The Dallas City Council voted to spend $6.9 million of taxpayer funds on homeless services during its recent meeting in a bid to mitigate the city’s homelessness and vagrancy crisis.
Council members renewed a contract with The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center for the price of $5,669,686. The contract was first approved last year, and council members’ vote on Wednesday marked the first of four annual renewal options.
The price tag was originally $4,519,000, but it was increased because the City Council approved expanding the services under the contract to include rental assistance.
The City Council also renewed a separate contract with Catholic Charities of Dallas to provide supportive services for seniors for the Office of Homeless Solutions over the following year.
Council members also authorized spending $1,043,414 in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs grant money on additional services for the homeless.
The Dallas Express reached out to the City and asked what services would be funded as a result of the spending but received no answer by press time.
While the City of Dallas continues to spend taxpayer money on housing and services for the homeless, officials have yet to pursue the “one-stop-shop” solution offered by Haven for Hope in San Antonio.
As reported by The Dallas Express, Haven for Hope maintains a “Transformational Campus” where housing is provided in a single location along with supportive services such as counseling and job training. Participating in the services is required in order to receive housing on the Transformational Campus.
“For the Transformational Campus, you need to be willing to commit to working with our team on a housing and income sustainability plan,” communications director Terri Behling previously told The Dallas Express. “But that’s going to be different for everyone.”
Haven for Hope has been credited with a 77% reduction in San Antonio homelessness. Meanwhile, 75% of Dallas residents say homelessness and vagrancy continue to be “major” problems throughout the city.
Previous polling conducted by The Dallas Express has shown that most Dallas residents support trying the “one-stop-shop” model.
