In a nutshell: The assistance comes as part of a first-of-its-kind initiative called “ALL INside,” which is part of All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. The federal plan is designed to address the root causes of homelessness across the country, such as a lack of affordable housing and access to health care resources.
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, along with 19 federal member agencies, will partner with state and local governments for up to two years to “strengthen and accelerate” the already existing efforts to house people experiencing homelessness, according to a White House news release. In addition to Dallas, ALL INside will target Chicago, Phoenix, Seattle and California.
In January, Housing Forward, the lead agency in addressing homelessness in Dallas, counted 3,692 people experiencing homelessness in Dallas County. Data from the organization shows the number of people experiencing homelessness in Dallas and Collin counties has decreased by 4% since 2022.
Quote of note: “This year, our community has proven that we know what it takes to reduce unsheltered homelessness,” Housing Forward Board Chair Peter Brodsky said in a news release from the organization. “We have a long way to go, but we are seeing reductions in unsheltered homelessness in our community. We will not rest until every neighbor in Dallas and Collin counties has a safe, stable place to call home.”
The specifics: As part of the new initiative, the White House will instate a federal official in each ALL INside community, including Dallas, and deploy dedicated teams across the government to identify opportunities for funding, support and collaboration.
Various federal agencies and departments will help facilitate access to resources, such as housing vouchers, state government employment and Medicaid.
Put in perspective: The new initiative comes after Housing Forward received a recent influx of private and federal funding.
Within the last year, Housing Forward has received $1.25 million from the Day One Families Fund, a private fund that works to reduce family homelessness, and more than $44 million in both annual and special new funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. With this funding, the organization plans to serve and support 6,000 unhoused people by the end of 2025.
