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In Ferris, Texas, homeless individuals have begun to occupy 51 m² houses from OurCalling in a planned community with daily meals, local support, and future services. The project serves people from Dallas and Ellis counties who need stable housing and long-term on-site care.
A planned community for homeless individuals in Ferris, Texas, began receiving its first residents in 2026, on a 280-acre site located about 40 kilometers from Dallas. The OurCalling project includes 51 m² houses and was featured by FOX 4 on March 26, 2026, and by KERA/NPR on March 27, 2026.
According to a report by Lori Brown from FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth and KERA/NPR, the initiative serves people from Dallas and Ellis counties who were homeless and need long-term care. Among the new residents are the elderly, people with physical or cognitive disabilities, and individuals with severe health issues, in a model designed for a fresh start with a fixed address.
Planned community in Texas attempts to create a fresh start outside shelters
The community was created to serve a group that often does not fit well into traditional solutions. According to information from KERA, the proposal is to offer an intermediate space between independent housing and a long-term care institution, especially for those who need daily support.
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The project is not limited to providing a house but attempts to create a routine of coexistence and care. The first 25 houses are about 51 m² each and have been arranged so that the porches face each other, encouraging contact between neighbors.
For people who have been through shelters, streets, or areas under bridges, the change represents more than just an address. Residents’ accounts indicate that the silence, security, and the possibility of chatting with neighbors on the porch have become part of a routine that was previously marked by uncertainty.
The planned community in Ferris welcomed people who came from care structures in Dallas, including shelters mentioned by the residents themselves. The central idea is to reduce isolation and allow former homeless individuals to rebuild connections in a stable environment.
51 m² Houses Have Structure Designed for Daily Routine
The community houses are approximately 550 square feet, equivalent to about 51 m². According to FOX 4, the units include a full kitchen, living room, bedroom, washer, and dryer, creating a space closer to permanent housing than a temporary shelter.
This structure is important because many homeless individuals with health issues face difficulties in maintaining medication, regular meals, and appointments. In a fixed environment, with a house and nearby support, the routine can become less unstable.
The housing was designed for people in high-risk situations, including those living with severe illnesses, cognitive disabilities, or physical limitations. The community was also designed with accessibility, including ramps in small houses shown in the KERA report.
In addition to the residential units, the neighborhood features a club where residents and staff gather for meals and socializing. According to the source, residents share three daily meals, which reinforces the community proposal and continuous support.
280-Acre Land Includes Ponds, Silence, and Community Life
The land where the community is being implemented is 280 acres and is located in Ferris, in Ellis County. According to Wayne Walker, CEO of OurCalling, the property includes more than 20 acres of ponds, as well as open areas with trees, grass, and wind in the field.
The description contrasts with the reality of those who lived in shelters, streets, or under bridges. Instead of traffic, sirens, and insecurity, the project aims to offer silence, space, and predictability.
This setting was called a “sanctuary” by Walker in the KERA report. The word appears associated with the goal of creating a place where vulnerable people can exit survival mode and rebuild basic habits, such as sleeping, eating, and socializing.
Even so, the project is not presented as a broad public solution for all homeless people. It specifically focuses on individuals with long-term care needs, especially those facing greater physical, cognitive, or health vulnerabilities.
OurCalling plans to expand structure with clinic, chapel, café, and laundry
The second phase of the project foresees the construction of two new neighborhoods and a center with additional services. According to KERA, this space should include a medical clinic, café, laundry, chapel, and cafeteria, among other supports for the residents.
The construction of this stage still depends on resources. OurCalling reported that it seeks to raise $25 million for the second phase, and the works should begin when the funding is obtained.
The presence of a future medical clinic is an important point of the proposal, as part of the residents served need health monitoring. FOX 4 also reported that medical care will be available on-site within the expansion plan.
According to FOX 4, the project plans to reach 500 houses in the future. The information expands the scope of the initiative but also shows that the community is still in its initial phase, with 25 houses already inaugurated by the reports published in March 2026.
Missionary residents help in the adaptation of new residents
In addition to the residents served, the community has missionary residents who live on-site to help with daily activities and spiritual support. The proposal is linked to the work of OurCalling, a religious-based organization focused on serving homeless people.
Broderick Ellison, a deacon cited by KERA, moved to the community and reported observing the adaptation of people who hadn’t had permanent housing for years. For him, missionary work can also happen within the city itself, close to those living in vulnerability.
This permanent presence differentiates the project from a simple delivery of housing. The intention is for residents to have people nearby to help with the transition, coexistence, and daily needs.
At the same time, the initiative raises a relevant discussion: how to balance social support, permanent housing, health, and autonomy for people who have lived years in instability? The planned community tries to answer this question through coexistence, structure, and monitoring.
Project shows gap between independent living and assisted care
Wayne Walker told KERA that the community seeks to fill a gap between independent apartments and nursing homes. According to him, there are people who do not necessarily need a traditional institution but also cannot live completely alone without support.
This gap is especially sensitive for elderly, sick, or disabled homeless individuals. Without adequate support, many end up cycling between the street, shelter, hospital, and emergency services, without enough stability to regain routine and health.
The model in Ferris attempts to offer a long-term solution, not just emergency shelter. Therefore, the proposal involves housing, neighborhood, food, daily support, and services planned for the future.
The experience is still under development and depends on expansion, funding, and monitoring of results. Even so, the first houses already show a concrete attempt to change the logic of care for people who have spent years without permanent housing.
Restart with a fixed address also opens social debate
The case of Texas draws attention because it transforms an issue generally treated as an emergency into a proposal for a permanent community. For residents, moving from shelters or streets to a house with a kitchen, living room, laundry, and daily meals changes the way of living daily life.
But the project also opens a broader discussion about social responsibility, private funding, public policies, and assisted living models. When a planned community can accommodate homeless individuals at high risk of vulnerability, the question arises of how this type of solution could be expanded.
OurCalling bets on private donations and a structure with a strong community presence. Meanwhile, residents’ reports indicate that the main change felt is in the basics: sleeping better, eating regularly, having neighbors nearby, and not living in constant alert.
And you, do you believe that planned communities like this could work in other regions, or should the ideal path be different? Leave your opinion in the comments and tell us what type of solution seems more realistic to tackle homelessness with dignity.
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