Businesses Invest In City Plan To Fight Homelessness

Businesses in Fort Worth, Texas, invest in a city-led plan to combat homelessness.

1 minute read

December 26, 2008, 5:00 AM PST

By Larry Schooler


"Mike Guyton considers his company's involvement as a matter of simple economics. Guyton is vice president of customer operations with Encore Electric Delivery and a board member with United Way of Tarrant County.

'A lot of times we might think: ‘Hey, we're not spending any money at all on the homeless,' but if you look at the numbers, we're all spending roughly $30 million on housing, taking homeless people to hospitals, which the hospitals then let them out, something happens, and they go back,' to the hospital, Guyton said. 'We're not ever solving the problem. From the business standpoint, it makes sense. It will be cheaper to actually solve the problem.'

A solution to chronic homelessness – defined as a period of more than 12 months without a secure living environment – is a goal of the Directions Home plan the City of Fort Worth adopted this year.

The plan also aims to make homelessness rare, short-term and non-recurring by 2018, by providing a combination of housing and services."

Monday, December 22, 2008 in Fort Worth Business Press

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 28, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and yellow DART light rail train in Dallas, Texas with brick building in background.

DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process

The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.

May 28, 2025 - Mass Transit

Farm workers in long sleeves and hats working in a green field in Nipomo, California with small hills in background.

Without International Immigrants, the Rural US Population Would Be Falling 58%

Census data shows that population growth in rural areas is due in large part to international migrants.

7 hours ago - The Daily Yonder

Aerial view of Lake Shore Drive, eight-lane highway adjacent to lakeshore in Chicago, Illinois with city skyline in background at sunset.

Dead End: Nine Highways Ready for Retirement

The Freeways Without Futures report describes the nation’s most promising highway removal proposals.

June 2 - Congress For New Urbanism

Metrorail train pulling into newly opened subterranean station in Washington, D.C. with crowd on platform taking photos.

Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”

The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).

June 2 - The Hill

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.