A vacant Dallas hospital was supposed to be repurposed to provide wraparound services for people experiencing homelessness. Now, it’s back on the market.
The vacant Oak Cliff hospital was recently listed for sale, as first reported by the Dallas Morning News, though the price of the property is unclear.
The city purchased the almost 14-acre property for $6.5 million in 2022 with the plan to turn it into housing and space for support services for people without housing. The purchase of the property was made without public discussion, but community members were concerned about how close the location was to a school, public library and Kiest Park.
After years without any movement on the project, the Dallas City Council voted in June to auction the former University General hospital in the Oak Cliff neighborhood.
The city will only sell the property if it is able to sell it for the amount that it spent, according to Dallas Morning News reporting. If it is not purchased for that amount, the city council will review submitted bids.
The city is now exploring other solutions to provide housing, including tiny homes and pallet shelters. While point-in-time surveys have shown recent declines in the unhoused population in specifically Dallas and Collin County, it also showed increases in youth and veteran homelessness.
Support for people experiencing homelessness has also been a significant topic for Dallas County. Commissioners last month approved a budget that included $2.2 million for homeless services — millions less than what some had hoped for. In September, one commissioner said he wouldn’t vote for a budget without those services earmarked.
Last week, the same commissioner suggested using eviction fees to fund initiatives for people experiencing homelessness.
Abigail Ruhman is KERA’s health reporter. Got a tip? Email Abigail at aruhman@kera.org.
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