The City of Dallas may adopt incentives to spur more mixed-use development. The "One Dallas" program would aim to reduce homeless among minority groups.
According to a report by the city's chief equity and impact officer, African Americans account for 19% of Dallas' population but 31% of poverty and 67% of homelessness.
"Something very wrong is going on there," says Regina Cannon.
Cannon says "family destabilization" is contributing to homelessness. She says African American children are more likely to be taken from their home, and African Americans are more likely to be arrested for the "exact same offenses others are committing."
"When you have that kind of in-and-out of those systems, that destabilizes the family. You're not able to continue having that sustainable housing, that sustainable income," Cannon says.
The city council's Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee met Monday morning to look at options to reduce homelessness. Cannon said she had visited Atlanta, Georgia, which had identified neighborhoods with the most evictions and launched programs to help people in those neighborhoods find work.
"If you prevent the evictions, it's a lot less expensive," she says. "We've got to go back upstream. We've got to make sure our city, all of our systems are working together to keep people out of homelessness. So that includes working with your workforce, working with your health care."
The committee is considering the "One Dallas" program, which would provide incentives for developers who build mixed-use projects or donate some land for low income units.
"A mixed income bonus is one small part of balancing the city, where households of all incomes can find places to live in all areas of this city," says Pam Thompson, the strategy manager for the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization.
Thompson cited a 1937 report by the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Home Owners' Loan Corporation which identified "hazardous" areas of Dallas for mortgage security.
"Racial inequity is not a matter of individual choices. It results from systemic and intentional actions," she says. "It's this legacy we seek to undo in our housing programs."
The committee approved a timeline for the city to respond to the recommendations in 30-45 days.