The Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance’s rapid rehousing program, also called the “Dallas R.E.A.L. Time Rapid Rehousing” initiative, provides housing vouchers, education and case management for people experiencing homelessness. The program’s goal is to house 2,700 people and families over the next two years.
“[The program] is about pulling together our resources to serve our unhoused population in a way that is responsible, equitable, accountable and legitimate,” said Joli Robinson, the new CEO of Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance.
The majority of the program’s $72 million in funding comes from federal COVID-19 relief funds, allocated by local city and county governments. The additional private funding from 19 different foundations and corporations will go toward things not covered by the federal government such as household items and additional deposits to landlords.
In Texas, landlords are protected if they refuse housing vouchers as a form of rent payment through SB 267, which passed in 2015. Peter Brodsky with the alliance said the additional deposits to private landlords are incentives to ensure people going through the program can find affordable housing, and won’t be turned away by landlords.
Brodsky said these funds are only one part of the larger picture of ending homelessness in the city.
“The next step is going to be ensuring that we have enough affordable housing so that fewer people are forced into this situation in the first place,” he said.
The rapid rehousing program launched at the beginning of October, and Brodsky said the organization is currently working to house people as they continue to hire more caseworkers to manage the program over the next two years.
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