Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot pledged $100,000 toward a new homeless shelter Wednesday, in an effort to keep people out of jail.
Dallas City Council members unanimously approved the Salvation Army shelter, to be built in Northwest Dallas on Stemmons Freeway.
The land is vacant now, but the 20-acre site will soon become a shelter that can house some 600 people.
Creuzot said he's already spoken with the Salvation Army's leadership about making sure there's space for people who otherwise would be taken to jail on charges of criminal trespass.
"Continually jailing the mentally ill and the homeless people, to me, is morally wrong and it's unacceptable," Creuzot said.
Council members applauded the efforts of everyone involved with the shelter project, as well as Creuzot's willingness to address the homelessness problem in Dallas.
Creuzot pledged the money with a request that the city would change its practices, and move people who do not pose a physical threat to the shelter, instead of the county jail.
"The jail has become the default location for people who are nuisances, who are mentally ill, who are homeless, who are drug addicted. And that is unacceptable," Creuzot said.
Creuzot's plan to address mass incarceration has been a point of contention.
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However, council members Wednesday night had positive feedback on his ideas for addressing homelessness.
