Housing in Dallas

When to start looking

Most places will not be made available until 60-90 days out from when you would like to move in. It may be ideal to research neighborhoods listed below and check out what is available in that area. We recommend having a few options in mind by April/May so you will be ready to see what units or houses will be available for July. Having a few options is good in the case there is not a unit available at the place you’d like to live or there are increases in rent.

Deciding where to live

Dallas metropolitan area is very large, and our schools are very spaced out. Living in Ft. Worth and other suburbs is an option but will lead to long commute times. The majority of our partner schools are located in South Dallas with the exception of one elementary school. We recommend finding housing in one of these neighborhoods:

• East Kessler
• Lake Cliff
• The Bottoms
• South Side
• The Cedars
• Oak Cliff
• Edgewood Place
• Grand Fair Park South

The more you travel to central downtown and north, the more expensive housing will be and the longer the commute to your school. But you will also realize that access to things like grocery stores, malls, restaurants, and attractions are more of an abundance as you move north. We also see AmeriCorps members living in other souther communities like Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Desoto and Lancaster. These communities are only recommended if you have access to a vehicle and your commute time may increase to about 20-25 minutes.

Finding roommates

Living with roommates is highly recommended as it is an easy way to cut down costs. You will be added to our Slack channel, where there will be a section dedicated to finding roommates. In this channel, you will be able to post how much you’d like to spend, how many roommates you’d like to have and any other facts that would be helpful (pets, cleanliness, preferences, etc.). You’ll also be able to browse through others posts and find roommates!

• Rent is typically $300-$600 a month depending on where you live and any roommates you have.
• We currently have a partnership with Cedar Glen apartments that helps with deposit and lowers rent, this complex is close to 7/10 of our partner schools.

Budgeting for housing

Members find housing through online posting sites, word of mouth and sometimes on the City Year Dallas Facebook group (current members advertising their apartments). Postings should outline who to contact to learn more about the property, costs and lease terms. When renting an apartment, ask about the following fees as they frequently apply.

• Broker’s fee – typically one month’s rent or a percentage or the annual lease
• Security deposit – typically one month’s rent, returned at the end of the lease if the property’s condition is maintained
• First month’s rent – typically due upon signing of the lease agreement
• Last month’s rent – may be requested upon signing of the lease agreement

Some utilities are included in the price of rent, so be sure to ask your landlord. When viewing apartments, most landlords or current tenants will gladly tell you the average price of utilities, so don’t be afraid to ask. It is also helpful to ask what utilities the house uses, such as gas or electric heat. Some units and buildings include laundry, for free or a cost, while others are located near laundromats.