Dallas County, city partner to provide supportive housing in Lake Highlands

In early June, the Dallas County Commissioners Court voted to contribute $3 million in funding from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds to the housing project. The city’s additional funding will allow St. Jude Inc. to acquire the property at 9019 Vantage Point Drive.

The backstory

The property site currently houses an Extended Stay America, a hotel that was designated a habitual crime property by the Dallas Police Department in 2022. Plans to rezone the property and replace the hotel with new housing options have been in the works since 2022, but the city faced opposition from community members and nearby property owners who voiced concerns about the hotel’s ownership.

After months of delays, the project moved forward in May when Dallas City Council voted to rezone the property to host multifamily housing.

The details

St. Jude Center Vantage Point will offer 132 housing units for people experiencing homelessness, according to meeting documents. The housing will be paired with “intensive casework to get at and resolve the root causes of homelessness.”

All 132 units will be deed restricted for 15 years, requiring them to provide affordable housing for low-income residents. Thirty percent of the units will be reserved for residents who earn a household income of 30% or less of the area’s median income, 40% will be reserved for those who make 60% or less of the AMI, and 30% will be reserved for those who make 80% or less.

What’s next

Under the interlocal agreement, St. Jude Inc. is required to purchase the property and begin supportive housing services by Sept. 30, 2024.

St. Jude Inc. Treasurer Joe Dingman said in late May that the organization plans to purchase the property in late summer and open the new facility in early 2024.