Catholic Housing Initiative (CHI) and Catholic Charities Dallas (CCD) Step Up with More Housing for Homeless in Dallas

Agencies hosting ribbon-cutting at new facility October 6th – 4:30 PM

DALLAS – October 4, 2021 – Working to reduce the homeless population in Dallas, the Catholic Housing Initiative (CHI), partnering with Catholic Charities Dallas (CCD), will officially open the new St. Jude Center – Park Central (SJC-PC) this Wednesday, October 6, 2021. Supported and largely made possible by significant grants from Dallas County and the City of Dallas, the facility, located at Coit Road and LBJ Freeway, will provide over 180 efficiency apartments with wraparound services for those experiencing homelessness.

The new center is the second such housing facility created by the two agencies. St. Jude Center – Forest Lane opened in October 2018 with 104 units and provides housing and onsite case management for formerly homeless seniors.

Phase I of SJC-PC initially opened in December 2020, creating immediate space to isolate COVID-positive individuals otherwise homeless. CHI is the project’s owner/developer, and CCD is the property manager, social-services provider, and lead coordinator for all partner agencies providing onsite services. Joining CCD and CHI in this collaboration are CitySquare, Salvation Army, Metrocare Services, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Austin Street Center, The Bridge, Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, and the Dallas Police Department.

All residents will have easy access to intensive case management, mental health counseling, housing transition assistance, benefits counseling, addiction recovery, and more. As with the original St. Jude Center, residents will enjoy a robust offering of community services, including vocational training, continuing education, exercise classes, and social activities designed to create a warm, respectful, dignified, and welcoming community for all.

Dave Woodyard, CCD President and CEO, says the two centers reflect Catholic Charities’ mission of addressing the root causes of poverty, hunger, and the ever-growing issue of homelessness in North Texas. “Serving the homeless is a significant and growing need in our community, and none of us can do this alone. We are honored to partner with CHI, the County, the City of Dallas, and our many non-profit friends working tirelessly to address the needs of our community.”

CHI President, Sister Mary Anne Owens, added, “We have worked for over 30 years to provide affordable housing throughout North Texas. Adding a second St. Jude Center to serve the least of us is truly needed and perfectly aligned with what the Catholic Housing Initiative stands for.”

The two agencies will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of Phase II of the project at the new center (8102 LBJ Freeway in Dallas) on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, from 4:30-6:00 p.m. Program staff and volunteers will offer tours of the new facility; the media and public are welcome.

About Catholic Charities Dallas

Catholic Charities Dallas is a faith-based, social-services agency focused on improving the quality of life for people in need. We are first responders to our community’s most vulnerable, helping those in crisis move toward a better life. Annually, CCD helps over 275,000 individuals achieve stability and self-sufficiency through senior programs, financial literacy, employment services, education, food programs, immigration legal services, adoption, refugee resettlement, disaster services, and homeless services. For more information, please visit www.ccdallas.org.

About Catholic Housing Initiative

CHI is a community-based non-profit with a mission of providing quality, affordable housing since 1991. It owns and operates 1,100 rental units at eight sites, including two St. Jude Centers, in Dallas, Carrollton, Coppell, and Mesquite. It is also building homes for sale to first-time buyers in Southeast Dallas, its second such project. CHI provides financial and operating oversight of its property management and construction vendors and has substantial development, redevelopment and financing experience. It accepts housing choice vouchers and some of its properties have rental subsidy contracts with DHA or other agencies. For more information, visit www.CHIdallas.org.