In the years since the pandemic, the Lew Sterrett Justice Center has attracted more attention for its failures and challenges than any triumphs and progress. The county jail, Texas’ second largest, neared 100 percent capacity last fall, requiring emergency beds to house the inmates. A botched transition to new court software in 2023 forced courthouse […]
Tag: Explainers
Posted inHousing
How a Humble Tax Tool Protects Neighborhoods
Consider the homestead exemption, because many people don’t. The spectrum of awareness is bookended on one side by homeowners who have had one on file so long that they forget about the thousands of dollars it saves from their tax bills each year. The opposite end is packed with tens of thousands who have not […]
Posted inNeighborhoods
How 2025 Set the Course for South Dallas’ Future
City Hall worked with residents to design a new plan for development. The hard part is ensuring that the neighborhood benefits from its own growth.
Posted inHousing
Surviving and Serving Through Housing
How two very different churches approached projects in Charlotte shows what is possible for the faith-based housing movement in Dallas.
Posted inHousing
This Church Could Be Your Home
In Dallas, long known as “the buckle of the Bible belt,” churches are considering turning land and buildings into affordable housing. Charlotte, North Carolina, shows us how to pull it off.
Posted inHousing
The New Law of Building
Legislators passed a bill that makes it legal to build multifamily and mixed-use developments in areas zoned for commercial use. How will this change Dallas-Fort Worth?
Posted inHousing
The Controversial Art of Building More Housing
A pair of public-private tools are driving the production of most new affordable housing in Dallas. So why is City Hall growing concerned?
Posted inHealth, Public Services
The Safety Net Has Ripped
The Lab Report’s first story is an inside look at how nonprofit service providers have weathered half a year of ‘unprecedented’ funding cuts.