With the need for more affordable housing in Tarrant County growing, county leaders are now accepting proposals for new development.
Tarrant County commissioners have allocated $32.5 million to increase the number of affordable housing units for people experiencing homelessness. Kristen Camareno, assistant county administrator for Tarrant County, the issue of homelessness is county-wide.
“While you may have more prevalence of homeless families or families without a permanent place to call home in one city, in other cities…you may have a larger number of youth who might be more of the “invisible” homeless population. Maybe they’re sleeping on someone’s couch. They’re sleeping in their car or with a family member,” Camareno explained.
The county is requesting proposals from developers who are interested in developing new affordable housing units. The $32.5 million in funding is from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF).
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There are existing units in Tarrant County, but Camareno said the demand is outpacing what is currently available.
“The inventory of affordable units in Tarrant County is almost non-existent. Of available units, rather,” she said. “We saw the need for those units increase the pandemic. So, the effort really is to try to fill that need along with some of our other large cities.”
Catholic Charities Fort Worth serves low-income individuals and families that need assistance with utilities and sometimes, with rent and mortgages. The organization also aids in referrals to long-term programs.
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Courtney Walker, a program director, said the need for their services has grown. On average, they receive up to 800 calls each week.
“The number two request from our applicants is housing assistance. That could be accessing affordable housing, helping them stay in their current house, avoiding eviction,” Walker said. “Many of those [calls] do not come to the fruition of an application, because we don’t have rental funds available. We do strategically use utility funding in its place. Maybe we can pay a large utility bill, they can put their finances towards maintaining their house.”
Since January, Walker said they have been able to assist more than 1,000 people.
“The lingering effects of a COVID economy, inflation on basic goods and services like groceries, gasoline, and just not having access to living wage employment really contributes to this,” she said.
New affordable housing options are only part of the equation, Walker added. While they are not the end-all solution, she said they are a step towards getting people into homes.
“When people can earn more and they can work, and they can earn for themselves and be sustainable. That’s the best-case scenario,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of reasons why that’s not happening. Yes, there’s a lot of jobs available but they’re not jobs where people can live and work there. It’s like they can’t afford that job.”
The first round of completed proposals to Tarrant County will be reviewed, scored and awarded by the end of the calendar year. Completed proposals received after November 4, 2022, will be evaluated by March 31, 2023.
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