Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance Meets $10M Goal For Homeless Rehousing Program

Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance recently announced major private gifts totaling $10 million to a historic homeless “rapid rehousing” program.

The donations to the Dallas R.E.A.L Time Rapid Rehousing (DRTRR) initiative satisfy the private fundraising needed for a program that will house more than 2,700 people and families experiencing homelessness over the next two years. 

The rest of the $72 million initiative is being funded through federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars allocated by local governments and DHA – Housing Solutions for North Texas. Specifically, the city of Dallas and Dallas County each allocated $25 million; DHA, Dallas County, and the cities of Mesquite and Grand Prairie contributed 758 emergency housing vouchers.

“The tremendous support shown by our local philanthropic community to support our DRTRR initiative is truly inspiring. The impact of these gifts is sure to greatly increase our efforts in serving our unhoused neighbors, not only in meeting their housing needs, but also with much-needed wrap-around services,” said MDHA CEO Joli Robinson. “I am particularly grateful to our Collaborative on Homelessness partners and MDHA team who work tirelessly in this space and with great dedication, in making the experience of homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring in Dallas and Collin Counties.”

The funders comprise 19 families, corporations, organizations, and foundations, with Bank of America, Margot Perot and the Perot family, and Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) each committing $2 million. 

The CFT commitment is a part of a $3.3 million total commitment by the Collaborative on Homelessness, a group of Dallas foundations founded by The Meadows Foundation that includes Lyda Hill Philanthropies, The Dallas Foundation, Hoblitzelle Foundation, King Foundation, United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, and an anonymous foundation.

“Communities Foundation of Texas seeks to fund initiatives that build thriving communities for all and that are fueled by collaboration and collective impact. We know that we are all more effective when we work together under a unified strategy,” said Dave Scullin, president and CEO of CFT.  “DRTRR is the definition of collective impact, with multiple governments, agencies and funding sources coming together to work as a team to tackle the vexing issue of homelessness.  We were thrilled to participate in the Collaborative on Homelessness in 2019 and are even more thrilled to now make a leadership gift to the DRTRR initiative.”

 The private funds raised by MDHA will be used to cover aspects of the program.  Landlord incentives are payments made to landlords, often in the form of additional deposits, to induce landlords to accept tenants paying with subsidies, which they are not required to do under Texas law.

Move-in kits provide clients with basic necessities upon moving into a new home, such as a bed, linens, dishes, etc. Finally, the privately-raised dollars will be used to fund necessary administrative and capacity-building expenses necessary for partner agencies to manage the volume of clients they will be serving.

“It is heartbreaking to see so many of our neighbors suffering through the crisis of homelessness. We are honored to play a small role in restoring dignity to their lives and in taking a major step toward ending homelessness in our community,” Margot Perot added.

For more information about the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, visit their website.