Homeless families in Tarrant, Parker counties increasing

The number of homeless families in Fort Worth has nearly doubled since the spring, leaving shelters at capacity and some families without safe places to sleep, city leaders said. “All of our emergency shelters are at capacity for families,” said Lauren King, the executive director of the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition. Throughout summer, there was an average of 162 households — defined as at least one adult and one child — without permanent shelter at any given time, according to data from the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition. And in August, there were 340 children — equivalent to 20 kindergarten classrooms — in Fort Worth shelters, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said. Half of those children were under 5.

Although individuals still make up the majority of the homeless population in Tarrant and Parker counties, the number of homeless families has been growing more quickly in the last year, King said. The situation has become so dire so fast that leaders are planning to purchase a building and convert it into an emergency shelter, Parker said Tuesday. “We hope we can purchase a property that’s easily convertible over a short period of time … and create a transitional shelter opportunity for families that is safe and welcoming and feels as close to home as possible,” Parker said. The city is working with the homeless coalition, Tarrant County, nearby cities and other nonprofits and agencies to address the crisis. Any one of those partners might ultimately purchase and operate a new emergency shelter, Parker said. The two main emergency shelters for families — Salvation Army and the Presbyterian Night Shelter — are at capacity and have had to start turning away families for the first time. The Salvation Army has stretched its capacity by bringing cots into its gym, and Presbyterian Night Shelter has asked families to share rooms, according to a briefing prepared for City Council members. But these extra steps still have not been enough to house all of the families who need help.