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Council approves Bridge funding, orders ‘good neighbor’ review as critics seek performance metrics
Summary
Council approved renewed funding and contract renewals for the Bridge Homeless Recovery Center and other homeless service providers but several members pressed staff for clearer performance metrics and asked that a ‘good neighbor’ agreement be reviewed by the Housing and Homelessness Committee.
The Dallas City Council on Sept. 24 approved renewed service and management contracts and identified funding for several city contractors that work with people experiencing homelessness — including renewed facility management funding for the Bridge Homeless Recovery Center — while requiring additional neighborhood engagement on operational conditions.
The council approved a staff recommendation to permit the city manager to exercise the third of four renewal options for the Bridge’s facility management services contract and to provide funding for the contract year. The approved action increased the annual fee in year four from $4,519,000 to not more than $5,916,911; the motion also directed staff to take the Bridge’s “good neighbor” provisions to the Housing and Homelessness Committee for review and possible modification with community input.
The Bridge’s president and CEO, Dr. David Woody III, asked the council to approve related consent items that fund campus operations, night‑shelter capacity and rapid rehousing support. He told the council the Bridge has engaged more than 6,300 guests since October 2024 and is on track to connect more than 900 guests with housing solutions this fiscal year. “Since October 2024, employees of the Bridge have engaged over 6,300 guests,” Woody said during the podium remarks. He also highlighted partnerships with Dallas County and said the Bridge’s data show 95 percent of those housed remain in their homes after 12 months.
Councilmember Kara Mendelson and others repeatedly asked staff and contract managers for specific performance measures, reporting frequency and targets. Mendelson said the council has not been regularly briefed on outcomes and pushed for reviews in committee, citing a recent city audit that she called “problematic.” "If we expect results in addressing homelessness, we must set clear goals, measure performance, and adjust the courses needed," Mendelson said.
Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno offered a motion to approve the Bridge funding while sending the good‑neighbor commitments to committee. Moreno argued the motion would allow the funds to flow without delaying services and still create a schedule for formal neighborhood review.
Other related items approved on the consent agenda included renewal options for emergency shelter services with the Salvation Army, Austin Street Center and BridgeSteps (the Bridge), plus subrecipient agreements under the HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS) program that totaled more than $4.1 million across several nonprofit providers.
Why it matters: the votes kept shelter and housing support services funded heading into the new fiscal year, while exposing council concern about oversight. Several members stressed that approving budgeted contract renewals should be accompanied by clearer, earlier briefings to committee so council can evaluate program results before authorizing multi‑million dollar renewals.
