‘Home of the Dreams.’ Families experiencing homelessness in Fort Worth have a new option
The afternoon sun set behind a gathering of over 60 people who listened to Timmie Smith’s story in the courtyard of Casa de Los Sueños.
In 2012, Smith embarked on a journey of motherhood and also had her first experience of homelessness. The years passed, men came in and out of her life, and the number of children she raised grew to five. She and her children were alone, broken, and felt no one cared about them, she said.
Smith turn to her faith in God and sought refuge through SafeHaven of Tarrant County, which provides resources to victims of domestic violence and their children. There, she was connected with Fort Worth Housing Solutions. She worked with her case management team and qualified to live in Casa de Los Sueños, a new permanent housing option for families experiencing homelessness.
She held back tears on stage Wednesday, Dec. 11, as she remembered when she walked into her apartment for the first time and cried. She always wanted to be a good mother and provide stability and comfort for her children but it wasn’t always possible, she said.
Smith thanked the people who helped her and recognized that other families still face homelessness.
“God brought me here. God led me to in Casa de Los Sueños,” Smith said, as the crowd clapped in support. ”This place is more than just a home for me and my children, it’s a blessing.”
Casa de Los Sueños, formerly the Express Inn motel, is at 8401 West Freeway in western Fort Worth’s Las Vegas Trail neighborhood, just south of Interstate 30. It will serve as a affordable housing project for local families experiencing homelessness after the city, county and private donors contributed funding for the project that cost just short of $15 million.
The facility is a one of a kind as it uses vouchers that are tied to each unit and remain even as residents move out. There is no set rent for units, and residents pay 30% of their income.
The 83-room motel was repurposed into a 55-unit affordable housing community with one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Fort Worth Housing Solutions, which partnered with developer Ojala Holdings on the remodel, is managing the property.
Mary-Margaret Lemons, president of Fort Worth Housing Solutions, says Casa de Los Sueños was designed for residents to be there as long as they need to be.
“We didn’t want this to be a place that was a stop,” Lemons said. “We wanted you to be able to put down roots.”
Casa de Los Sueños includes a basketball court, pickle ball court, dog park, and a kids’ room. The rooms are fully furnished with WiFi, TVs, mattresses, kitchen supplies, and more.
The property will serve families with children younger than 18 years old who have experienced homelessness.
Tarrant County contributed $8 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding to the project, after officials downsized the contribution from the $11 million that was originally proposed. The city of Fort Worth contributed $2 million, and private funding and donations have covered most of the remaining balance.
The need for permanent housing solutions grew with a surge in homelessness in Fort Worth in 2022. More than 5,000 households experienced homelessness throughout 2022 in Tarrant County, according to the Tarrant County Homeless Coalition. Comparatively, around 3,300 households experienced homelessness in 2021.
The Tarrant County Homeless Coalition breaks down the homeless population into three categories: veterans, individuals and families, with families defined as at least one adult and one child.
Black residents account for 19% of the county’s residents, but in 2020 Black people made up 70% of homeless families and 43% of the homeless population in the last quarter of 2022, according to Tarrant County Homeless Coalition.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, children who face homelessness experience increased levels of emotional and behavioral problems, increased risk of serious health problems, and are more likely to experience separations from their families. Children experiencing homelessness are also more likely to experience more school mobility, repeat a grade, be expelled or drop out of school, and have lower academic performance, according to the study.
Casa de Los Sueños will provide families with professional, education and health-related services. Examples include GED preparation classes and financial literacy courses for parents; weekly after-school tutoring and test preparation for students; monthly access to a food pantry; and an annual health fair with free health screenings, vaccines and flu shots.
Candace Valenzuela, regional administrator for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, explained that Casa de Los Sueños means “home of the dreams.”
“This is the dream, even if it isn’t the final stop for these families,” Valenzuela said. “Because this is a place where dreaming is possible. It is a launching point from which dreams can be realized.”
This story was originally published December 12, 2024 at 10:59 AM.
