There are currently 18 open homeless service requests in northern Dallas, according to the City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions 311 homeless service calls dashboard.
The dashboard shows the number and status of such service requests on a rolling 30-day basis, many of which involve homeless and vagrant encampments.
One of the requests cited the area around southbound North Central Expressway and Royal Lane, noting “a lot of trash and shopping carts.” The request was opened on February 20 but was still classified as “in progress” as of Sunday afternoon. The purported homeless encampment is located in Council Member Jaynie Schultz’s District 11.
The office of Council Member Omar Narvaez, who represents District 6, reached out to the Office of Homeless Solutions and relayed a request from one of his constituents about an encampment at 10920 Goodnight Ln.
“Constituent … reached out to our office regarding a growing homeless encampment. The homeless encampment is near the creek on Goodnight Lane near Walnut Hill. Also, the creek is right behind the Target Sortation Center. I will provide a screenshot of the creek the constituent mention[ed], I created the SR with his contact information. Please keep our District 6 office updated, thank you for your assistance!”
The service request was created on March 5. It is still “in progress.”
A new request was filed on Sunday in Council Member Gay Donnell Willis’ District 13 for the intersection of North Central Expressway and Walnut Hill Lane. The request reads, “Several individuals sleeping under overpass, blankets, trash visible.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, polling shows that some 75% of Dallas voters think homelessness and vagrancy continue to be “major” problems in the city. Polling also indicates that Dallasites are generally supportive of the “one-stop-shop” approach to fighting homelessness, which is used by Haven for Hope in San Antonio. The model has been credited with a 77% reduction in unsheltered homelessness in downtown San Antonio.
Some local stakeholders are looking to deploy the model in Dallas. However, it is unclear whether City officials will support the effort.
