Housing Committee Is Skeptical of ‘Pilot Project’ Homeless Facility in District 6

The Dallas City Council’s Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee heard last week plans for a pilot program that would take dozens of unhoused individuals and house them at a former hotel in District 6 partially funded by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. 

Committee members did not entirely embrace the idea, as there already are buildings flagged for such purposes that have sat vacant for years. The city’s homeless shelters and temporary housing facilities also aren’t equitably distributed among the council districts, one committee member argued. 

The pilot program would cost Dallas about $3 million, said Director of the Office of Homeless Solutions Christine Crossley — and it’s only a drop in the bucket as the last Point in Time count showed about 4,200 individuals are experiencing homelessness in Dallas. The tenants would either be taken directly from the streets or from shelters, Crossley explained. 

The program would provide 152 temporary housing units and 48 permanent supportive housing units, HHS Committee members learned during a Sept. 19 briefing. Watch the full meeting here. 

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation already purchased the property and is paying for renovations. AHF would provide property management and security at no cost to the city. The city’s contribution would cover individual temporary housing for up to two years, six case managers, and permanent housing via the Continuum of Care. 

“[AHF] has purchased the building and would like to use it in a way that benefits the unsheltered,” Crossley said. “We have been looking at how that could work in line with what the Continuum of Care needs and what the council has asked for in terms of housing to move people into while they’re waiting for permanent housing.” 

Housing the Homeless

Councilman Chad West said sometimes pilot projects often don’t fit into any of the numerous council-adopted policies. 

“It blows up in the media and it becomes a big problem,” he said. “How is this not that same scenario?”

Deputy City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said a lot of discussions have taken place about bringing private-sector partners to the table when it comes to housing the homeless. 

“We know that we don’t have an open checkbook,” she said. “A lot of these issues that we’re dealing with … oftentimes it goes back to the resources we have available and what we’re able to do with what we have. We started conversations over the past year with private sector folks in general … where we could get the private sector on board to help us and provide some support [by providing housing] units for the city.” 

Tolbert emphasized that the facility is already paid for and privately owned, and several units already are available to house the homeless. 

“They’re willing to work with us,” she said. “There are 48 units already outfitted and ready to go from a [permanent supportive housing] standpoint, so it’s really about us trying to capitalize on this potential opportunity.” 

Councilman Jesse Moreno, who chairs the housing committee, said he would remain optimistic about the potential partnership. 

“We call on you time and time again to be creative and think outside the box,” he said to Crossley. “I look forward to learning more about this proposal.”

Pilot Program Looks ‘Upside Down’

Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn said the project looks “upside down” rather than following a strategic process. 

“This doesn’t meet our goal of putting [homeless housing] in every district,” she said. “We didn’t seek out this specific solution. We haven’t looked at other solutions besides this.” 

Meanwhile, other buildings such as the Miramar Hotel, intended to house the homeless, have been languishing for years, Mendelsohn said. 

“Maybe we need to … start looking at the things that are viable, that we can actually move on, to immediately help people that are living on the streets every night,” she said. “This is completely inhumane. We do have a responsibility to the people. Having big, empty buildings is not getting us anywhere. I don’t think you need another priority. I think we need to do a better job with what we’re doing.” 

The next step for the project is a briefing before the Citizen Homeless Commission. It’s slated to go back before the HHS Committee next month. 

Councilwoman Gay Donnell Willis said she was glad to see the option. 

“It may not fit neatly in the puzzle of our strategies,” she said. “However, it’s inhumane to warehouse people in the streets. I see this as an option that I’m glad we can explore and I look forward to learning more about it.” 

In other matters on Sept. 19, the Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee:

• Reviewed the city’s Good Neighbor Agreement with The Bridge, including requirements, partnerships, service highlights, and initiatives within and outside the GNA boundaries. 
• Heard an update on the city’s eight home repair programs from Assistant Housing Director Thor Erickson. 
• Heard an update on a potential partnership with Dallas County. The City Council is expected to vote later this month to accept $10 million from the county as part of a joint agreement to provide supportive housing and services to homeless, unsheltered, or unstably housed populations at or below 30 percent of the Area Median Income.