Meeting Outcome: Homeless to Arrive at Cliff Manor Next Week

Yesterday, the impending move of 17 chronically homeless people from the Bridge shelter downtown to Cliff Manor sparked another late-night discussion — but unlike a packed town-hall meeting last month, this one was private.

Its outcome: Despite heavy community protest, all 17 will relocate to the Fort Worth Avenue high-rise next week, said Fort Worth Avenue TIF Board chairman Randall White, who blogged live from the four-and-a-half hour meeting at Dallas City Hall.

Until about 10:30 p.m., a few city officials, a “Cliff Manor task force” including White that was appointed by Councilman Dave Neumann, representatives of the Dallas Housing Authority and the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, and a handful of other attendees debated the merits and legality of the project, which DHA president MaryAnn Russ counters is required under the Fair Housing Act. Once they’ve been screened and approved, 100 homeless could move to Cliff Manor, where programs will be managed by an on-site caseworker.

Pick up this week’s issue of Oak Cliff People for the full story.

UPDATE: Now I’m hearing the number of potential Cliff Manor residents (via the Bridge) has been knocked down to 50. Developing.