City of Arlington
From left, Brad McCorkle, adjunct associate professor; Long Pham councilmember; Rebecca Boxall, council member; Courtney Lewis, past chair Housing Channel; Arlington Mayor Jim Ross; Dr. Ming-Han Li of UTA; Sue Phillips, president East Arlington Renewal; Donna VanNess, president of Housing Channel.
Shovels in the ground on Sept. 29 kicked off construction of a rental housing development designed for Arlington residents age 55 and older.
The Wynn Terrace Senior Cottage Community will be made up of 12 homes initially, all designed by Housing Channel and UT-Arlington architecture students on land previously owned by the city of Arlington.
“This project is a beautiful example of what we can accomplish when a community comes together and works in support of each other regardless of race, gender, income — overcoming our differences to make all our lives better,” Housing Channel president Donna VanNess said.
The East Arlington "micro-community" of 600-square-foot, energy-efficient rental homes is expected to serve as a blueprint for innovative affordable housing developments.
“I can’t overstate how important housing is to individual well-being,” Arlington District 5 Councilmember Rebecca Boxall said. “As long as we have a secure, assured place to lay our heads at night, there is almost no adversity we cannot overcome.”
Housing Channel
A rendering of an apartment of Wynn Terrace.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross and Ming-Han Li, UTA Dean of Architecture, Planning and Public Affairs, also participated in the event.
Housing Channel officials cited a Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers report that shows a renter must earn $46,889 annually to afford the current average fair market rent of $1,172 for a two-bedroom apartment. Yet, the same report shows that the median income for fixed-income Texas seniors is $25,601.
“Seniors are now ‘aging into poverty,’ living one crisis away from eviction and homelessness due to lack of affordable housing options,” VanNess said.
Half of the 12 units, which are expected to be available in summer 2024, will be reserved at below-market rental prices for seniors who meet lower-income guidelines. Other amenities include individual patios, a landscaped community gathering space, and covered parking.
"For over 30 years, we’ve been talking about affordable housing and the positive impact it makes on communities,” VanNess added. “I wouldn’t necessarily say that people weren’t listening, but in the last few years as the real estate market has skyrocketed, everyone is really starting to take notice and not only listen to what we have to say, they're also asking questions, looking for solutions, and becoming more open to what we are trying to do.”
Design and construction costs for Wynn Terrace are estimated at $1.5 million, which will be subsidized in part by $650,000 in federal Home Investments Partnerships funding.
MMA Inc. and Di Sciullo-Terry Stanton & Associates provided engineering and surveying services. Other project contributors and donors include Acme Brick, Builders First Source, Ambit Polyurethane, Kelly Moore, Huber Engineered Woods, James Hardie Siding, and Tamlyn Building Supply.
“To be a world-class city, it is essential to have sustainable and affordable housing,” Boxall said. “This creates viable neighborhoods which foster community. The benefits accrue to a city, and in turn, to all society. A diversity of housing types is crucial to achieving these goals. Wynn Terrace is a great example. We must turn up the volume on our efforts to advocate for creative solutions toward these goals.”