Article Shows Cost of Homelessness in Dallas County

A recent article in the Dallas Morning News put a price tag on the annual cost of homelessness in Dallas County; $50 million was the "conservative" estimate after "totaling the annual expenses of more than a dozen local taxpayer-funded agencies." Included in the costs were federal funds being administered locally, including $4.3 million in HUD funding and $661,000 in health care for homeless veterans. Not included was "at least $23 million in private funds spent locally caring for the homeless."

As much as half of the $50 million cost was seen as being attributable to 600 to 1000 long-term homeless persons, many of whom have been termed "frequent fliers" because they are known to cycle repeatedly through public systems of care and corrections. There are, in contrast, "between 6,000 and 10,000 homeless people in Dallas County, depending on who is counting and the method used."

The article, written by Kim Horner, can be read here.

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