The plan to house homeless people at a former hospital on South Hampton Road in Dallas is the topic of fierce debate among neighbors and was the issue for a community meeting Thursday night.
The meeting was set for 6 p.m. at the Kiest Park Recreation Center just down the street from the former hospital site at Perryton Drive.
Some neighbors want the housing plan stopped while others say it should be welcomed.
“I think it would be awesome,” said Carolyn Wyatt as she passed the hospital site Thursday.
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Wyatt said she is homeless and currently staying with an aunt who lives nearby. She was escorted by acquaintance Allen Berryain who said he is formerly homeless.
“I think this would be nice. I don't think it would be a problem because you see it's gated all the way down here,” Berryain said about the site.
Other neighbors opposing the project complain it is across from Kiest Park and a city library that’s connected to an elementary school. They argue it would be a threat to the neighborhood.
“We should have a say so. We have equal rights to have a say so. We should have from the beginning,” opponent Christina Anne said.
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Neighbors first learned about the project in January from an NBC 5 report on the planned city council vote to purchase the property, which was scheduled with no prior discussion in the neighborhood.
City officials said at the time it happened that way to protect confidential real estate negotiations with the seller.
“I think that has been kept under the radar intentionally to cram this down our throats,” said project opponent Craig Wheeler.
City Councilman Casey Thomas who was a sponsor of Thursday’s community meeting said there is no desire to deceive the public and no final decisions have been made about the exact use of the property other than housing for formerly homeless people.
“We are early in the process and we want everyone to know. Tonight is an opportunity for everyone to get the facts,” Thomas said.
The plan is not to open a homeless shelter at the site where newcomers would constantly come and go. Rather, the intent is for permanent supportive housing that would be offered to people who may already be in shelters with jobs but no stable address.
“There's a vetting process for anyone who will be considered to live there. Once they have a place to stay, they're no longer homeless. That will be their home,” Thomas said.
Councilman West says a homeless shelter is not on the table.
"Bond money cannot be used to put a homeless shelter here," West said. "I would not have supported that. I don’t think most of my colleagues would’ve supported that."
The critics still argue another location should be found.
“We're not against helping the homeless. We feel that there's just more appropriate ways to do it in more appropriate locations,” Wheeler said.
India Stewart lives within walking distance from Kiest Park. She said her concern is a high concentration of poverty – and feels her district has taken on more than its fair share.
"How are we doing with equitably? Because we know that below I-30, the “southern sector” as we used to call it, has taken on a disproportionate number of these projects," Stewart said.
The City of Dallas paid $6.5 million for the 12-acre site. The existing structure could house people relatively soon with modifications, and more housing could be constructed on the site.
Thomas urged neighbors to participate in meetings about the project.
“Let’s be a part of the process. Let’s get the facts. Let’s get our voices heard and we’ll see. Five years from now it’s going to be something that the city can be proud of,” Thomas said.
Wyatt said other residents should recognize the need to help less fortunate people and not be afraid of them.
“To help the homeless, they should be glad I think so. Because you never know where you're going,” Wyatt said.
Councilman Chad West says it feels they’re almost back to where they were in January and hopes to find a middle ground soon
“The task force has a lot more work to do," West said. "It’s clear that we’re not even close of what they want in this facility and what they’re willing to accept.”
