Dallas, TX

Can North Texas solve our housing price crisis?

Published

3 months ago

January 4, 2026

Can North Texas solve our housing price crisis?

It seems like a match made in urban planning heaven. Most metro areas have an abundance of underperforming retail property, such as half-vacant shopping centers, and a shortage of housing that average Texans can afford. Turn that retail into housing, and voila, two problems solved at once.

But no complicated problem has such an easy fix. The North Texas growth juggernaut means that burgeoning exurbs need additional retail space even as dilapidated strip centers plague core cities and older suburbs. Some homeowners may fear and fight plans for new, higher-density housing near them, even when it replaces obsolete shopping centers.

Yet reinvigorating or repurposing underused commercial property can improve a neighborhood’s quality of life while also adding value to a city’s property tax base. That new revenue is especially important because state lawmakers have been keen to limit homeowners’ property taxes. Responsible city leaders need to grow other parts of the tax base just to keep up with the increasing cost of providing public services and maintaining aging infrastructure.

What North Texas needs is a variety of tactics to address these related issues: streamlined rezoning, public incentives to redevelop infrastructure, increased public education about budget issues, and a greater tolerance for change. Fading retail centers can be revitalized in ways that preserve their original use or transform them into something totally different, such as housing. It just takes determination, money and imagination.

Retail abundance

Dallas-Fort Worth has about 200 million square feet of retail space, and it’s about 95% to 97% occupied, said Steve Zimmerman, managing director of the brokerage group at The Retail Connection. Colliers, a real estate services and investment management firm, reported in August that retail rents here have been rising about 4% annually. Those statistics suggest that retail space isn’t severely overbuilt.

But not all retail centers are full of high-performing, high-value businesses. Aging strip centers tend to attract vape shops, nail salons, pay-day lenders, check-cashers, doughnut shops and vacancies; their capacious parking lots remain mostly empty. Those underutilized properties don’t enhance nearby neighborhoods or the tax base as much as busy, attractive retail centers would.

Last year, the Texas Legislature created a new tool to help redevelop commercial properties. Known as Senate Bill 840, the law forces large cities in urban counties to allow multifamily and mixed-use residential development on commercial, office, warehouse or retail property without a zoning change.

SB 840 is meant to encourage developers to transform bleak, underperforming retail spaces into badly needed housing. For example, it might have prevented the fight over Pepper Square in Far North Dallas.

That shopping center languished while the developer and nearby residents sparred in a bitter and protracted rezoning dispute. It is a prime example of how local government processes and NIMBYism make it hard to redevelop in Dallas.

But implementing the new law has been more complicated than we’d hoped. For starters, some North Texas suburbs reworked their zoning code to try to sidestep the new rules.

Irving, for example, set an eight-story minimum height requirement for new multifamily or mixed-use residential development — much taller than what’s typical in the area. Frisco pulled a different trick. Senate Bill 840 exempts industrial areas, so Frisco changed its zoning code to permit heavy industry in commercial zones.

Market conditions also may be slowing commercial-to-residential redevelopment. Our newsroom colleague, Nick Wooten, reported in November that there is a temporary over-supply of apartments in Dallas, fueled by a construction boom and a stream of remote workers in the post-COVID years.

(Unfortunately, that oversupply hasn’t made rent much cheaper. Even if a lease is relatively inexpensive, there are plenty of added costs, like electricity and Wi-Fi. Plus, building managers often nickel-and-dime residents with mandatory fees for trash collection, parking lot security gates, parcel lockers, pets and on and on.)

The temporary situation doesn’t erase the region’s long-term shortage of lower-cost homes. We need SB 840 to work because we need a larger, more diverse stock of housing, including multifamily and townhomes, across the entire region. With a more generous supply of all types of homes, both rental and owned, housing costs should eventually decline.

More options for faded retail

Senate Bill 840 is only one strategy for remaking forlorn retail properties into something more useful and valuable. Some creative owners, managers and public officials have found ways to maintain a property’s retail orientation while adding unique experiences and features.

