Dallas

Dallas Reorganizing Housing Department

It's no secret that Dallas has an affordable housing problem. Now, city leaders hope new changes they're making to their Housing Department will better help them tackle the issue.

Among the biggest moves they're making -- splitting Housing and Community Services into their own departments. 

Officials said that department was tasked with overseeing too many things, preventing them from efficiently addressing any one problem. They believe narrowing the scope of their focus will improve their effectiveness.

"The decision to separate Community Services from Housing was something that was necessary and long overdue," said Dallas City Council Member Casey Thomas III.

Among the newly reorganized department's first tasks will be to ensure that it meets federal HUD standards.

Issues with the department's underwriting and subsidy layering procedures have placed the city's affordable housing development and homebuyer assistance programs on hold.

Department officials told City Council members during a briefing Monday that they were busy working on that issue and hoped to have it resolved soon.

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