Dallas Housing Coalition: Putting Grassroots to Work

On this episode of Dallas Dirt, host April Towery sat down with members of a grassroots coalition to bring affordable housing solutions to the spotlight — Bryan Tony, organizing board chair of the Dallas Housing Coalition, and Ashley Brundage, board chair and CEO of Dallas-Area Habitat for Humanity. The Dallas Housing Coalition was formed back in June 2023, when more than 75 grassroots organizations joined forces to convince the Dallas City Council to allot $200 million for housing in the 2024 bond election. Ultimately, voters approved $82M across three propositions and the Coalition has grown to more than 245 organizations and individuals.Tony presented a stark picture of the housing deficit, citing data from the Child Poverty Action Lab and other research institutions. The studies reveal a shortfall of nearly 40,000 housing units for families earning less than 50% of the area median income — a gap that continues to drive housing costs upwards. Brundage echoed the need for diverse housing options to cater to all income levels and individuals at various life stages. "We have to create more housing," she said.