A long-vacant church property in Oak Cliff is on track to become Tabor Village, a 229-unit, senior-focused affordable housing community spread across 19 acres. Onyx Legacy Group and Lincoln Avenue Communities have secured initial financing for the project at the former Mt. Tabor Baptist Church site at 6200 Baraboo Drive, where plans call for one- and two-bedroom apartments built around trails, a dog park and a central water feature. About 15 percent of the homes are slated for households at or below 50 percent of area median income, 75 percent are reserved for those at 60 percent AMI, and the remaining 10 percent are planned for market-rate renters. With an early site release already granted, the developers say dirt work could begin soon and the complex could be seeking tenants as early as next year.
Project details and income limits
As reported by The Real Deal, Tabor Village is planned next to a neighborhood library and a fire station on land once owned by Mt. Tabor Baptist Church. The outlet notes that the proposal surfaced in filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and outlines an amenity package meant to support seniors' mobility and social connections, from walking paths to shared outdoor space. Developers say the mix of one- and two-bedroom units is designed so long-time Oak Cliff residents can age in place without leaving the neighborhood they know.
Financing and construction timeline
Bisnow reported that the Texas Bond Review Board issued an approximately $38 million bond reservation to the Dallas Housing Finance Corporation in support of Tabor Village, and that the city provided an early-release letter so initial grading and site mobilization can move forward. Those approvals clear the way for early site work while the development team finishes lining up tax-credit equity and construction financing. Officials note that closing the rest of the capital stack will ultimately determine when vertical construction can begin.
Who’s building it
Dallas-based Onyx Legacy Group is serving as the local co-developer in partnership with Lincoln Avenue Communities on the ground-up project, according to Onyx Legacy Group materials. Onyx co-founder Mark Allen has said the goal is to provide safe, energy-efficient homes for seniors living on fixed incomes. Public press information from Lincoln Avenue describes the firm as a rapidly growing affordable housing operator with a large national portfolio, a pairing that links a neighborhood-focused partner with a seasoned national player.
Why it matters for Oak Cliff
The Tabor Village site falls in an area the Dallas Housing Department has flagged for priority investment under the city's Dallas Housing Policy 2033. The department reports that Dallas is short about 39,900 affordable rental homes for households earning at or below 50 percent of area median income. Adding 229 senior-designated affordable units in Oak Cliff is intended to help ease displacement pressures on long-time residents and broaden housing options for older households in Southern Dallas who want to stay put as they age.
Next steps for Tabor Village
Developers told The Real Deal that the complex could be up and seeking tenants as early as next year as the team works through tax-credit syndication and remaining financing pieces. Final city permitting milestones, along with a fully closed capital stack, will determine when crews can move from grading to vertical construction, and neighborhood stakeholders and council offices are expected to keep a close eye on that timeline as it takes shape.
