The Safe in the City initiative is rooted in a deliberate focus on proven, data-backed strategies.
Take for example the work our coalition has done over the past year to transform our approach to tackling street homelessness in Downtown Dallas.
For context, since 2021, Dallas and Collin counties have made substantial progress in reducing homelessness across the region. Nonprofit Housing Forward and the All Neighbors Coalition of more than 150 public and private entities — including Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI) — work together to provide housing, shelter, and critical support services to thousands of people and families every year.
But we were not feeling that progress in Downtown Dallas — until last year.
One year ago this month, Housing Forward, DDI, the City of Dallas, and numerous other partners launched the “Street to Home” initiative to close encampments, and rehouse people experiencing homelessness from the streets of Downtown. We started with three highly populated zones on the south side of Downtown, near City Hall and along Interstate 30.
In the first 100 days, we housed more than 100 people. The work continued. Day by day. Zone by zone.
In May, Housing Forward President & CEO Sarah Kahn announced the initiative had housed more than 250 people in 10 months. She declared Downtown closed to sleeping or camping in public spaces.
That does not mean that we won’t see people experiencing homelessness in Downtown. It does mean that with continued collaboration and crucial public and private dollars, we can now offer quick pathways off the streets for anyone experiencing homelessness in Downtown, oftentimes through direct engagements with DDI’s dedicated Homeless Outreach team members.
It also means our enhanced Downtown police presence will help when needed to respond to crisis, and to enforce laws against sleeping and camping in public spaces while coordinating shelter and housing for individuals living outside.
Our work addressing homelessness in Downtown with compassion and urgency is not done. But our success to date provides a roadmap for how we will continue to help our unhoused neighbors living on the streets throughout our city and region.
Learn more about this critical work in the short video below from Housing Forward.
The Safe in the City initiative is a collaboration of dozens of public and private groups and individuals. It is led by Downtown Dallas, Inc. (DDI), the City of Dallas, Housing Forward, the Dallas Citizens Council, and the Dallas Regional Chamber.
Downtown Crime Report
Crime in Downtown Dallas continued to fall through the first six months of 2025, as compared to the same time period last year, according to the above Dallas Police Department data. Overall, crime has decreased by 26%, including a 40% drop in non-family violence aggravated assaults, a 64% decline in residential burglaries, and a 41% decline in stolen vehicles.
Quality of Life Violations
DDI’s field operations teams respond seven days a week to non-emergency quality of life violations. The above chart includes some of the top Downtown violations for this year tracked by DDI. We are reporting a decrease across the board for some of our most common offenses, including sleeping in public, smoking in our parks, and vandalism/graffiti/litter. Panhandling reports are about even with last year’s numbers at this time.
These types of non-emergency quality of life concerns in Downtown can be reported to DDI via our See Say app.
Our public-private coalition includes hundreds of men and women in law enforcement and private security. Every month, we’re profiling a person or organization working with us to keep Downtown Dallas safe.
This month’s feature takes us to the historic West End.
Name: Phillip G. Honoré
Position: Executive Director & President, West End Association
Bio: Phil's law enforcement career encompassed 25 years in Washington, DC. He served as a Police Officer and, at the end of his career, as a Deputy Director for the DC Metropolitan Police Department. He served as a federal Special Agent with the Pentagon Force Protection Agency following 9/11 for 16 years. Phil is a proud veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard. Phil joined the West End Association in 2020.
What Safe in the City means to me:
Collaboration is the cornerstone of a successful safe city. When residents, business leaders, property owners and other key stakeholders align their resources, build consensus, and consistently execute a strategic plan, their collective efforts yield tangible, positive results.
Thank you for reading. Reach out to us if you need anything at [email protected].