Resource Center launches $4M campaign for LGBTQ-friendly senior housing

To meet growing demand for housing and care and services for the aging LGBTQ population in Dallas, Resource Center has launched a $4M capital campaign for the construction of affordable senior housing.

The campaign is led by community advocates Lynn McBee and Phil Clemmons. The Center has partnered with Volunteers of America and developer Matthews Southwest and has purchased property in the Oaklawn neighborhood of Dallas, which is historically significant to the LGBTQ community. With a recent donation of $150,000 by longtime Center supporters Stephen Tosha and Stephen Strecansky, the Center has crossed the $1 million mark of the campaign. Tosha says, “We feel grateful to be able to give support to this worthy project as we believe the need is so great in our community. The community has supported us in my business, and it is our mission to give back to the LGBTQ community.”

Society’s view and acceptance of LGBTQ people is changing. However, for older adults, the fear and stigma they have experienced in their lifetimes has disrupted their family connections, earnings and opportunities to save for retirement. The added stress of dealing with decades of discrimination renders LGBTQ older adults at risk of physical and mental illness as well as numerous other conditions. To meet the growing demand for care and services for the aging LGBTQ population in the Dallas community, Resource Center aims to provide LGBTQ seniors with affirming opportunities for socialization, recreation, and emotional support. The Center’s vision is to transform the way LGBTQ older adults live, access services, and develop community support for generations to come.

The project will consist of an 84-unit building with amenities and open green space on a two-acre site near Inwood Road and Denton Drive Cutoff. The site has excellent access to services and transportation, including the Inwood Road DART Station. The overall project budget is approximately $23 million. In addition to funds from the capital campaign, the project is expected to be financed by public funds from state and local sources and private mortgage financing.

Resource Center CEO Cece Cox says, “In the wake of COVID-19, the need to address health and economic disparities is even more urgent. According to a 2020 briefing issued by the Human Rights Campaign, the impact of coronavirus places LGBTQ adults at heightened risk of these complications due to their experiences with poverty and unique medical challenges. With a global pandemic exacerbating the issues already faced by this population, a safe and affordable housing project is needed now more than ever.”

For more information and to support the campaign, go here.