The City of Fort Worth is moving to purchase housing for homeless families in a seeming commitment to Housing First policies that have been referred to by some as “doomed to failure.”

The Fort Worth Housing Corporation’s nonbinding purchase offer to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary was accepted earlier this month, according to a City press release.

“This project is a perfect example of Fort Worth’s commitment to families and ensuring every child has the support they need to be successful,” said Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker.

The 15-acre property has 140 units that could house families. The purchase is expected to cost about $11 million. However, several nonprofits have pledged to contribute funds because the project is a public-private partnership.

“As we face a crisis of family homelessness across the country, we are fortunate in Fort Worth to have nonprofit and philanthropic partners that are committed to working alongside the City to ensure we are investing in the needed housing and services for our most vulnerable,” said Mayor Parker.

One Safe Place committed to raising $5 million, while $1.1 million will be contributed by Rainwater, Morris, Amon Carter, and Sid Richardson foundations. The Paulos Foundation has committed $800,000.

Tarrant County Samaritan House could contribute $4.1 million. However, that money would come from federal funds awarded to the organization by the City of Fort Worth.

Sarah Greer, program officer of Rainwater Charitable Foundation, said, “This project will leverage community partnerships, an accessible location and existing infrastructure to provide affordable housing coupled with supportive services and neighborhood amenities to help families thrive.”

The City said some of the units could be leased before the end of the year.

“This project will transform lives, build stronger families, and improve outcomes for our most vulnerable children,” said Fort Worth City Councilmember Elizabeth Beck, District 9.

She added that it will “provide housing for families experiencing homelessness and a stable refuge for survivors of domestic violence, complete with the wraparound services needed for families to heal and build the resiliency needed to chart a path forward to bright futures in our community.”

While local municipalities, including the City of Dallas, continue to purchase housing for the homeless, studies have shown that “Housing First” solutions are ineffective in solving homelessness and vagrancy.

A report published last year by The Center on Wealth & Poverty at the Discovery Institute indicates that “Housing First” solutions may be “doomed to failure” because they “begin with an inadequate diagnosis of the cause” and ignore underlying causes such as mental illness and drug abuse.

The homelessness support model favored by Dallas residents is that of the successful Haven for Hope in San Antonio — a one-stop-shop for homeless support services in a single geographic location. The City of Dallas has not yet used this approach.

Homelessness and vagrancy have worsened to critical levels in Dallas over recent years. Polling conducted by The Dallas Express found that over 60% of Dallas residents believe that “homelessness, vagrancy, and panhandling” are “serious problems in Dallas.”

Another survey found that 76% of those living downtown believe that “homelessness is a significant issue,” comparing the situation in Dallas to cities like Austin, Houston, Chicago, and New York City.

Many vagrants continue to willingly live on the street and reject the services offered by the City and local nonprofits.

Consequently, the City discourages residents from giving money to panhandlers, saying that “giving money without offering support could make matters worse.”