The Dallas Morning News

If you drive in downtown Dallas at night you'll find the homeless packed into one place. Not a shelter, but the parking lot of the First Presbyterian Church.

For the last six weeks Rev. Joseph Clifford has been hosting homeless in his church parking lot. Giving people a place to go until a new homeless center opens up next year.

It's a decision that some neighbors and business owners are not happy with, so the city and the church met Monday to discuss the future.

"There are a number of different options that we talked about and we're going to kind of work things through over the next couple of days," said Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert.

Some downtown business owners, though, fear that even when the homeless resource center is finished the problems won't go away.

Businesswoman Sulema Rodriguez says panhandling and harassment have driven many of her customers away.

"Nobody comes to buy, they're afraid to be in this section," Rodriguez said.

Chris Watts, who runs Petropolitan, a pet spa, across the street from First Presbyterian, says business has been good, but could be better.

"I don't mind that they're sleeping over in the parking lot. But could you do it after 7 o'clock when my customers are gone," Watts said.

The mayor says taking care of the homeless and business is a balancing act, that will take time to perfect.

"We're balancing the humanitarian needs of trying to address people who are in a difficult position," Leppert said. "At the same time, we want a lot of things to happen in the downtown. We want additional jobs and additional investments."

Dallas plans to open their new homeless assistance center on Corsicana Street in April. The center will provide service to about 400 people a day.