The Dallas City Council approved on May 27 an agreement with the Veterans Community Project and its partners to develop the Veterans Community Project Village, a temporary housing community for homeless veterans.
The proposed agreement includes the transfer of approximately 7.33 acres of city-owned land located west of S. Lancaster Road, south of Mentor Avenue, and east of Denley Drive. In exchange, the developer will build and operate a community of small residential units, a community center, and support services designed to help veterans secure permanent housing. The site is located in City Council District 4.
“This is more than a housing project; it is a caring community that honors the service of our veterans and brings us closer to eliminating veteran homelessness in our city,” said Dallas City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert. “By transforming approximately seven acres near the VA Medical Center into a community of small homes and supportive services, we are investing in a proven model that helps homeless veterans find stability and a path toward permanent housing.”
The City of Dallas has owned the land since 2015 and has issued three calls for proposals over the past decade seeking private development opportunities for the property. None of those calls resulted in an agreement or completed project.
After concluding its most recent request-for-proposals process, the Office of the City Manager instructed the Office of Economic Development to explore new collaboration opportunities for the site. Over the past six months, Economic Development staff have worked with Councilmember Johnson to evaluate options for veteran-focused, nonprofit-led development. Veterans Community Project emerged as a potential partner capable of implementing its model combining transitional housing with comprehensive support services.
VCP’s approach has been recognized nationally for its effectiveness in reducing veteran homelessness and providing long-term stability.
