DALLAS – U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Turner toured OurCalling, a faith-based zero-barrier outreach center for vulnerable populations near downtown Dallas, Texas. After the tour, Secretary Turner held a stakeholder roundtable to discuss the importance of localized solutions providing resources to homeless populations in the North Texas region. 

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WAYNE WALKER, CEO AND PASTOR, OURCALLING: “It was an honor to host Secretary Turner alongside our valued partner organizations, all dedicated to developing innovative solutions for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. We are deeply grateful for a leader who loves the Lord and is committed to guiding the Department of Housing and Urban Development in meaningful collaboration with nonprofits and Christian ministries in Dallas and across the nation. The plight of those experiencing homelessness will require a strong, strategic, and innovative approach that Secretary Turner is committed to and uniquely qualified to bring. His personal passion and conviction for ‘loving your neighbor as yourself’ will enable a bold and creative directive that will impact generations to come. At OurCalling, we are excited to share with him our processes and technology that enables the use of data analytics, Artificial Intelligence, and boots-on-the-ground relational equity to help transition individuals into opportunities to experience long-term healthy community. Secretary Turner is a unique and gifted leader who understands that housing solutions alone will never solve homelessness. His fresh perspective can revolutionize HUD.”

DR. DAVID WOODY, III, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BRIDGE HOMELESS RECOVERY CENTER IN DALLAS: “I so appreciated the choice made by The Honorable Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Mr. Scott Turner, to participate in a Roundtable Dialogue with major organizations critical to the homeless response system in Dallas and Collin Counties. Secretary Turner brought to our breaking bread together a spirit of compassion, exhibited a desire to listen, and shared with the group his priorities as he has begun being deeply immersed in understanding his new leadership responsibilities. That our Dallas leaders were able to share how HUD resources have been a key component of the 4-year homeless response system transformation and work being accomplished reducing homelessness in Dallas was invaluable. I wish Secretary Turner well!”

SARAH KAHN, CEO, HOUSING FORWARD: “We thank Secretary Turner for his service and look forward to working alongside him to continue making progress on homelessness in Dallas. HUD’s Continuum of Care program is the only source of sustainable dollars for our community, and we leverage this funding to get people off the streets and into care and housing. The CoC program is currently helping 3400 individuals recover in housing in Dallas, which saves taxpayers over $150 million annually by avoiding managing their homelessness in our hospitals and jails. These efforts have led to a 24 % reduction in unsheltered homelessness in Dallas since 2021, and we look forward to continuing our progress under Secretary Turner’s leadership.”

BRENDA SNITZER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE STEWPOT: “The meeting today with the Honorable HUD Secretary Scott Turner and organizations supporting individuals and families in poverty and homelessness was a great opportunity for continued collaboration. Thank you to HUD Secretary Turner and all the partners who participated in the roundtable discussion. It was clear that there is agreement and alignment between Secretary Turner and all the partners' goals, individually and collectively, to increase access to affordable housing and award efficiency, providing effectiveness and showcasing impact year over year. The All Neighbor’s Coalition of Dallas and Collin County, with over 150 organizations and the lead organization, Housing Forward, has collaboratively reduced unsheltered homelessness by 24% since 2021. Without the partners working together and without HUD’s supportive funding and our private dollars from the community to the continuum and our own organizations, this would not have happened. We look forward to continued partnership and impact through our sharing of best practices and working together to house vulnerable individuals and families.”

ELLEN MAGNIS, CEO, FAMILY GATEWAY: “I was very honored to participate in this important discussion with Secretary Turner alongside my colleagues in the homeless response system. We have worked hard as a system to find new ways to collaborate, work from a data-driven perspective, and use our dollars wisely. These efforts seem to align nicely with Secretary Turner's vision for HUD. I look forward to continuing to find creative solutions to help families with children experiencing homelessness, and am eager to work alongside my peers and HUD to help as many families as possible.”  

NEWS

HUD CHIEF SCOTT TURNER VISITS DALLAS FOR TALKS ON TACKLING HOMELESSNESS: “U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner visited Dallas on Wednesday to speak with city and local nonprofit leaders addressing homeless to discuss his vision to expand affordable housing and tout the efficacy of public-private partnerships.”

HUD SECRETARY TALKS HOMELESSNESS STRATEGY WITH DALLAS OFFICIALS, NONPROFIT LEADERS: “The public-private partnership that exists between city officials and nonprofit leaders in Dallas is an encouraging sign on how to deal with the homelessness crisis and it could be worthy of replication on a national level. This is according to Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, who journeyed to the city this week to discuss the issue.”

'WE WANT TO BE FAITHFUL STEWARDS': HUD SECRETARY SCOTT TURNER'S VISION FOR CARING FOR THE HOMELESS: “I came to listen to the groups that here about what they’re doing in their particular services and how we can partner with them, and maybe be a facilitator and a supporter…and to give our vision for HUD as it pertains to our mission in carrying out the assignment we’ve been called to.”

SECRETARY SCOTT TURNER JOINS THE MARK DAVIS SHOW: “We look at homelessness, and we think we just have to house people, but we like to look at homelessness from a holistic viewpoint…the mental health, the addiction. Those wrap around services are vital and key to bring people in and to encourage people…I’m so grateful for OurCalling and other ministries like this that go and get people off the streets, and even those who don’t want to come in, to lovingly encourage them to receive help.” 

HUD SEC. SCOTT TURNER TAKES ON HOMELESSNESS: “The federal government is not the answer. The answer is the faith-based organizations, the nonprofit organizations that literally have their boots on the ground…Here in Dallas, those that I met with like OurCalling and others who are serving our homelessness neighbors on a day in and day out basis.”