DALLAS – A series of public meetings are being held to discuss Homeless Solution Strategies. The City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions is asking for public feedback on a group of proposed strategies to tackle the growing epidemic.
The homeless population has increased by nine percent, overall, since 2017 according to city data. The unsheltered homeless population has gone up 23 percent.
Kelvin Baker is a homeless resident who has been moving around from shelter to shelter, since the large Tent City homeless encampment under I-45 was shut down by the City of Dallas back in 2016. "A lot of people would rather sleep out here than sleep in the shelter because of all of the abuse, the disrespect, the stealing," Baker said.
As the City continues to clean up and shut down encampments that are spreading across neighborhoods, the Office of Homeless Solutions wants the public to weigh in on a four-track program strategy. The proposals include:
- Increasing Shelter Capacity
- Temporary Homeless Centers
- Master Lease/Landlord Incentive Programs; and
- New Developments
Baker, like some other homeless residents, says he’d like to attend the meetings to offer some perspective and opinions. However, there is a big challenge. “Because if I go to the meeting, I’ll have to sleep outside tonight,” he explained.
Bakers revealed shelter curfews and other restriction prevent many homeless residents from adding their voices to the City’s public meetings, which are mostly scheduled in the evening.
“Most of the time, we have to line up for the men at 4. We have to get there by 1:30 or one o’clock, if we are going to get a bed," Baker said.
A public feedback meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in Dallas on Tuesday, July 10. A detailed schedule of the remaining public meetings may be found on the City of Dallas website.