Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) Program

The City Council approved a Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) program as part of an update to the city's Comprehensive Housing Policy. This program will spur creation and rehabilitation of affordable housing in seven areas in the city, including LBJ/Skillman and Hamilton Park, Casa View, Vickery Midtown, the Forest District west of Fair Park, the Bottom and Tenth Street Historic District, West Dallas, and neighborhoods near Red Bird Mall.

In these zones, developers, homeowners, and landlords may qualify for development fee reimbursements and a 10-year City tax abatement if they do one of the following:

• Build a new home on a currently vacant lot and sell it to a household making at or under 120% of area median income (about $100,000 for a family of four)
  
• Spend at least $5,000 renovating their own home and have a household income at or under 120% AMI
  
• Spend at least $10,000, bring their single-family or duplex rental unit up to code, and reserve it for households under 60% AMI (about $50,000 for a family of four)
  
  In addition, existing and potential homeowners in educational instruction and library occupations; healthcare practitioner and healthcare support occupations; and protective service occupations, including fire fighters and police officers, with a gross household income under 140% AMI, are considered eligible households for homeowner repair and for new construction.

Information about the program (Item #6) and the districts (Items #7-13) is available in the Council agenda for January 22, 2020, here. (https://cityofdallas.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=734052&GUID=DDB824A6-3459-4E16-9B8F-2331735B1B6B&Options=info&Search=)