Anti-displacement toolbox to be filled in Dallas

In many areas of Dallas, expensive new homes are crowding out affordable older homes. This is also known as gentrification, where the character of a poor urban area is changed by the relocation of wealthier people, usually displacing current residents in the process. Therefore, the City of Dallas is developing an “Anti-Displacement Toolkit” to combat this.

The toolkit should be ready by July.

The City has called on Pastor James Armstrong to lead this toolkit.

“The final result will show us the areas that are most at risk of displacement,” he said.

Armstrong’s nonprofit, the Builders of Hope, operates in urban areas where big new homes are rapidly replacing affordable old ones.

But his new homes cost a lot less and include immediate access to promotions for buyers who are recruiting from the same neighborhoods.

“So that residents are not forced out, but included in the process of revitalizing the economy,” Armstrong said.

On Monday, Armstrong attended a meeting of the Dallas City Council’s Housing Committee to discuss anti-displacement tools.

Council members praised the plan.

“We all knew it was a problem for years, but there wasn’t much discussion about how to cure it, how to slow it down.” This was stated by council member Paul Ridley.

Caroline King Arnold said that the community identification and anti-gentrification program should have been implemented at least 3 years ago, maybe 10.

“This is not a new conversation. But now we have the ability to act aggressively as a council, aggressively as a staff, to get these resources to the communities that need them,” Arnold said.

An early map in the development plan shows locations considered to be at the greatest risk of displacement.

“For me, the key and most important thing is to keep the existing affordable housing,” said council member Jesse Moreno.

Combating displacement is the goal of a new racial equality plan approved by the Dallas City Council and approved in August to reverse past inequalities.

“I am very happy to see this. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this work progresses,” said board member Casey Thomas.

A briefing released on Monday said Austin has a $300 million displaced person protection fund. San Antonio handed over a $150 million affordable housing bond fund last year.

The Anti-Displacement Toolkit could help boost housing in the new Dallas bond referendum scheduled for 2024.

“We see this as an opportunity to provide sustainable solutions that will prevent the displacement of black and brown families in these urban communities,” said Armstrong.

Raising taxes on existing residents due to new neighborhood development is another challenge for anti-displacement efforts.

Corporate donors are helping to cover the cost of developing the toolkit, which should be completed by July.

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