The City of Dallas faces community opposition and potential financial loss as it considers selling a once-proposed housing facility for the homeless that it purchased for $6.5 million. The city's original plan, which entailed transforming the old hospital into permanent housing for the homeless, was met with resistance from residents.
"The community does not want this," Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn indicated in comments covered by FOX 4 News. Questions have been raised regarding the city hall's service to its communities, especially after having spent funds from Proposition J without confirming public consensus. The hospital, located at 2929 South Hampton Road, was originally purchased in a bid to alleviate local homelessness.
The concept of revamping the property was met with significant backlash during community meetings, leading officials to reconsider their strategy. Mendelsohn supports the idea of selling the property and redirecting the finances to complete other pending projects, notably a stalled project on Independence Drive, as reported by FOX 4 News.
Concerns were voiced by Councilmember Gay Donnell Willis about losing public trust and taxpayer funds due to the ill-fated investment. "I worry about the faith taxpayers will have in future years about purchasing a property and having fits and starts and selling it at a loss," Willis stated, highlighting anxieties over the potential financial implications for the city, as per FOX 4 News.
This unfolding situation follows Dallas City Council's prior approval to use voter-approved bond money to purchase the former University General Hospital for homeless services. Councilmember Carolyn King Arnold, who represents the district across from the property, was the only official to oppose the purchase, citing a lack of public engagement in the process, according to records acquired by The Dallas Morning News.
Darryl Baker, a resident, expressed a long-standing distrust among community members below Interstate 30 due to historical disparities between the northern and southern portions of the city. "There is no trust," Baker told The Dallas Morning News, underscoring the community’s desire for more transparency and involvement in such initiatives.
