The Dallas City Council has rubber-stamped $10 million for a nonprofit promising to end homelessness, with City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn casting the lone vote in opposition.
The council approved $10 million for the nonprofit Housing Forward on December 10, by a vote of 14-1. Mendelsohn was the sole dissenter, citing a lack of results and concerns that the funding would only temporarily clean up the streets in time for the FIFA World Cup.
“It’s just like when the Chinese president visited San Francisco. It’s the creation of a short-term illusion that an issue is solved or doesn’t exist,” Mendelsohn said in the meeting. “No – it’s about FIFA, and that’s what this $10 million is really about.”
The FIFA World Cup will take place in Dallas in June and July 2026. As The Dallas Express reported, the city unveiled a major volunteer center in Fair Park in November. Dallas officials are also preparing massive security upgrades.
Housing Forward is the lead agency coordinating the Dallas-area homelessness response, organizing a “Street To Home Initiative.”
The nonprofit has completed Phase 1 of the initiative, which promised to enhance public safety and end street homelessness, as The Dallas Express reported. Now, the group is moving to Phase 2 – which requires “ongoing funding” to expand its strategies across Dallas.
Phase 2 would require $28 million total – $20 million in public funds, and $8 million in private funds, as The Dallas Express also reported. This will go toward rehousing rental assistance, diversion rental assistance, case management, and complex-needs and housing services.
President and CEO Sarah Kahn previously told The Dallas Express the city had already committed $10 million as of October 30.
Since Housing Forward launched the Street To Home Initiative in July 2024, it has helped rehouse more than 7,400 people who were living on the streets – including nearly 277 from downtown encampments, Kahn previously told The Dallas Express. But as she also said at the time, the nonprofit was struggling to keep up with the number of people entering homelessness.
Jennifer Scripps, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas, Inc., asked the council to approve the funding. She cited Dallas’ recent “Turkey Trot” and the upcoming Dallas Marathon near City Hall.
When The Dallas Express visited this area on December 10, numerous homeless people were milling about in the blocks surrounding the marathon tents.
“More importantly, working as part of the continuum of care with Housing Forward, we have rehoused almost 300 people just from downtown Dallas alone,” Scripps said. “We believe the sleepers, the number of unsheltered people sleeping downtown, is down more than 70%.”
Scripps also said Housing Forward’s work has improved the experience for visitors, daytime workers, Dallas residents, and companies like AT&T, which recently dodged The Dallas Express’ latest inquiry on whether it would stay downtown.
She said DDI has six full-time outreach workers who work with partners like The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center, Our Calling, and the Austin Street Center to place homeless people in housing and care.
Scripps also called on the council to address street feeding with an updated ordinance. As The Dallas Express reported, disorganized homeless feeding efforts on the streets around City Hall have drawn chaotic crowds, leaving behind trash and discarded food.
The Debate
Ultimately, Scripps asked the council to pass the $10 million for Housing Forward.
“Time is of the essence. We need downtown to be ready to host FIFA. The International Broadcast Center is loading in the first quarter of 2026,” she said. “This deferral is putting this progress at risk.”
Mendelsohn thanked Scripps for saying “the truth,” which she said city officials rarely discuss.
“Business leaders all across town are saying, ‘This is FIFA cleanup money,’” she said. “It’s kind of a gross way to describe what’s happening, but that’s what they’re saying.”
Mendelsohn wrote a memo to defer the item because council members were never briefed on it, noting that only members of the Housing and Homeless Solutions Committee received a memo.
“Here we are, scheduled for a vote with no briefing,” Mendelsohn said. “Spending $10 million on homelessness services deserves a briefing, and it’s worthy of thoughtful discussion.”
If this is an emergency, Mendelsohn questioned why – and questioned why officials could not get a briefing.
“How is this system working, that they don’t even know they’re running out of the funding and they’re ending up in an emergency?” she asked. “It seems like very irresponsible and concerning budgeting.”
The $10 million would only help rehouse roughly 425 people, according to City Manager Kim Tolbert. Kahn said in total, the $28 million for “Phase 2” would fund roughly 1,100 exits from the streets.
“This funding is being paired with another $18 million that we’re raising through partnerships, obviously, with the county and a private fundraiser to cover the costs,” Kahn said.
Mendelsohn said she believes the promising results downtown were due to Tolbert’s increased enforcement and business concerns. As The Dallas Express reported, the Central Business District has seen a significant drop in homeless encampments.
“The only change we’re actually seeing is because we have heard the outcry of the business community saying they will leave downtown if we don’t have that enforcement,” Mendelsohn said. “So we’ve responded.”
Dallas has been using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act for the homeless response, including the proposed $10 million grant, according to Mendelsohn. She warned that these funds are running out.
“The use of the dollars is said to be for free housing and utilities for a year,” she said. “But what’s the plan when the $10 million runs out and there are no more ARPA funds? We have no long-term plan, just one emergency after another.”
Strategies Going Forward
Councilman Paul Ridley asked Kahn how many people remain housed after their subsidy ends.
Kahn replied that roughly 92% to 93% of people since 2021 have not returned to homelessness after their subsidy ran out. She said Housing Forward has roughly 250 landlord partnerships across Dallas and Collin counties, and helps place homeless people with friends or family.
“The big focus of phase two is equipping our shelters,” Kahn said. “To be able to bring people inside, wrap them in care, and transition them to stable living. Transitioning someone to stable living sometimes means institutional care, sometimes means treatment, or a housing option.”
Ridley asked Kahn if Housing Forward could spend some of the $10 million on tiny homes and pallet homes. He noted he “fully support[s]” the funding.
“I’m just wondering when we’re going to see any results for these alternative types of housing, for those individuals who want that kind of housing?” Ridley asked.
Kahn replied that the money would go to “wraparound behavioral healthcare teams,” case management, and rental assistance.
“I do appreciate your comments about tiny homes and pallet homes,” Tolbert added. “We’re ready to go. We’ve just got to figure out what that’s going to look like.”
Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno applauded recent efforts downtown and thanked Tolbert for her help. He specifically pointed to the area between City Hall and the public library across the street.
“We have all come to understand that we can’t have a one-size solution, fits all,” Moreno said. “I’m going to, again, challenge our city management to really implement those additional strategies that we’ve talked about for years now.”
