Social Services

Dallas, Collin County homeless service agencies get huge federal boost

Housing Forward recently shared that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a first-of-its kind package of resources to help communities implement a coordinated approach to ending unsheltered homelessness.  The national award totaled nearly $315 million, of which the All Neighbors Coalition received $22.8 million. The All Neighbors Coalition is made up of more than 120+ partner organizations across Collin and Dallas Counties that provide critical resources and support directly to individuals, Veterans, youth, and families experiencing homelessness. 

Dallas and Collin Counties are one of a small group of communities across the country receiving this unprecedented level of new funding to provide housing solutions to vulnerable neighbors.  

“As we have seen an increase in our chronically unsheltered population, our community set a goal to significantly reduce those numbers. Through a greater alignment of resources, enhanced partnerships, and a focus on racial equity, we are housing more people than ever before. This historic funding allows our homeless response system to greatly expand and further that work. This award is a tremendous nod to the work of The All Neighbors Coalition as we continue to demonstrate that we are a system working together toward shared goals in our effort to find permanent solutions to ending homelessness,” said Joli Angel Robinson, President and CEO of Housing Forward. 

This historic funding opportunity will support coordinated encampment outreach and expand housing and services to help neighbors move back into a safe home and improve their health and wellbeing, “Our focus on reducing unsheltered homelessness, the most visible form of homelessness in our community, will be greatly aided by this new funding. Dallas Housing Authority and Dallas County have both committed critical resources to be paired with this HUD funding and we have worked to build and strengthen partnerships with local healthcare providers and nonprofits providing street outreach. This allows us to engage more neighbors living in encampments across our community and help them access housing with critical wrap-around supports,” said Peter Brodsky, Housing Forward Board Chair. 

This award helps the local homeless response system expand Diversion efforts that prevent people from becoming unsheltered and increases the availability of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). PSH provides access to affordable housing through rental subsidies with necessary supportive services. This special funding opportunity leverages partnerships with Dallas Housing Authority, Dallas County, North Texas Behavioral Health Authority, and Parkland Health.  

Funds will go directly to several leading homeless service providers to deliver these proven solutions to homelessness. “We have seen the impact of collaboration through our local initiatives. This unsheltered funding opportunity allows us to deeply collaborate with existing partners to amplify housing and healthcare resources and create permanent housing solutions for our neighbors experiencing homelessness,” said Ashley Brundage, All Neighbors Coalition Board Chair. 

Community Partners selected to receive funding to implement PSH through the All Neighbors Coalition funding competition are: 

The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center

The Stewpot  

The Salvation Army, Plano  

CitySquare

Metrocare Services

Under 1 Roof 

This funding initiative is also the first in which HUD has coordinated grants and housing vouchers. In response to the competitive special Notice of Funding Opportunity, Continuum of Care (CoC) collaborative applicants were asked to formally partner with public housing authorities to leverage access to housing resources. Public housing authorities partnering with awarded CoC grantees will receive priority for approximately 4,000 Housing Choice “Stability” Vouchers that allow people experiencing homelessness to afford decent, safe, and sanitary housing. 

” Every neighbor in our community deserves to have safe, stable housing. This award enables us to increase support and build capacity across our system so that we can provide the necessary housing and services many of our unhoused neighbors need,” said Joli Angel Robinson, President and CEO of Housing Forward. 

About Housing Forward and All Neighbors Coalition: Housing Forward, formerly Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance (MDHA), was founded in 2002 to serve as a collective voice for homelessness in Dallas and Collin Counties. Housing Forward has the expertise, partnerships, and resources to lead a system-wide, data-driven strategy to solve homelessness in our community. Housing Forward works together in collaboration with the All Neighbors Coalition to lead system-wide strategies for ending homelessness in our community.

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Barbara Clark Galupi