Dallas city leaders plan to help homeless

by Shannon Miller of DFW Reporting

The Dallas City Council plans to create 700 additional units of permanent supportive housing within the next five years.

Dallas developer Larry Hamilton

You have seen his high rise residential buildings throughout Dallas’ skyline. Turning buildings from old downtown spaces to urban apartments and hotels is Larry Hamilton’s trade. Now, the Dallas developer has a new group of downtown guests in mind. He hopes these guests can have a more extended stay.

“I would love to start addressing this need,” said Dallas developer Larry Hamilton. “I mean it’s the number one thing that’s the matter, in my opinion, with downtown Dallas as far as the quality of life issue.”

Quality of life for the homeless is what Hamilton has been thinking about. It’s nothing new on Dallas’ agenda, but creating efficient living for these individuals is a work in progress.

“There’s a lot of things that we’re lacking,” said Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert’s Deputy Chief of Staff Paula Blackmon. “This is a new issue for Dallas. I mean we’ve always had a homeless problem, but just recently we came up with a plan.”

The plan stems from a goal set by Dallas City Council to create 700 additional units of permanent supportive housing within the next five years. The city already has 800 units of permanent supportive housing with two more projects in the works.

However, it’s in Seattle that Hamilton invited Dallas city leaders to hit the streets where homeless advocates there say downtown permanent supportive housing virtually blends in. Seattle’s approach to downtown homeless living is, "work with what you’ve got." Some of the city’s facilities include emergency services.

Mike Faenza, president and chief executive officer of Dallas’ largest homeless shelter The Bridge, took the trip to Seattle. He says the idea is to include some of Dallas’ permanent supportive housing plans downtown would be a good fit.

“I think there’s great opportunity in the city looking hard at how can we take hold of that property and refurbish it,” said Faenza.

Hamilton must secure approval from potential neighboring communities along with additional stating funding, but if urban homeless housing is a success in downtown Dallas, the cost of homeless emergency response could be cut by nearly a third. Hamilton will join the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance and the Dallas Housing Authority early next year to present the complete permanent supportive housing outline to Dallas City Council.

“A lot of people are attracted to the urban lifestyle, but the grittiness of it is a detriment,” said Hamilton. “We need to remove that, and if I can start helping to address that problem, I would love to do it.

Pegasus News Content partner - DFW Reporting

Catherine Cuellar, verified:

Glad to see Mr. Hamilton has seen the light since opposing The Bridge's downtown site some years back. Dallas' faith community is also taking a lead on the development of affordable housing. By year's end, content partner <a href="http://www.pegasusnews.com/content-partner/urban-daily/">Larry James</a>' <a href="http://www.citywalkatakard.com/">City Walk @ Akard</a> will open about 200 efficiency apartments (including 50 for the formerly homeless) in downtown Dallas' Central Business District (where I plan to live next year). Next month's <a href="http://JusticeRevival.org"> Justice Revival</a> will also help address Dallas' critical need for housing the working poor can afford so they don't become homeless in the first place.

3 years, 7 months ago
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Russ Vandeveerdonk, verified:

This is a "MUST DO" thing for Dallas and the CBD!! You go Larry James, I support you. If I had extra funds I would invest in a project to assist those people who are homeless, PERIOD. I have followed homeless issues and volunteered at The Stewpot and The Bridge and just want those people assisted,...hopefully we are still on the right track!

3 years, 7 months ago
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genghis65, anonymous:

I have lived in downtown since 2004 and have only seen the homeless problem increase since the opening of the Bridge in 2008. There's a simple reason with a simple solution. Everyday, on average about 5-10 times I am stopped by homeless people begging for change. Most of these people present me with discharge papers and prison IDs, telling me how they just got out of jail, jumped on a Greyhound bus from Huntsville and are now here because of the Bridge. I see more drug users in doorways at night, and more and more homeless people than ever before. Why? Because of the Bridge - it is attracting the homeless to downtown, not addressing any problem that existed before. Move affordable housing into areas where it is harder to access drugs and alcohol and provide the residents with access to the medical/psychological care they need. I have seen the same guy sitting on main street every day for about a year shouting obscenities at all and sundry. Has the Bridge helped him? No. How many of these so called homeless advocates live down here? I wager less than 50%. This is not the solution.

3 years, 7 months ago
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