounding the Forward Dallas plan, where neighborhood groups and housing practitioners found themselves at odds over density versus neighborhood preservation. Recognizing that both aspects can coexist is vital for moving forward.
A more balanced approach necessitates capitalizing on existing housing stability, such as preserving the lifetime of naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH). For instance, assisting a senior citizen to repair their roof in order for them to age in place illustrates how current housing stock can be prioritized over new developments, which ultimately serves as a more effective use of subsidies.
The location of density also remains an important consideration; insufficient density in prime areas can lead to missed opportunities for the community just as poorly placed density can hamper overall development. The interconnectedness of housing solutions is paramount, as various elements depend on one another to succeed.
Practitioners must operate within a comprehensive framework that prioritizes neighborhood preservation and growth. An imbalance in this approach can lead to tensions among affected stakeholders.
Recent developments, like the Resource Center’s Oak Lawn Place, serve as excellent examples of success in this balanced approach. This fully affordable development, totaling $31 million with 84 units, showcases how multiple public and private funding sources can come together to enhance community stability while increasing housing supply.
CeCe Cox, the CEO of the Resource Center, has exemplified this model through her work on this project, which strategically positions the new units in close proximity to essential services, such as health clinics and public transportation.
Beyond Cox, Randy Bowman’s initiative, AT LAST!, merges housing stability for youth with educational support, further showcasing successful models of integration within the housing ecosystem.
Across Dallas, various nonprofits and religious organizations are exploring how to effectively utilize their land and resources to address unique community housing needs. This localized response allows for targeted resource allocation and fewer bureaucratic obstacles.
Conversations around housing issues can sometimes bring about frustration, as exemplified by dinner discussions with Suzanne Smith, a national nonprofit expert. In reflecting on these complex matters, Smith succinctly remarked, “Dallas loves a silver bullet, but there is no singular solution to affordable housing issues. A systems approach, characterized by cross-sector coordination and persistent accountability, is the only way forward.”
To achieve housing success in Dallas, collective actions, innovative ideas, and a very clear focus on collaboration are essential. Aligning with this strategy ensures that all stakeholders can thrive, ultimately leading to a more affordable city.
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