Money approved to help West Dallas residents facing eviction

People who are being evicted from their West Dallas homes are a step closer to finding new places to live.

Residents are caught in a legal battle between the landlord and the city, and now more money is being offered to help.

West Dallas family man Joe Garcia is just one man among hundreds who live in the embattled HMK community. The homes are in disrepair, but the dilemma it has created has some calling this the city's largest housing crisis in 20 years.

"We still want to buy, we want to stay. We don't want to be moved,” Garcia said.

New action is happening as the June 3 eviction date fast approaches. The Housing Finance Corporation is granting the social agency Catholic Charities $300,000 to help each HMK family transition to new housing.

But some are critical -- saying it doesn't come close to meeting the need.

"As far as if the money available is going to go far enough and be deep enough to be impactful, only time will tell,” said David Woodyard, CEO Catholic Charities. “My worry is it’s not.”

The Texas Tenants Union believes an even bigger problem exists with what it calls the city's distorted definition of affordable housing.

"The subsidies that have been going to very wealthy developers produce units at market rate and above market rate, some of which cost more per month than the entire household income of HMK tenants,” said TTU’s Sandy Rollins.