By DRC Communications
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Dallas County voters will consider a proposition this November that would provide dedicated funding to expand the region’s coordinated response to homelessness and mental health needs.
Dallas County Proposition A asks voters whether the county should adopt a property tax rate of 24.865 cents per $100 of valuation, approximately 2.4 cents above the voter-approval rate. The increase would generate an estimated $100 million annually dedicated to programs designed to measurably reduce homelessness. For a home valued at $250,000, the estimated cost would be approximately $60 per year.
The proposition comes as Dallas County has seen measurable progress in reducing homelessness through a more coordinated approach known as the “Street-to-Home” initiative.
Since 2021, more than 25,000 people have exited homelessness through the county’s coordinated response system, while street homelessness has declined 25%. In Downtown Dallas, where the model has been concentrated, street homelessness has fallen by more than 80%.
The challenge now is capacity.
Approximately 11,000 households experience homelessness in Dallas County each year, but the existing system only has capacity to serve roughly 60% of them. Proposition A is designed to close much of that gap, helping up to 4,500 additional households exit homelessness each year.
Scaling a coordinated approach countywide
Funding from Proposition A would expand the Street-to-Home model across Dallas County, connecting people experiencing homelessness with services based on the level of assistance they need.
That includes coordinated outreach and immediate connections to shelter, treatment and housing, as well as specialized responses for people with mental health needs. The county currently operates a five-zone model designed to coordinate those services across the region.
The proposed investment would expand several levels of intervention, including relatively small costs that can quickly help someone remain housed or return to housing, transitional assistance and permanent supportive housing for people with the most significant needs. Funding would also support coordinated intake hubs intended to streamline drop-off, triage and connections to shelter, treatment and housing.
Proposition A also includes funding for mental health and addiction treatment, employment connections and short-term financial assistance. Dallas County would retain oversight of the funding, with performance expectations, independent audits and public reporting intended to measure results.
Why it matters for the Dallas Region
Proposition A would allow Dallas County to build on recent progress by expanding the reach and capacity of programs already operating across the county. With approximately 8,400 jail bookings involving unsheltered individuals each year and more than $161 million in estimated annual hospital utilization costs associated with homelessness, the proposal aims to reduce pressure on costly public systems by connecting more people with housing and supportive services.
The DRC is a member of Safe in the City, which helped provide the model for the programs that would be scaled countywide.
Early voting runs October 19-30. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Visit the DRC’s North Texas Voter Resources for more information.