As Dallas' Homeless Population Grows, Another Push to Turn an Old Jail Into an Emergency Shelter

The man was found dead, by a city Park and Recreation Department employee, around 8:30 Sunday morning in a storm drain at East Colorado Boulevard near North Zang , along the Dallas Streetcar line and in the shadow of Methodist Dallas Medical Center. Police said the man -- 60, Hispanic, unnamed until next of kin were found and notified -- wore a hospital's ID bracelet around his wrist and that he'd likely been using the storm drain as shelter. Said the note from DPD, "It appeared that the deceased person is homeless."A couple of weeks back the group that counts homeless people told us what we already knew, because we have eyes: There are more homeless people than ever sleeping outside in Dallas. In tents, under overpasses, in the woods, along sidewalks creeks -- anywhere, everywhere, including storm drains near the streetcar line that ferries passengers from downtown to Bishop Arts and back again.  Continue reading...