A Message from MDHA CEO Mike Faenza regarding Cliff Manor Apartments

Background:

Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) President and MDHA Board Member Mary Ann Russ and the Housing Authority’s Board agreed to designate the North Oak Cliff high rise as a direct permanent housing source for guests at the Bridge. Cliff Manor, along with Pebbles Apartments and a new program that will provide rental vouchers for homeless individuals are part of DHA’s greatly appreciated commitment to play a central role in Dallas’ campaign to end homelessness. 

Cliff Manor has been discussed at length in our MDHA Housing Committee deliberations and was reported on by Mary Ann Russ in our last Board Meeting. Several months ago LifeNet, led by MDHA Board vice Chair Liam Mulvaney, was awarded the opportunity to provide full time on site services at Cliff Manor through a competitive process (no reimbursement from DHA or other source beyond standard public mental health system case rate funding is involved; the “opportunity” does not come with additional funding.)

Neighborhood Association Leadership Concerns

As you can see from the recent news stories there has been considerable concern voiced by a diversity of neighborhood association presidents over the project subsequent to the first article that highlighted that Cliff Manor would serve people with mental illnesses and a history of substance use disorders. Two weeks ago, Councilmember David Neumann brought together neighborhood association leaders, Mary Ann Russ and MDHA to discuss the project and address concerns of North Oak Cliff Neighbors and Businesses.  Councilmember Neumann has asked DHA and MDHA to provide further information to the group which has been shared.  My request to Mr. Neumann was to meet weekly through June with neighborhood leaders and collaborate in drafting performance measures for the project that will track the impact of the PSH program on the facility and surrounding area. These measures might include crime statistics, vagrancy activity and other measures that neighbors would be helpful in establishing.   Councilmember Neumann has decided to not continue meeting with MDHA and neighborhood presidents until after the June 21st.

June 21st Town Hall Meeting and Next Steps

On June 21st Councilmember Neumann is convening Oak Cliff residents and organizations for a town hall meeting to discuss the Cliff Manor Project. Mayor Leppert, MDHA and DHA will address those attending. It is right that Councilman Neumann wants to ensure that the impact of the project in his district is positive. We are communicating that the impact of a Cliff Manor PSH project will be positive for the neighborhood and that we can find no evidence that the PSH that many of you now provide has had any negative impact on a neighborhood or community.  Cliff Manor at its most basic purpose would continue to house income eligible individuals; the new residents being formerly homeless with many of the same challenges and needs as other public housing tenants.  

As always, I am concerned that the dialogue has included many statements suggesting individuals with mental illness or in recovery from substance use disorders cannot be safe neighbors and put the community at risk.  Although the stigma that surrounds homelessness, mental illness and addictions  is still widespread, it is wrong and by nature can lead to discrimination in housing and employment. It is also clearly illegal to deny  individuals housing because of a disabling condition according to the Federal Fair Housing Act.

 Because of the misstatements about mental illness and homelessness I believe it is important to include the faces and voices of the homeless individuals themselves in the cliff manor discussion.  Yesterday I asked two of the homeless women who have plans to move to Cliff Manor to accompany me to yesterday’s Council meeting so I could recognize them in the audience. Catherine and Freda were comfortable with this and were also ok with me acknowledging that they had mental disorders.  Even though Councilmember Neumann and several neighborhood leaders were upset that the homeless women accompanied me, they felt good about being there and appreciated the brief visit and thanks from the Mayor and several other council members before they left the council chambers.

Sincerely,

Mike Faenza
President and CEO
Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance