The Dallas City Council voted Wednesday to approve the first reading of a proposed $4.51 billion budget based on a property tax rate of 74.58 cents per $100 assessed valuation.
A second reading of the budget, required by law, is set for Sept. 21. The 2023 fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
The budget includes the following initiatives for housing and homelessness solutions:
- Launch a cross-departmental Homeless Action Response Team (HART) to deliver immediate interventions to address safety concerns connected to homeless encampments.
- House over 2,700 individuals by Fall 2023 through the Dallas R.E.A.L. Time Rapid Rehousing (DRTRR) initiative, which is an ongoing public-private collaboration.
- Protect the health, safety, and welfare of unhoused residents during seasonal weather events.
- Establish an Emerging Developers Fund that provides small businesses and charitable or faith-based organizations seed money to advance affordable housing.
- Develop and preserve mixed-income housing through a racial equity lens, leveraging funds from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program, American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and new revenue streams generated.
Additionally, the following was budgeted for transportation and infrastructure:
- Invest $157.3 million in the city’s infrastructure with $144.6 million to improve up to 787 street lane miles, $2 million to improve 12 alleys, $4.4 million to improve 12 bridges, and $6.3 million to improve 14 sidewalks.
- Award contracts that will result in the installation and rehabilitation of approximately 75 miles of water and wastewater mains to maintain system integrity and reduce impacts to the public.
- Make travel safer throughout Dallas with key investments in the city’s Vision Zero Plan, including engineering safety evaluation and road safety improvements.
- Pursue a state of good repair for the over 500 city-owned buildings by spending $9.5 million to address major system repairs and failures.
- Spend nearly $70 million to purchase replacement and additional vehicles used by city employees in the delivery of services such as fire-rescue, solid waste and recycling collection, and police patrol.
Council members spent more than five hours discussing proposed amendments to the budget. More amendments can be submitted prior to final adoption on Sept. 21.
Residents can download a full copy of the 768-page budget.
