Dallas homelessness program could add more time, money to rehousing efforts

Many Dallas council members were concerned Monday when they learned tiny homes or sanctioned parking lots — places where people experiencing homelessness can stay temporarily— could add five months to the time providers spend rehoming people.
That’s because “Bridge,” the proposed pilot program — not to be confused with the existing downtown Dallas shelter — will be a new step in an existing pipeline providers use to house people, said Christine Crossley, director of the office of homeless solutions, during a committee meeting Monday.
In the city’s experience, people have lingered in temporary spaces rather than moving into permanent supportive housing faster, Crossley said.
That notion jarred council members who said it would be more humane to have people experiencing homelessness in a safe site with food and wraparound mental health services.
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“While I understand the goals of Housing Forward (lead agency addressing homelessness in Dallas and Collin counties) and permanent housing is optimal, the reality is, underpasses, parkland, culverts, etc., are where people are living, and it’s not okay,” said council member Gay Donnell Willis.
“We need this interim step,” Willis said.
Council member Chad West indicated he was not supportive of the pilot program because, on top of taking more time, it would also cost the city more. The cost of servicing an individual in the pilot program could fall between $33,000 and $100,000.
“Although well intended by folks who are interested in it, we have a very aggressive, and I think attainable, goal that’s been set by Housing Forward to reduce the unsheltered population by 50% by 2026,” West said.
City officials were asked to come back in October with a list of recommended sites where the program could be established.
There are two separate yet interconnected issues elected officials are tackling. The first is the overall objective to reduce homelessness. The second is whether the presence of people experiencing homelessness in and around public spaces like parks, libraries and major thoroughfares impacts quality of life.
The conception of the program represents deep dissatisfaction with the city’s current policy of “housing first.” The principle stems from the idea that homelessness is best addressed by putting a roof over one’s head.
More often than not, however, situating people in permanent homes is a complicated process.
Crossley said 95% accept housing. A small yet visible group — those experiencing chronic homelessness — need day-to-day outreach to build the kind of trust and pathway required to enter new housing. They also represent the highest expense in rehousing efforts.
Officials fielded plans for a two-year pilot program in which the city would build 50 units and look for an adjacent camping and parking site for those who refused housing. While the city will build the infrastructure, the objective is to partner with a developer or nonprofit operator to run the project and pack the program with wraparound mental health, behavioral, public transportation and food services.
Council member Jesse Moreno said the city will need a combination of different approaches to successfully lower homelessness.
The city currently partners with a consortium of over 100 organizations that provide outreach, social workers, crisis centers and shelters.
Housing Forward, the agency leading Dallas and Collin counties’ response to homelessness, counted significantly fewer people experiencing homelessness in January’s point-in-time count — 3,718. It was the lowest census of homeless people in the area since 2015.
The underlying fear is whether a new program could result in a battle for resources.
The HOPE report, conceived by a task force created by Mayor Eric Johnson to assess Dallas’ homelessness needs, has said temporary solutions like tiny homes risk becoming costly and taking money away from permanent housing initiatives.
“The City must approach temporary measures with caution, prioritizing long-term solutions, and learning from experiences of other cities to avoid exacerbating homelessness challenges,” the report said.