DALLAS — LeShonda Dillard is a single mother of nine children. She has worked in transportation supporting her family for over a decade, but in 2012, everything changed. “I had stopped by a restaurant and got me something to eat. And when I drove up to my driveway, I had this pain in my chest,” said Dillard, Oak Cliff resident.
Dillard had a stroke which forced her to leave her job and lose her home. “It was kind of scary because I didn’t know how I was going to make it,” said Dillard.
At the same time, Dallas City Councilwoman, Carolyn King Arnold, had been focused on better housing in Oak Cliff. In 2022, she set eyes on a lot on Southern Oaks Blvd. That lot is now the Terrace at Southern Oaks, a mixed-income apartment complex.
Dillard was among the first residents to move into the complex. “I'm happy about it because the apartment is really nice and it's affordable,” said Dillard.
There are 300 units in this complex and half will go to families who earn 80% of the average income in this area, which is a little over $88,000.
“This particular product will bring market rate as well as some affordability, but it's a zip code that has been long overlooked for quality,” said King Arnold.
There have been concerns about crime. Many families in the area also have lower incomes.
“There just hasn't been a lot of lending institutions willing to take a chance in the south of Dallas,” said Aaron Eaquinto, Dallas Housing Finance Corporation General Manager. DHFC provides affordable housing around the city.
Eaquinto said developers tend to go to northern Dallas, where rent is higher. “It’s focused on the higher dollar investments because things unfortunately, over the last couple of years have taken a bad turn in terms of costs to develop,” said Eaquinto.
With this new complex, the city is hoping other developers will take a chance in the area too. “It would be the pressure on surrounding owners to upgrade,” said King Arnold.
For LeShonda, it’s not just the affordability but other amenities such as the food pantry, business center, fitness center and a chef who provides meals weekly. “That keeps me from having another stroke, getting stressed out,” said Dillard.
She can also focus on her new goal. “I'm thinking about going back into public transportation,” said Dillard.