Carrollton updated design standards and established a “Retail Rehabilitation Performance Grant Program” to encourage property owners to reinvest in underutilized retail centers. One notable success: Carrollton Town Center, where occupancy had dipped to 20% more than a decade ago, according to a story in PM Magazine. Now it is a bustling, walkable, Asian-focused retail and restaurant destination.

Hillcrest Village in Far North Dallas is part of an entire block of aging retail along Arapaho Road. A public-private partnership transformed a parking lot into the “Hillcrest Village Green,” a 1.5-acre expanse of turf with a playground at one end. Restaurants with oversize patios overlook the city-owned greenspace.

Local developer Monte Anderson, a champion of “incremental redevelopment,” is remaking the Wheatland Plaza shopping center in Duncanville. He’s reworking interior spaces and reclaiming some of the parking lot for food trucks, new landscaping, and eventually, a dozen for-sale townhomes built with Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity.

Cities can speed retail redevelopment with small and large incentive programs. Retail properties typically don’t have the utility infrastructure needed for housing; grants and revolving, low-interest loan funds can help residential developers keep costs down so their end product is more affordable. Elected officials need to help constituents understand why most cities need denser, higher-value redevelopment to keep tax rates lower.

D-FW has matured into a metropolis with a vibrant, diversified economy. To accommodate population growth, cities can’t ignore languishing commercial property, or allow only one type of new housing, or permit property tax bases to stagnate. By tackling all three issues at once, they can lay the foundation for a more prosperous future.

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Dallas ISD will offer free pre-K starting next school year

Published

4 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Dallas ISD will offer free pre-K starting next school year

Starting next year, every 3- and 4-year-old in Dallas ISD will be able to enroll in pre-K tuition-free.

The district’s board adopted a new universal free pre-K plan at a board meeting Thursday. The proposal passed by an 8-0 vote, with no discussion.

Currently, the district offers free pre-K to students who qualify under certain federal, state and district guidelines, and charges tuition to all other students. Under the policy adopted Thursday, the district will drop its tuition rate for non-qualifying students to $0 beginning with the next school year.

The district’s current pre-K tuition rate is $5,000 a year for full-day classes for 3- and 4-year-olds, and $2,500 a year for half-day classes for 3-year-olds. During a March 12 board briefing, Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde told the board that about 267 families are paying pre-K tuition this year.

Elizalde told The Dallas Morning News this month that it costs the district more to manage those families’ tuition payments than those payments bring in. The district’s pre-K classes have enough open seats that district leaders don’t expect to have to hire more teachers after the new policy goes into effect, meaning the financial impact to the district is expected to be minimal.

Dallas ISD isn’t the first North Texas school district to offer tuition-free pre-K. Fort Worth ISD implemented universal free pre-K more than a decade ago, and Arlington ISD offers free, full-day pre-K for all 4-year-olds and half-day classes for 3-year-olds that are free to students who qualify with a tuition rate of $2,295 for those who don’t.

Dallas ISD’s pre-K registration for the 2026-27 school year opens April 1.

The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas.

The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Judy and Jim Gibbs, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron and Phyllis Steinhart, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.

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Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is confident about cost estimates to repair, rehab City Hall and insists the process has been transparent

Published

16 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Press Room

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson is confident about cost estimates to repair, rehab City Hall and insists the process has been transparent

Mayor Eric Johnson said he hasn’t made up his mind about the future of Dallas City Hall, the iconic I.M. Pei-designed landmark, but remains confident in the cost estimates to fix it.

City‑hired experts said it will cost $329 million to repair the nearly 50‑year‑old building and about $1 billion to rehabilitate and modernize it for the next 20 years.

Johnson said he trusts the numbers.

“I believe that those numbers are accurate,” Johnson said. “I just want to say that right up front, because I do know that there’s questions about whether or not these numbers are or have been inflated, or should we trust these numbers? I don’t know where we’d get another set of numbers that would be more trustworthy.

“These companies that have looked at this are very reputable, and so, I believe the numbers. I really believe that our jobs as a council and as a city are to do the best thing that we can, the best thing we can for our taxpayers. Not a good thing, but the best thing with the taxpayers’ dollars.”

