City council approves sale of city lots to Builders of Hope after heated public debate

Farmers Branch city council voted to authorize the sale of city-owned residential lots to the Farmers Branch Local Government Corporation for resale to Builders of Hope Community Development Corporation, with a late amendment directing that a minimum of two and a maximum of three lots in District 2 be sold on the open market. The action came after more than an hour of public comment and extended council discussion.

The vote follows a staff presentation from Jose Guerrebe, special projects manager, who described the Neighborhood Renaissance program history and presented four price/package options for selling the lots to Builders of Hope. The options proposed minimum lot sale prices to Builders of Hope ranging from $45,000 to $65,000 tied to maximum sales prices for completed homes.

Residents and community members spoke for and against the proposal during the public-comment period. Supporters including Jose Sanchez and Daniel Cerna described personal experiences with Builders of Hope, saying the nonprofit had enabled them to buy homes in Farmers Branch they otherwise could not afford. Builders of Hope president and CEO James Armstrong told the council the nonprofit uses a mix of grants and private foundation support and said buyers are subject to affordability periods and resale restrictions that protect city interests.

Opponents raised fiscal and equity concerns. Speakers including David Prince, Todd Warren, Rob Wands and others questioned Builders of Hope's finances, urged more transparency on nonprofit revenues and grants, and argued the city should not subsidize housing by selling public assets below market value. Several residents warned discounted sales could depress nearby property values and shift costs to taxpayers.

Council members debated alternatives including selling the lots on the open market, preserving existing deed restrictions, or using the local government corporation for flexible resale. After debate the council approved the resolution with the amendment that 2–3 of the District 2 lots be offered on the open market rather than transferred directly to the nonprofit. Council directed staff to proceed with negotiating sale terms with the local government corporation and Builders of Hope subject to that amendment.

The resolution as approved authorizes the city manager to negotiate and execute sale documents with the Farmers Branch Local Government Corporation for resale to Builders of Hope under the terms discussed and amended; the council did not specify a single pricing option in the final authorization. The agreement will return to council for any further approvals required by the sale process.

What happens next: staff will finalize terms with the local government corporation and Builders of Hope and will present the detailed agreements and any lots to be listed on the open market to council or the LGC as required. Public commenters requested additional financial disclosures from Builders of Hope and asked the council to consider tabling the measure pending further review; the council voted instead to move forward with the amendment.