Title
City Council to receive presentations from: a. DART Cares, and b. Housing Forward on homelessness, followed by a discussion on the homelessness concerns around the City and at the DART Stations.
Body
REQUESTOR:
Mayor Terry Lynne/Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Richard Jackson/City Manager’s Office
BACKGROUND:
The Mayor will officially introduce DART Cares and Housing Forward, followed by informative presentations from both organizations. These presentations will be succeeded by a collaborative discussion, led by Councilman Jackson and facilitated by the Mayor, aimed at fostering a productive dialogue and generating potential solutions for the City Council’s consideration. The outcomes of this discussion will serve as a foundation for strategic deliberations and solutions, with the potential to inform the upcoming budget process.
DISCUSSION:
The City Council and staff recognize the concerns the City of Farmers Branch faces regarding homelessness and use different resources to address these concerns, particularly at the borders we share with the City of Dallas. The City has a contract with Metrocrest Services to assist our residents with homelessness within the City. Since our primary concerns are at the borders of our neighboring City, where the City of Farmers Branch cannot apply the City’s codes and regulations, the City Management has been working on different pathways to address the concerns by working with the neighboring cities.
Early 2023, the City Manager’s Office started working directly with the City of Dallas City Manager’s Office and Office of Homeless Solutions in Dallas to address homelessness. Recognizing the holistic approach, a multi-city coalition was formed involving the City of Farmers Branch working with the Town of Addison, the City of Carrollton, and the City of Dallas to address homelessness. The City of Farmers Branch City Management has been working directly with the City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions to address homelessness concerns at the borders we share with the City of Dallas. The response from the City of Dallas has been positive so far under the new City Management. Today, a small collaborative effort that started between the City of Farmers Branch and the City of Dallas is heading towards forming a regional platform, and multiple cities from both Collin and Dallas counties are joining the coalition. However, the City Management of the City of Farmers Branch recognizes that some work still needs to be done to address the concerns effectively.
As the City continues to work on homelessness, we have invited DART Cares and Housing Forward to present to the City Council and staff. These presentations will provide valuable insights and knowledge from their experiences in handling and assisting other cities. While some of the experiences may not align with what the City of Farmers Branch is working on or has the financial resources to implement, it is a good educational opportunity to receive updates on regional efforts and know the resources are available to us should we choose to use them in the future.
DISTRICT:
Citywide
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Information Memorandum
2. DART Cares - Presentation
3. Housing Forward - Presentation