The mayor said he, like everyone else, is waiting for more information. Earlier this month, he and eight council members voted to have the city manager determine how much it would cost to move City Hall to another building and compare that to staying and making repairs.

The city manager is also evaluating whether the current site could support private development. That report is due to the council no later than May, and the Finance Committee may be briefed on May 26. The full council could vote in June.

Development potential enters the conversation

Many people have floated the idea of a new arena and entertainment district downtown for the Dallas Mavericks, though no proposals exist.

Former mayors Ron Kirk, Tom Leppert, and Mike Rawlings have urged city leaders to move City Hall, saying it could attract billions in new development.

Johnson said he wants data, not instinct.

“I can’t govern the city based on a hunch or instinct or gut feel. I have to look at data. I would like to see what comes back and what they say this site could unlock,” he said. “Does my gut tell me that the best use of this part of downtown, is not to be a government center, which I think is kind of a dated concept in and of itself, to have a cluster of government buildings right in the middle of what could be the most vibrant part of your downtown that by definition closes at 5 p.m.

“My gut tells me that’s not a great idea. But I want the city manager to go through the exercise of actually exploring what private development options there would be. What interest would there be in this site? If there are really great economic development opportunities for the city that would be unlocked by us leaving this site, I would be very, very compelled by that.”

Preservationists push back strongly

Residents and preservationists have been vocal in their opposition. Former Mayor Laura Miller told CBS News Texas she doesn’t want City Hall sold or torn down and believes the process has lacked transparency and been “riddled with self‑interest.”

Johnson rejected that.

“I’m not sure why former Mayor Miller feels that way because I can tell you that the process has been the definition of transparent,” he said. “It’s just not true that this process hasn’t been transparent. You can go back to what I initially sent out, a memo. I put it in writing. I distributed it publicly, saying to the council, I want a committee to look at options for City Hall.

“So, that was very transparent. The meetings that were called subsequent to my request were all open to the public. Discussions were had at those meetings, and every single thing that has happened has been compelled by council action.”

Emails raise questions about engagement

The Dallas Morning News recently reported on 5,000 pages of emails related to the project and others, raising questions about how engaged the mayor has been.

Johnson dismissed the criticism.

“I’m fully engaged in everything that goes on around here. I’ve been fully engaged, and honestly, I’m going to decline to go quibble with the Dallas Morning News,” he said. “I don’t even know what these emails that they have found say. I do know what I do every day, which is I wake up early in the morning, come to this building, and give this city everything I have.

“I work tirelessly on behalf of the city, and I do everything I possibly can to make sure this city is represented well here, locally, nationally, internationally.”

Sports negotiations happening in parallel

The debate over City Hall comes as city leaders negotiate with the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars to keep both teams in the city. Johnson said he cannot discuss negotiations publicly.

“Keeping the Dallas Stars and keeping the Dallas Mavericks playing in the city of Dallas is one of the highest priorities of my administration, and it has been since I got here,” he said. “I can tell you this: We are going to do everything we possibly can to make these deals work for both of those teams and keep them in the city. I am confident that we will work this out.”

Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 Sunday morning on CBS News Texas on air and streaming.

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3 takeaways as the Mavericks lose a fun one, 142-135, at the Denver Nuggets

Published

1 day ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

3 takeaways as the Mavericks lose a fun one, 142-135, at the Denver Nuggets

The Dallas Mavericks (23-50) dropped their fifth straight game Wednesday, falling 142-135 to the Denver Nuggets (45-28) in a game that felt within reach early before completely getting away from them late. Dallas had a few solid stretches to start, showing some offensive rhythm and energy, but couldn’t sustain it as Denver’s shot-making and overall execution took over. Cooper Flagg continued his strong stretch with 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while P.J. Washington added 19 points and 15 rebounds with steady production inside. On the other side, Jamal Murray put together a dominant performance with 53 points, and Nikola Jokić orchestrated everything with 23 points, 21 rebounds and 19 assists, as the Nuggets controlled the game from the middle quarters on.

