City of Dallas has reported a significant decrease in homelessness for third year | North Texas

dallas, Texas — The City of Dallas, in collaboration with All Neighbors Coalition, has reported a significant decrease in homelessness for the third consecutive year, achieving the lowest total number of individuals experiencing homelessness in almost a decade.

The recent January Point-in-Time count revealed that on any given night, there are 3,718 individuals experiencing homelessness across Dallas and Collin Counties. This represents a 19% decrease in overall homelessness and a 24% reduction in unsheltered homelessness since 2021.

This progress is largely attributed to the transformative efforts of the All Neighbors Coalition, which now includes 150 organizations focused on addressing homelessness through evidence-based strategies. The Coalition, strengthened by a robust public-private partnership, has expanded access to housing, health care, and stability services for the unhoused population.

"Making homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring is a collective effort," said Deputy City Manager Kimberly Tolbert. "The City of Dallas, Office of Homeless Solutions is proud to partner with organizations like Housing Forward, The Stewpot, and The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center, whose hard work have led to a sustained, three-year decline of unsheltered residents in Dallas and Colin Counties."

The initiative has garnered national recognition, positioning the region as a top performer in reducing homelessness, a feat achieved by only 27% of communities in the United States last year. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has acknowledged these efforts with a $27 million annual funding grant to the Coalition, marking a 44% increase in performance-based funding since 2021.

The Coalition has set an ambitious goal to cut street homelessness by 50% by 2026, which will be made possible via a $30 million public-private investment. The next phase includes a "Street to Home" approach aimed at closing encampments in public spaces, offering behavioral healthcare, and rehousing assistance onsite. Since 2021, over 10,100 individuals have been successfully housed, demonstrating significant reductions in family, youth, and veteran homelessness.

However, the data also underscores persistent challenges, particularly the disproportionate impact of homelessness on Black communities. Nearly 57% of the unhoused population is Black, despite Black households comprising only 19% of the general population in Dallas and Collin Counties. This disparity underscores the importance of continuing to focus on racial equity as a cornerstone of our homelessness response efforts.

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