On a Saturday afternoon in December, the construction gate outside an unusual Ellis County subdivision was closed and locked. The surrounding countryside was lovely, with gently rolling topography and scattered creeks and ponds. A rooster crowed in the distance, then a dog barked, and after that came a long moment of wondrous quiet.
Most of this subdivision’s future residents currently live in Dallas, under freeway overpasses, behind vacant buildings, in wooded thickets along creeks and train tracks. The new development, named “OurCommunity,” is intended to provide long-term housing for about 400 elderly, chronically or terminally ill, or disabled homeless individuals.The faith-based nonprofit, OurCalling, designed the subdivision and already has started hiring staff and selecting residents for it.
The 280-acre site includes a pond and plenty of open space. Five hundred tiny houses will be added in clusters of 25. To encourage socializing, each home will have a porch. OurCommunity will eventually have permanent community spaces; for now, a food pantry and medical clinic will be based in portable buildings. Residents will pay some rent if they have a source of income.
Wayne Walker, pastor and CEO of OurCalling, said the goal is to provide more intensive, comprehensive services than are available in most permanent supportive housing. The larger vision is to create a community with a variety of ages and backgrounds. About 20% of residents will be retired missionaries, staff and seminary students who commit to living there for one or two years as part of their training.
Opinion
Other homeless service agencies have experimented with tiny homes. Mobile Loaves & Fishes is building out a 178-acre neighborhood of RVs and tiny homes clustered around shared kitchens and bathroom facilities, workshops and community buildings about eight miles northeast of downtown Austin. Hundreds of formerly homeless people already live in Community First! Village; at completion, its population could reach 1,900 residents.
Just south of downtown Dallas, the Cottages at Hickory Crossing includes 50 tiny homes for formerly homeless individuals on three acres. It opened in 2016. While successful, it has faced funding and management challenges that underscore the complexity and expense of developing and operating a mini-neighborhood of high-need residents.
Walker said he has learned from other projects. OurCommunity sits in an unincorporated, rural area, which means fewer restrictions on land use and fewer neighbors to complain. The subdivision’s $16 million first phase, which includes infrastructure, such as streets and utilities, and the first 25 homes, is completely privately funded. He knows the community will need an army of volunteers to supplement paid staff.
OurCommunity is a worthy, if risky, endeavor. Maintaining a 280-acre subdivision and providing supportive services for its extremely vulnerable residents will not be easy or cheap. But if it allows chronically homeless people a chance to live in peace and dignity, it’s a risk worth taking.
We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here.
If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com