Homeless Assistance Contracts

At a glance

What: A series of City contracts and funding actions for homeless services, centered on The Bridge Homeless Recovery Center run by Bridge Steps.
Where it stands: All actions below were approved between August 25 and September 23, 2026. The only recorded dissent was Mendelsohn on the construction change order.
Key amounts: Year-five facility management fee for The Bridge raised from $4,519,000 to a maximum of $5,147,500 ($328,500 for pay-to-stay shelter beds and $300,000 for the contract); design-build change order of $1,442,767 (to $1,882,893); Dallas County interlocal of up to $1,300,000 for services at The Bridge.

Detail

August 25: accepted the Dallas County interlocal agreement ($1.3 million) on consent. The METCO Engineering design-build supplemental agreement for upgrades at The Bridge ($440,126 to $1,882,893, from the 2024 bond Homeless Assistance Facilities Fund) was pulled by Mendelsohn; a Bridge representative spoke; Blair moved and Ridley seconded; adopted on a divided vote with Mendelsohn voting no.
September 9: second one-year renewals of emergency shelter contracts under the Emergency Solutions Grant, total not to exceed $686,740 (Salvation Army North Texas $323,541.36; The Bridge $214,073.66; Austin Street Center $149,124.98), adopted on consent. Representatives of The Bridge and the Salvation Army spoke on the item.
September 23: the fourth one-year renewal of the facility management contract with Bridge Steps (year five) was adopted on consent after a Bridge representative spoke; the city secretary clarified the total as not to exceed $5,147,500. Also on consent: supportive services for seniors experiencing homelessness with Catholic Charities (not to exceed $250,000, from $500,000 to $750,000) and homeless diversion services with Harmony Community Development Corporation, Catholic Charities and The Stewpot (total $255,000, from $575,000 to $830,000). A separate loan amendment for The Stewpot was deferred (see Stewpot Forgivable Loan Amendment).
October 14 (Item 6): second renewal option for Bridge Steps Rapid Re-housing, up to $119,549 (total $394,458.44), from the Emergency Solutions Grant, approved on consent. A Bridge representative spoke.