‘I had nowhere to go’: Thrive on Crawford’s creative approach to workforce housing for Fort Worth families

67-unit complex pairs mixed-income homes with health services near JPS Health Network through J.P. Morgan Community Development Banking financing. After 25 years as a nurse, Debbie Frederick never expected to find herself worried about where she would live. A lifelong Texan, she spent more than a decade caring for her mother through Alzheimer’s, and after her mother’s passing, she needed a place of her own. Then, Frederick experienced her own stroke and heart attack, forcing her onto disability status, and her income changed overnight. Safe, stable housing became hardest to access at the moment she needed it most. “I was so discouraged, and I felt like I had nowhere to go,” said Frederick. Frederick’s story reflects a growing reality for many working Fort Worth families: people who’ve spent years serving their community and loved ones can struggle to find an affordable place to live close to jobs. One night around 3 a.m., Frederick was searching online for income-based apartments when she learned about Thrive on Crawford, a community designed to solve that very issue. The 67-unit mixed-income development opened in early 2026 as the first health and housing project of its kind in Texas. Located adjacent to JPS Health Network’s main hospital campus, the community at 1310 Crawford Street was intentionally created to connect residents to jobs and essential health services. “We designed Thrive on Crawford to go beyond traditional affordable housing with wellness services and proximity to healthcare facilities,” said Max Whipple, Vice President of Development at The NRP Group. The majority of homes are reserved for families earning 30%, 50% and 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with seven market-rate units available. Frederick wasn’t the only one to jump on the opportunity. Upon opening, demand was through the roof. By the time of its grand opening ceremony in January, 80% of the community had already been pre-leased with interest coming from healthcare employees at JPS Health Network next door as well as other members of the Fort Worth workforce. “Since moving in, the community has brought back stability into my life and given me peace of mind,” said Frederick, who no longer has to stress about affording rent in addition to other essentials like utilities, insurance and groceries. Thrive on Crawford includes 2,200 square feet of Class-A commercial space leased to JPS Health Network. Residents also have access to on-site amenities and services, including financial literacy programming, childcare resources and family-friendly spaces like a children’s playroom. A financing partnership built around community impact Creating a first-of-its-kind community required more than vision—It also required the right partners willing to invest in it. That’s where JPMorganChase came in, joining a collaborative effort across public and private sectors to bring the development to life. JPMorganChase helped finance the project through its Community Development Banking business, reflecting the firm’s commitment to affordable housing in Fort Worth and beyond. “Stable, affordable housing is a foundation for financial security, health and thriving communities,” said Cassandra Silvernail, Head of J.P. Morgan Community Development Banking for the Central Region. “Thrive on Crawford is such an important landmark in Fort Worth because it provides residents with increased access to healthcare and family-centered resources that allow them to stay rooted in the neighborhood and create a lasting sense of belonging.” Additional project financing was provided by Berkadia, Red Stone Equity Partners, the Near Southside TIF and Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. “Thrive on Crawford is one of a kind, and we hope it becomes a successful blueprint for Fort Worth and across Texas,” said Phillip Wiginton, North Texas Market Executive of J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking and a member of JPMorganChase’s Fort Worth Market Leadership Team. “As Fort Worth continues to grow, we have to make sure the people who serve our city can continue to live here.” That includes people like Frederick, who says she doesn’t feel like “just a tenant”—she feels like family. Her encouragement to future residents is simple. “Don’t give up,” said Frederick. “Keep looking, keep asking questions and keep applying. And to the people who finance, design, build and operate affordable communities: please keep building places like this. The right home can change everything.” With about 18,000 local employees and more than 190 branches, JPMorganChase has more than 2 million consumer banking customers and 240,000 small business clients across the greater Dallas-Fort Worth region. The firm has served clients, customers and communities in Dallas-Fort Worth for more than 150 years and has invested more than $40 million in North Texas nonprofits since 2019.