The Dallas Express previously reported that 3,996 people were found to be homeless in Dallas County during an annual 10-day count period in 2022, according to the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance.
Of those individuals, 1,324 are thought to be vagrants, or electively “unsheltered,” which means they do not look for housing in shelters but choose to camp out in areas such as abandoned parking lots, under bridges, or by the side of the road.
Michele Steeb of the Texas Public Policy Foundation believes that cities are taking the wrong approach to effectively getting people off the streets. In an article that she posted to The Cannon Online, Steeb claimed that providing housing alone furthers the homelessness and vagrancy problem.
Despite a 200% increase in federal spending on homelessness and vagrancy assistance in the 10 years leading up to 2019 and a 42.7% increase in the number of permanent housing units reserved for the homeless between 2014 and 2019, the number of unsheltered homeless and vagrant people in the country increased by 20.5%, Steeb stated.
If housing itself could end homelessness and vagrancy, the number of people without shelter would have decreased nationwide, said Steeb. She told The Dallas Express that the federal taxpayer dollars funding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are being diverted away from programs that could actually help the homeless.
What could help these individuals are resources that seek to eliminate the underlying problems, said Steeb. One such organization is Haven for Hope in San Antonio.
In addition to offering the basic essentials of food, clothing, and shelter, Haven for Hope makes a broader effort to lay the groundwork for long-term solutions that deal with the underlying issues that lead to homelessness and vagrancy.
The idea is to house those who are homeless in community-based living. This allows mental health counselors, addiction counselors, employment training program providers, childcare providers, and other professionals offering different support services to collaborate to help those in the community.
Reporters with The Dallas Express went to a homeless and vagrant encampment on West Mockingbird Lane to ask some of these individuals themselves about what they feel they need.
Tyrone Cash, 24, who stood in his boxer shorts due to the extreme heat, said he would like to see more resources for the homeless, especially those who lack access to a shower.
“The worst part is feeling like you can’t leave that place or feeling like you don’t have any progress,” he said.
When The Dallas Express spoke to Jeremy Nobles, 31, also wearing nothing but his boxers, he said he is waiting on approval to receive disability and sleeping wherever he can for the time being. Nobles also said he has not received any help from the City, and because of the heat, he cannot walk far to seek assistance.
Nobles, who called himself “educationally behind,” admitted to having a drug problem and said he would join a substance abuse program if one were close.