Annual Funding For Housing Vouchers Already Spent in Dallas

The Dallas Housing Authority (DHA) ran out of money for the year in June, reports Robert Wilonsky.

That funding shortfall will affect the scheduled October opening of the recently completed St. Jude Center, a new housing facility for homeless seniors. St. Jude will remain unoccupied because DHA is "$12 million short of what it needs to fund vouchers for those who qualify."

"That stunned city officials, many of whom are just now finding out," according to Wilonsky. "The word 'mismanagement' comes up a lot."

Troy Broussard, the DHA's president and CEO, says DHA ran out of funds this year because of rising rents.

"The DHA's outside spokesperson, Jacqueline Chen, sent me two very simple charts," reports Wilonsky. "One says that in 2015, the average housing assistance payment per unit was $596, and that in 2018 that number jumped to $816. The other says that in 2015 DHA spent $120 million on vouchers, and that it's now $160 million."