Southern Dallas Homeowners Can Apply for Up to $100K in Federal Grants for Home Repairs

Program Overview

The City of Dallas is offering homeowners in four historically Black southern Dallas neighborhoods up to $100,000 each in federal grant funding to repair and improve aging homes. The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) through the city's Neighborhood Revitalization Program.

Approximately $2 million has been allocated to rehabilitate at least 20 homes across the four eligible neighborhoods.

Eligible Neighborhoods

Four southern Dallas neighborhoods qualify for the grant program:

• Joppa (also spelled Joppee) — A Freedman community founded in the late 1870s, with a median home value of approximately $94,500.
• Five Mile — Located near South Lancaster Road and Simpson Stuart Road, with a median home value of approximately $91,420.
• Tenth Street Historic District — One of the few remaining Freedman's Towns, with a median sale price of approximately $325,000.
• The Bottom — A historically Black neighborhood in East Oak Cliff recently added to ARPA-eligible areas, with property prices ranging from $18,000 to $215,000.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for ARPA grant funding, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• The home must be a single-family detached dwelling built in or before 1959.
• The homeowner must live in the home as their primary residence.
• The home must be located within one of the four qualified neighborhoods and must need eligible repairs.
• Property owners who rent or sell to a tenant or buyer in the area earning less than 80 percent of the Area Median Income are also eligible.

Why These Neighborhoods

Catrice Robison, outreach specialist at Dallas Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization, said aging housing stock in these communities has deteriorated over time. "This has caused greater wear and tear on aging houses, which can create a difficult living situation," Robison said.

How to Apply

Interested homeowners in the eligible neighborhoods can call 469-799-2761 for more information about the program and to begin the application process.

Sources

• Dallas Innovates, "Homeowners in Four Southern Dallas Neighborhoods Can Apply for up to $100K in Federal Grants for Home Repairs," May 31, 2023.