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He said he noticed his server was a “We are a unique developer in that we looking at what we need, building the
little flustered, so he engaged her in like to create communities, and you teams, and getting foundations to help.
conversation. “She explained that her can’t build a community in an area Our challenge right now is convincing
car had broken down getting her kid where the waiters can’t afford to live.” the hotels that they should get involved.
to daycare and she had been late that To that end, the company developed They are asking, ‘Do we want to pay for
morning and was afraid she would be The Bellview, an affordable housing that if we don’t know it will work?’”
fired,” said Matthews. “She had a 12 project that will open in September.
year old car and had to drive 10 miles The apartments are situated near Matthews said his company alone
to her child’s daycare, and I just real- public transportation, which will give will invest a substantial amount in the
ized it was a recipe for disaster, that parents more access to and options for effort to align area employees with the
if she wasn’t fired that day, she most childcare, school, and jobs. other tools they need. “When a woman
likely would be fired the next time.” has access to job training, childcare,
The company also began the transportation, and affordable
Matthews' company, Matthews process of investigating how compa- housing in her community, only then
Southwest, develops affordable nies and non-profit organizations can can she begin to think of job advance-
housing and hotels in Dallas. He had work together to help provide access ment,” said Matthews. “When you help
already started investigating job train- to training, childcare, transportation, advance individuals, it advances the
ing available in the area for hospitality and affordable housing. Matthews’ city and then everything runs better.”
workers when he realized something estimates have shown that by getting
important. In order for hotel employers hotels directly involved in the train- Thompson lauds such efforts. “If
to attract long-term employees, many ing process, they will produce better we, as a society, invest in women, it
of whom are women, an alignment qualified, targeted employees and po- is the surest way to make changes in
was also going to have to be created tentially save them $10 million a year society and the economy.” N
with access to childcare, affordable in job turnover costs. “The challenge,”
housing, and transportation. he said, “with such an experiment is Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell is an independent
creating a comprehensive program journalist who writes regularly on issues
Although Matthews Southwest is that is economically sustainable to surrounding the environment. She is a
a for-profit company with substantial the companies. We’re about half way member of the Society of Environmental
investment in south Dallas, Matthews through the process right now in Journalists and writes from her home in
says it is about more than the money. the Ozark Mountains.
18 NBIZ ■ August 2014
