Controversial Hampton Road Homeless Housing Resurfaces at Dallas City Hall

A controversial plan to house formerly homeless people at a vacant hospital resurfaced Monday at Dallas City Hall, despite loud opposition from neighbors and from the Dallas County commissioner who represents the area.

The former University General Hospital building on South Hampton Road, in the middle of a residential area, was purchased by the city for $6.5 million in January 2022 without any prior public conversations with neighbors.

The 12-acre site is right beside a public library that is connected to an elementary school. It is surrounded by homes.

Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia said she has spoken with city officials about the plan.

“I made it very clear from the beginning that I would not support this type of development,” Garcia said.  

Loud opposition from neighbors was obvious at an October 2022 public meeting on the project.

City officials said it would not be a homeless shelter. It would be renovated to provide permanent supportive housing units for formerly homeless people with on-site services. They hoped to see additional supportive housing constructed on vacant land at the site in the future.

An advisory committee was formed by surrounding residents. Most of them wound up opposing the project. Two of the advisory members spoke with NBC 5 Monday.

“We were supposed to have what was called a good neighbor agreement about what was going to go in there, how it was going to be controlled, or handled. None of that has come true,” neighbor Christine Ann said.

After the October public meeting, opponents said they were led to believe the project had been placed on hold pending additional community input.

“They were going to pull it and let the neighborhood decide, the people in the neighborhood decide what should happen there. And then we didn’t hear a word. We heard nothing,” Ann said.

Advisory Member Cathy Lauer said she is not surprised to hear the project is still being pursued at city hall.  

“I understand the drill if you will. So, I wish I could say I am surprised but no. I mean, I’m cynical about it all. They’ll tell you one thing to your face and then in the back, I feel they’re going to do what they’re going to do.” Lauer said.

The Dallas City Council Housing and Homeless Solutions Committee heard the plan Monday to seek $17.7 million in the 2024 public improvement bond referendum to renovate the building.

Homeless Solutions Director Christine Crossley said the bond money would be intended to send a message to help attract other housing investment at the site.

“The city is committed to partnering with public and private entities, to leverage this funding into developing the campus holistically over several years,” Crossley said.

The $17.7 million figure was determined by an estimated $15 million cost plus 18% design fee.

Another $2.36 million would be included in the homeless solutions bond money request to update and expand the city-owned Bridge homeless shelter downtown.

Garcia said the Hampton Road site would be an excellent location to develop affordable single-family for-sale housing. She said neighbors have told her they would support that.

“I think it’s just crazy that they are still trying to put a homeless shelter facility forward in this spot,” Garcia said. “When the neighborhood speaks, we elected officials should listen.

Garcia said a mental health facility being developed near Interstate 30 is a good example of selecting a proper location.

Opponents of the Hampton site have said they support city help for homeless people, just not in this location.

“It’s going to change the complexion of that neighborhood completely,” Lauer said.

Dallas City Council Member Carolyn King Arnold, the only member to vote against the hospital purchase, did say Monday that more community engagement is needed for the homeless support plan. None of the city council members tried to stop the plan.