The Mavericks hung around for stretches in the first half, but a Jamal Murray explosion ultimately tilted the game, as the Denver Nuggets took a 68-59 lead into halftime in a game that quickly started to feel like it was slipping away. Dallas opened with solid energy, getting contributions from multiple spots, as Naji Marshall scored efficiently and Cooper Flagg made his presence felt early as both a scorer and a playmaker, helping keep things within reach. Flagg had a noticeable impact in those opening minutes—knocking down pull-ups, attacking downhill, and creating looks for others—while Marshall’s shot-making kept the offense afloat during key stretches.

But every time the Mavericks made a push, Murray had an answer. He completely took over the second quarter, piling up 33 first-half points on 11-of-15 shooting and 6-of-9 from deep, hitting pull-ups, step-backs, and tough contested shots that Dallas simply couldn’t slow down. At the same time, Nikola Jokić quietly controlled everything else, finishing the half with 11 assists and 9 rebounds, consistently creating easy looks and keeping Denver’s offense flowing even without scoring much himself.

Dallas had some bright spots, though. There were moments especially in the third where Dallas strung together a few stops and got downhill, but it never turned into anything real, as missed shots, turnovers, and Denver’s instant responses kept resetting the margin.

If this game didn’t make it obvious, nothing will Dallas desperately needs a guard who can defend at the point of attack. Jamal Murray didn’t just have a good night, he had complete control, getting wherever he wanted and scoring however he wanted, finishing with 53 points on 19-of-28 shooting and 9-of-14 from three. There was no real resistance at the top of the defense no one who could consistently stay in front, disrupt his rhythm, or even make him uncomfortable. Once he got downhill or into his pull-up game, it was over, and that kind of pressure completely breaks a defense before it even has a chance to rotate.

This is where roster construction starts to matter. Dallas has length and some versatility in the frontcourt, but without a guard who can actually contain the ball, none of it holds up. You can’t ask your bigs to clean everything up every possession, especially against elite shot-makers. That’s why this draft becomes so important. It’s not just about adding talen it’s about adding the right kind of player. Someone who can fight over screens, stay attached, and at least make life harder for guys like Murray at the point of attack.

Because nights like this aren’t just about one player getting hot they expose a structural issue. And until Dallas finds a guard who can defend at that level, this is going to keep happening.

Someone seeds to close, eventually

The Mavericks have played a ton of close games this season, but the results just haven’t followed, and that’s something that continues to show up late in these losses. Too often, possessions in crunch time turn into rushed shots, stalled actions, or empty trips, while a single defensive breakdown on the other end swings momentum the other way. It’s not just one game it’s been a pattern, and it speaks to a team that’s still learning how to execute when everything tightens up.

That said, context matters right now. Dallas isn’t necessarily trying to squeeze out every late-game win at this point in the season, and losses like these actually help their lottery positioning. There’s value in being competitive and getting those reps without sacrificing long-term upside, especially in a strong draft class.

But long term, this is something to watch especially with Cooper Flagg. He’s already showing flashes as a primary creator, but closing games is the next step: controlling tempo, getting to the right spots, and making the right reads under pressure. It’s okay that it’s messy right now given where the team is, but if the Mavericks want to take a real step forward next season, turning these close games into wins has to be part of that growth.

Cooper Flagg continues to shine

Cooper Flagg continues to look more and more like the centerpiece of what Dallas is building, and nights like this are a big part of why. He finished with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, impacting the game in just about every way despite the result. What stands out isn’t just the production it’s how he’s getting it. He’s initiating offense, pushing in transition, making reads out of drives, and consistently putting pressure on the defense as both a scorer and playmaker.

This stretch has been especially encouraging. Over the past few games, Flagg has been steadily trending upward, not just in scoring, but in overall control of the game. He’s starting to look more comfortable as the primary option, picking his spots better and showing more patience when defenses collapse. Even when shots don’t fall, he’s still influencing possessions through rebounds, assists, and defensive activity.

There are still things to clean up, especially late-game execution and shot selection in tighter moments, but that’s expected at this stage. The important part is that the flashes are becoming more consistent. For a team leaning into development, Flagg isn’t just putting up numbers he’s showing real signs of growth as a lead initiator, and that’s the biggest takeaway moving forward.

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