Home / Dallas News / According to a report from the city, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Fort Worth has more than doubled over the past three years. In response to this concerning trend, the city has initiated a new pilot program aimed at providing housing and mental health services to those in need. On Tuesday night, the Fort Worth City Council approved a plan to allocate $1,096,847 towards a five-month program dedicated to addressing homelessness. This initiative, in collaboration with the nonprofit My Health My Resources of Tarrant County, will specifically target areas of the city where homelessness has become increasingly visible. Fernando Costa, Assistant City Manager of Fort Worth, highlighted the significant rise in homelessness, with the number of homeless individuals increasing from just over 1,000 to nearly 2,500 between 2021 and 2023. Costa attributed this surge to the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium and the decline in funds for emergency rental assistance. The city has identified seven target areas experiencing a high prevalence of visible homelessness, including the East Lancaster corridor and the Northside and Stockyards. Under the new pilot plan, existing resources like the HOPE Team will be utilized to identify 80 individuals in these high-impact zones who have been homeless for at least two years or are struggling with severe mental illness. Of these individuals, 40 will receive permanent housing and mental health care, while the remaining 40 will be provided with counseling services. The ultimate objective is for 70% or more of the assisted individuals to transition into permanent housing and effectively exit homelessness. If the pilot program demonstrates promise, city leaders intend to seek approval to allocate $2.2 million for a 12-month extension. Business owners in the community are hopeful that addressing homelessness as a mental health issue will lead to meaningful solutions. City leaders have indicated that if the program is extended, it may be expanded to other areas of Fort Worth as well.

According to a report from the city, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Fort Worth has more than doubled over the past three years. In response to this concerning trend, the city has initiated a new pilot program aimed at providing housing and mental health services to those in need. On Tuesday night, the Fort Worth City Council approved a plan to allocate $1,096,847 towards a five-month program dedicated to addressing homelessness. This initiative, in collaboration with the nonprofit My Health My Resources of Tarrant County, will specifically target areas of the city where homelessness has become increasingly visible. Fernando Costa, Assistant City Manager of Fort Worth, highlighted the significant rise in homelessness, with the number of homeless individuals increasing from just over 1,000 to nearly 2,500 between 2021 and 2023. Costa attributed this surge to the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium and the decline in funds for emergency rental assistance. The city has identified seven target areas experiencing a high prevalence of visible homelessness, including the East Lancaster corridor and the Northside and Stockyards. Under the new pilot plan, existing resources like the HOPE Team will be utilized to identify 80 individuals in these high-impact zones who have been homeless for at least two years or are struggling with severe mental illness. Of these individuals, 40 will receive permanent housing and mental health care, while the remaining 40 will be provided with counseling services. The ultimate objective is for 70% or more of the assisted individuals to transition into permanent housing and effectively exit homelessness. If the pilot program demonstrates promise, city leaders intend to seek approval to allocate $2.2 million for a 12-month extension. Business owners in the community are hopeful that addressing homelessness as a mental health issue will lead to meaningful solutions. City leaders have indicated that if the program is extended, it may be expanded to other areas of Fort Worth as well.

March 20, 2024 Dallas News Comments Off on According to a report from the city, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in Fort Worth has more than doubled over the past three years. In response to this concerning trend, the city has initiated a new pilot program aimed at providing housing and mental health services to those in need. On Tuesday night, the Fort Worth City Council approved a plan to allocate $1,096,847 towards a five-month program dedicated to addressing homelessness. This initiative, in collaboration with the nonprofit My Health My Resources of Tarrant County, will specifically target areas of the city where homelessness has become increasingly visible. Fernando Costa, Assistant City Manager of Fort Worth, highlighted the significant rise in homelessness, with the number of homeless individuals increasing from just over 1,000 to nearly 2,500 between 2021 and 2023. Costa attributed this surge to the expiration of the federal eviction moratorium and the decline in funds for emergency rental assistance. The city has identified seven target areas experiencing a high prevalence of visible homelessness, including the East Lancaster corridor and the Northside and Stockyards. Under the new pilot plan, existing resources like the HOPE Team will be utilized to identify 80 individuals in these high-impact zones who have been homeless for at least two years or are struggling with severe mental illness. Of these individuals, 40 will receive permanent housing and mental health care, while the remaining 40 will be provided with counseling services. The ultimate objective is for 70% or more of the assisted individuals to transition into permanent housing and effectively exit homelessness. If the pilot program demonstrates promise, city leaders intend to seek approval to allocate $2.2 million for a 12-month extension. Business owners in the community are hopeful that addressing homelessness as a mental health issue will lead to meaningful solutions. City leaders have indicated that if the program is extended, it may be expanded to other areas of Fort Worth as well. 34 Views

The upcoming solar eclipse is expected to cause a significant reduction in energy supply to the state’s power grid due to the sudden and dramatic decline in solar generation caused by the lack of sunlight.

Scheduled for April 8, 2024, the total solar eclipse presents an opportunity for tens of millions of skywatchers to witness the celestial event, marking the last chance to do so from the U.S. until 2045, according to scientists.

ERCOT, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, has stated that they are making preparations for this rare occurrence.

Although there will be a decrease in solar power production during the eclipse’s darkness, ERCOT has expressed confidence that there will be no grid reliability issues.

The eclipse is projected to pass over the ERCOT region between approximately 12:10 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. CT.

Forecasts released by ERCOT on April 7 indicate that solar generation on the day of the eclipse could plummet from 99.2% around noon to about 7.6% at approximately 1:40 p.m.

ERCOT has been actively developing forecasting models to anticipate the reduced solar power production and will continue to monitor conditions while keeping the public informed.

To prepare for the eclipse, ERCOT has devised an 11-day plan to ready its marketplace of power suppliers. They plan to issue notices to their marketplace of suppliers leading up to the eclipse and will also monitor for weather events that could impact demand on the state power grid.

Regarding the timing of the 2024 eclipse, NASA reports that the eclipse’s path will traverse Mexico before entering the United States in Texas and proceeding through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Small portions of Tennessee and Michigan will also experience the total solar eclipse.

Several cities in Texas, including Dallas, most of Fort Worth, Waco, Temple, most of Austin, and parts of San Antonio, will be within the path of totality. However, Denton will be situated outside the path of totality.

In Dallas, the eclipse will commence with the moon covering the sun around 12:23 p.m., followed by totality beginning around 1:40 p.m. and lasting just under 4 minutes. The moon will then move away from the sun, with the spectacle concluding around 3:02 p.m. The exact timing may vary based on the location within the metroplex.

Tags

Check Also

Texas police officer killed after EF-1 tornado strikes his home

A tragic incident has claimed the life of Lt. James Waller, a 22-year veteran of …

Managed By: Tech Couplers