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Eban Village, Dallas, TX

DALLAS

Eban Village Translates Into “Love and Security”

In the 1990s, residents of South Dallas had plenty of reasons not to feel hopeful. Over the past two decades the area’s population had dropped from 72,000 to 39,000; abandonment and demolition of homes were commonplace; and the only retail establishments that seemed to be thriving were liquor stores.

Nevertheless, local leaders recognized a tight-knit African American community and saw seeds of revival on a large scale. That revival began when the SouthFair Community Development Corporation (CDC) joined forces with Bank of America to invest in a broad revitalization project, the centerpiece of which would come to be known as Eban Village. Back then, as today, SouthFair received grant and loan support from the Enterprise Foundation, using funding from Living Cities, and local funders through the Dallas Community Development Partnership.

“Eban” is a West African term meaning “love and security,” and that is just what Eban Village, which opened its doors to residents in 1997, has offered. The 110 multifamily units range from one to three bedrooms and are affordably priced, with rates rising only with inflation. Located on 11 acres of property along Jeffries and Meyers streets, Eban Village offers amenities including a large playground and a community center with a computer lab, exercise room, and meeting facilities.

In 2002, the second phase of the project, Eban Village II, was completed, bringing to the area an additional 220 affordable apartments, all of which have been filled. For new residents, the project’s completion has meant more than just a place to live—a restored sense of honor as well.

Lately the work of the SouthFair CDC and its partners has begun to have a significant ripple effect around the Fair Park neighborhood. Crime is down, streets are cleaner, and involvement in community groups is up. A tough rezoning plan, sponsored by State Rep. Helen Giddings, has stopped the spread of businesses that sell liquor.

But according to Henry “Hank” Lawson, executive director of SouthFair CDC, “the real progress has been in community building. Neighbors are speaking out and acting together to take charge of the neighborhood.”