We drive a strategy where every part of the homeless response system works together to move people off the streets and into shelter, treatment, recovery and stable housing. By reducing street homelessness and permanently resolving encampments, we help create healthier, safer and more welcoming public spaces for everyone.
How We're Doing It
Get People Off the Streets Quickly
It's not safe or healthy to sleep outside. We coordinate outreach, first responders, shelter, mental health and public safety partners to connect people to immediate pathways indoors.
Help People Return to Housing and Self-Sufficiency
Most people our system serves in Dallas County only need a little help to avoid homelessness. We help people return to stable housing with practical, short-term assistance when possible. More intensive housing, treatment and ongoing services are reserved for people with the greatest needs.
Connect People with Serious Mental Illness to Treatment
People who sleep outside are nine times more likely to spend time in jail. Our system coordinates care and partnerships to provide mental health treatment, substance use recovery and other support to stop the cycle of homelessness and instability.
Results for Our Entire Community
We combine federal, local and philanthropic funding to accelerate progress toward eliminating street homelessness. Our two most recent initiatives have helped more people move off the streets while building momentum for broader, lasting improvements across the community.
Visit our public dashboard for the most up to date performance data on our overall results.
Street to Home Phase 1
Launched in 2024, Street to Home Phase 1 built a new collaborative strategy to produce significant reductions in street sleeping in downtown Dallas.
Street to Home Phase 2
Now underway, Street to Home Phase 2 is sustaining progress downtown, expanding the strategy to additional priority areas and increasing the number of people moving from shelter into housing.
— Sarah Kahn
President and CEO, Housing Forward
“Dallas is relentlessly pursuing a vision of a community where no one sleeps outside. From resolving encampments, to strengthening access to mental health supports for those in crisis, to building more streamlined exit pathways, we're building a response to homelessness that delivers for our whole community.”
Our Partners
