Eviction or Lack of Housing in Dallas County? Start Here.
Dallas County has one of the most coordinated homelessness response systems in Texas — built around a network of over 150 organizations operating under a unified strategy. If you're facing eviction, behind on rent, or have already lost housing, the programs described here are the ones most likely to help.
Note: Dallas and Collin Counties share the same Continuum of Care system. If you're a Collin County resident, the same Housing Forward network and access points described here apply to you — see our Collin County page for details specific to that area.
How to Get Help: The Homeless Crisis Helpline
The central access point for homeless and housing crisis services in Dallas County is Housing Forward's Homeless Crisis Helpline. Call 888-411-6802. Or see https://housingforwardntx.org/housing-forward/. This line connects callers to the coordinated entry system for Dallas and Collin Counties, where a trained staff member or assessor evaluates your situation and connects you to the appropriate program — whether that's emergency rental help, shelter referral, rapid rehousing, or another resource.
You can also dial 2-1-1 at any time, 24 hours a day, for free referral to local programs. Text your zip code to 898211 or visit 211texas.org to search online.
Who Runs the System: Housing Forward and the All Neighbors Coalition
The Dallas and Collin County CoC (TX-600) is led by Housing Forward, a nonprofit that coordinates the community-wide response to homelessness. Housing Forward doesn't deliver most services directly — instead, it serves as the backbone organization for the All Neighbors Coalition, a network of more than 150 public, private, and nonprofit organizations that collectively provide shelter, prevention funds, rapid rehousing, case management, legal aid, and supportive services across the two counties.
The coalition operates on a housing-first approach, meaning the priority is getting people into permanent housing as quickly as possible, with support services provided alongside housing rather than as prerequisites to it. The system has shown measurable results over the years, with unsheltered homelessness down double digit percentages over the same period.
The City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions (website: https://dallascityhall.com/departments/homeless-solutions/Pages/default.aspx) works in parallel with Housing Forward and the All Neighbors Coalition, providing city-funded prevention and rehousing resources and coordinating the city's response to encampments and street homelessness. For city-specific resources — particularly if you live within the City of Dallas limits — the Office of Homeless Solutions can be reached through the city's main services portal at dallascityhall.com.
Coordinated Access: How the System Decides Who Gets What
Dallas County uses a Coordinated Access System (CAS) to match people experiencing homelessness with available programs. When someone contacts the system — through the Homeless Crisis Helpline, through a shelter, or through a provider agency — an assessor uses a standardized tool to evaluate their situation and determine which intervention fits best. Resources go to people based on level of need, not first-come, first-served.
This prioritization matters: the county has more people in need than available program slots. Households with the highest vulnerability — those who have been homeless the longest, or who face the greatest barriers to housing — are prioritized for permanent supportive housing and other intensive resources. Prevention funds and shorter-term rapid rehousing may be more readily accessible to households in acute but temporary crisis.
Homelessness Prevention: Help Before You Lose Your Home
If you still have housing but are at risk of losing it — whether due to an eviction notice, back rent, or an unexpected expense — prevention programs can provide one-time financial help to cover those specific costs. These funds come from the federal Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program, administered through Dallas County and the City of Dallas, as well as from private and philanthropic sources channeled through the All Neighbors Coalition.
To qualify, you typically need to show that the crisis is temporary, that you can cover future rent once the immediate gap is filled, and that your landlord will accept payment. Funding is limited and often exhausted early in the year — reaching out as soon as you realize you're at risk is significantly better than waiting for an eviction notice. We have other resources listed as well - see the NHPB page about assistance with rent in Dallas.
Diversion: Resolving the Crisis Without Entering the Formal System
The All Neighbors Coalition operates a Systemwide Diversion program, which works to end a housing crisis as quickly as possible by finding an immediate, stable alternative to shelter entry. A diversion specialist talks through your full situation — including any options you may have ruled out, like temporarily staying with family or negotiating directly with a landlord — and provides targeted support to make those options work. Diversion isn't available to everyone, but when it works it's faster and less disruptive than moving through the formal shelter and rehousing system.
Rapid Rehousing: Getting Back Into Housing Fast
For households that have already lost housing, the primary tool is rapid rehousing. Dallas County's flagship rapid rehousing initiative — the R.E.A.L. Time Rehousing program, run jointly by the City of Dallas Office of Homeless Solutions and Housing Forward — provides short- to medium-term rental subsidies plus active help finding and securing a private-market apartment. Case managers support participants through the move-in process and for a period afterward to help stabilize the household. See the programs details at https://dallashomelesssolutions.com/our-initiatives/dallas-r-e-a-l-time-rapid-rehousing/index.html.
Legal Aid for Tenants
Dallas County renters, that meet income guidelines, facing eviction have access to free legal aid through Lone Star Legal Aid, which serves income-eligible residents across the county. Even if paying back rent is not possible, having legal representation in housing court can delay an eviction, give a family time to arrange alternative housing, or resolve a dispute that isn't about nonpayment at all - such as mediation.
For details on this service, visit https://www.lonestarlegal.org/ or call (800) 733-8394 for their intake line for eligibility information. The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (DVAP) also provides free legal services and clinics specifically focused on eviction defense.
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