Dallas' $10M homeless housing provision raises questions about 'FIFA cleanup'
Dallas' $10M for homeless raises eyebrows
The City of Dallas voted this week to invest $10 million in tax dollars to house the homeless in downtown.
DALLAS - The City of Dallas voted this week to invest $10 million in tax dollars to house the homeless in downtown.
But one council member questioned if the money is really just a temporary fix in time for next year's World Cup.
Dallas homeless housing investment
The nonprofit Housing Forward says the money will get 400 people off of Dallas's streets.
But since the money is from federal funds left over from COVID, some are concerned about what happens when those funds run out.
What they're saying:
"Under previous city management, there were 50 people sleeping in front of the library and strewn across City Hall Plaza, and we were begging for support and a real strategy," said Scripps.
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Jennifer Scripps, president and CEO of Downtown Dallas Inc., says the city has made a lot of progress housing the homeless downtown.
"With Housing Forward, we have rehoused 300 people from downtown alone. We believe the sleepers, unsheltered sleeping downtown, are down 70 percent," Scripps said.
But she said there is more work to be done, and told city council members they should not delay providing $10 million in funding to the non-profit.
"Let me tell you, time is of the essence. We need downtown to help host the FIFA International Broadcast Center that is loading in, in the first quarter of next year," Scripps said.
‘FIFA cleanup money’
Dallas City Council member Cara Mendelsohn said the statement confirmed her suspicion that the money was really to create an illusion that Dallas' homeless problem didn't exist.
"Business leaders all over town are calling this ‘FIFA cleanup money.’ Gross way to describe what is going on," Mendelsohn said.
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Mendelsohn's concern is that the funding is from the American Rescue Plan Act — federal funding provided during the pandemic.
"What is the plan when $10 million runs out and there are no more ARPA funds? We have no long-term plan. When these dollars are spent, we will have nothing to show for it," Mendelsohn said.
The other side:
Sarah Kahn, president and CEO of Housing Forward, says this plan was actually set in motion far before planning for the tournament began.
"This funding is for phase 2; the next phase of an effort that began in 2024, well before FIFA preparations," Kahn said.
Kahn told FOX 4 that there is, however, a need for regular funding from the city.
"It's unacceptable to let people die on our streets. It is unacceptable for our sidewalks to be our waiting room," Kahn said.
Future Dallas homeless plans
What's next:
Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert admitted the city will have to find money for the future.
"We want to make sure when time closes on funding, we want to make sure they don't end up back out on the street, or we put them on the street literally," Tolbert said.
Housing Forward is also asking Dallas County to provide an additional $10 million for the Street to Home Initiative.
The nonprofit believes, with the expanded funds, they could house over a thousand people.
The Source: Information in this article came from Dallas city leaders and Housing Forward.