DART Cares, Housing Forward outline targeted outreach to unhoused riders; Farmers Branch council raises local concerns

Dallas Area Rapid Transit officials and Housing Forward told the Farmers Branch City Council on Feb. 18 that a new DART Cares multidisciplinary response team (MDRT) will patrol rail stations and bus stops to connect unhoused riders to behavioral health care and housing services, and that Housing Forward plans a countywide expansion of an intensive “street to home” outreach model.

DART representatives said the MDRT pairs DART police with mental‑health clinicians and outreach partners and will operate on DART property — stations and bus stops — from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. DART described a three‑step approach of education, encouragement and, when necessary, enforcement. “If they’re not doing anything wrong, not committing any crime, we’re not gonna just arrest them or write them a ticket,” said Chief Charles Cato of Dallas Rapid Transit Police.

Housing Forward CEO Sarah Khan described a broader County strategy to bring housing, behavioral health care and outreach to concentrated public‑space encampments. Khan said the nonprofit has launched a $30,000,000 “street to home” initiative that aims to reduce unsheltered homelessness by 50 percent across Dallas County. In earlier pilots downtown, Housing Forward reported housing roughly 70 people in 85 days and then using a closure‑maintenance strategy — patrols, security or physical interventions — to keep cleared areas from being repopulated.

Why it matters: Council members said the DART presentations highlight services riders and businesses expect near Farmers Branch’s 635 corridor, which council members described as the city’s “front door” to Dallas. Council members asked how the programs will coordinate across jurisdictions, how after‑hours incidents will be routed, and how often cleared sites will be patrolled to prevent re‑encampment.

DART officials said officers retain resource guides to refer calls that occur outside MDRT hours to partner agencies; DART said its dispatch will take DART‑related 911 calls routed by local PSAPs. DART supplied station call totals for Farmers Branch: 22 mental‑health/crisis calls in 2023 and 14 in 2024.

Khan and Housing Forward staff emphasized partnerships with Austin Street Shelter, Metrocrest services, Parkland Health and MetroCare and said their model relies on coordinated housing placement, on‑site clinical care, and local enforcement or security after sites are cleared. Khan said the next phase requires scale and more private‑sector landlord engagement to open units quickly and provide wraparound services.

Council members and Dallas County Commissioner Andy Summerman discussed regional funding and coordination. Council members asked whether Farmers Branch should pursue an interlocal agreement with the City of Dallas or other partners for ongoing patrols, cleanup and housing placement. Council discussion also referenced an environmental cleanup fee Dallas adopted — described by a council member as $3 per month on utility accounts expected to raise about $10.5 million — as an example of a funding source cities can consider.

Discussion vs. action: The session was a presentation and discussion; council did not take formal action during the study session. Multiple council members requested additional briefings and signaled interest in exploring local policy and funding options, including town‑hall engagement on whether residents would support a local fee.

Next steps: DART and Housing Forward offered to continue coordination with Farmers Branch staff and with Dallas County; councilmembers asked staff to bring further options for interlocal cooperation and local funding or service agreements.