Running head: D.R.

HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 1

D.R. Horton: Building Homes, Rebuilding Lives

Leslie Van Scyoc, Cesar A. Chavez, Johnny Sanchez, and Kelsey Speller

The University of Texas at Dallas

D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 2

Introduction

On average, 9,600 people become homeless each day in the United States; that is an
astonishing 3.5 million people in a given year. As of January 21, 2016, there are 3,810
unsheltered and sheltered homeless residing in Dallas, according to the Metro Dallas Homeless
Alliance 2016 Point-In-Time Count TX-600 Dallas City & County/Irving CoC. The survey
conducted obtained a current census of the homeless population and found that there are 566
chronically homeless individuals residing in Dallas, including 12 families (Point-in-Time
Count, 2016).
A chronically homeless individual is someone who has experienced long-term or
repeated homelessness coupled with a disability. Although the chronically homeless may only
make up a small proportion of the homeless population, these individuals are among the most
vulnerable of them all. These individuals frequently use public services, such as emergency room
visits, homeless shelters, and jail (Chronic Homelessness - Overview, 2016). We at D.R.
Horton plan to significantly decrease the number of chronically homeless individuals in Dallas.
D.R. Horton began as a small home building company in the DFW area thirty-five years
ago with a simple vision. That simple vision consisted of a feeling of value and security within
your own home, and now, decades later, we continue to create liveable and affordable new
homes built with exceeding efficiency and uncompromising quality. Now, we want to take a step
forward and give back to the community more than ever before. We are proposing to partner
with Modular Homes of Texas and several local nonprofits to build 100 small homes to shelter
Dallas most expensive chronically homeless individuals.

Background

Causes

Homelessness cannot be attributed to a single cause; there are as many causes of

homelessness as there are individuals that are homeless. Causes can range from poverty to
domestic abuse to mental health issues and beyond. At the forefront of these causes, insufficient
income and a shortage of affordable housing are to blame for the number of homeless
individuals. However, the leading cause amongst women is domestic violence. No matter the
cause, there is an apparent issue with the amount of chronically homeless individuals that needs
to be addressed immediately due to the cost these individuals are causing communities (Top
Causes of Homelessness in America, n.d.).

Current Situation

As of January 21, 2016, there were 3,810 homeless individuals living in Dallas. Of those
3,810 homeless individuals, 566 of them are chronically homeless. That's roughly 15% of
Dallass homeless population that is classified as chronically homeless. The following graphics
provide further details as to what amount of the homeless population is sheltered or unsheltered.
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 3

It should be noted that although an individual is considered sheltered, that they do not have
long-term, permanent housing. (Point-in-Time Count, 2016).

Currently, there are very few options for chronically homeless individuals to turn to. The
Bridge is a local program that assists more than 9,000 individuals per year, with the main focus
being on chronically homeless individuals. Now, this does not mean that The Bridge provided
services to chronically homeless individuals exclusively, but rather they helped 9,000 homeless
individuals with most of the their efforts focused towards the chronically homeless (Schutze,
2016). CitiSquare is also responsible for helping reduce the number of chronically homeless in
Dallas. Recently this year, they have opened the Cottages at Hickory Crossing to shelter Dallas
50 most expensive chronically homeless. By using the housing first method, these individuals
are able to have a home first and then proceed to work on other issues relating to mental,
medical, and social issues. However, despite their great efforts the chronically homeless
population remains a large portion of the overall homeless population living in Dallas (Contects -
Consultants & Architects, 2016).

Potential Consequences

Homeless individuals are exposed to a myriad of mental and physical health problems,
the most notorious being drug addiction and chronic illnesses. Without proper housing, these
individuals are less likely to accept assistance from rehabilitation and health programs (The cost
of homelessness facts, n.d.). And without proper treatment for their issues the problems that
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 4

hinder these individuals will only expound as time progresses and cause further harm to the
individual.
In regards to taxpayers, addressing homelessness proves to be very expensive. The
amount of money that homelessness already costs taxpayers is significantly higher than what it
would costs to establish and maintain a long term shelter for the homeless. Health care costs
alone can cost taxpayers up to $18,500 per homeless individual (The cost of homelessness
facts, n.d.). On average, the cost of an overnight stay in jail adds up to $14,480 annually (The
cost of homelessness, n.d.). Based on these two costs alone, taxpayers are already funding
nearly $33,000 a year per homeless individual for utilizing these public services. If action is not
taken the homeless will continue to live day by day seeking out basic necessities and taxpayers
will continue to fund their expensive trips to jails, shelters, and emergency rooms.

Proposal

Our Vision: Housing First

In the words of Dallas Mayor, Mike Rawlings,"the answer to homelessness is homes

(Tsiaperas, 2016). We at D.R. Horton are committed to Building Homes, Rebuilding Lives and
will be building Camp Wisdom Village, a community of 100 small homes with a Community
Service Center building to host on-site clinical and tenant services. This will be the second
housing first community in Dallas for the chronically homeless, following in the footsteps of
The Cottages at Hickory Crossing which opened earlier this year. In alignment with the housing
first approach, we believe the most effective way to address the homeless crisis is to give
homeless people a home first, and then allow them to work on their other problems once they
have a stable living environment (Ragland, 2016).

Our Partners

Creating this community for the chronically homeless is not a small undertaking.
Therefore, we will be partnering with the following local nonprofits. All of these nonprofits
played a strategic role in the creation of the first community for Dallass chronically homeless,
and will be vital to the success of Camp Wisdom Village.

CitySquare buildingcommunityWORKSHOP

Modular Homes of Texas Metrocare Services

Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance Communities Foundation of Texas

Central Dallas Community

Development Corporation
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 5

Prospective Tenants

When The Cottages at Hickory Crossing were being developed, teams of social workers
researched and found hundreds of Dallas's most expensive chronically homeless. This
community only had availability for 50 residents, so many individuals were not able to be
accommodated. Our partners have access to this research and will contact these social workers to
check for any updates. Upon confirmation, the most expensive 100 individuals will be
contacted to begin the application process (Tsiaperas, 2016).

Project Timeline

Project Overview

The community will be built on a 5.42 acre lot located at 1501 East Camp Wisdom Road,
Dallas, TX 75232. The homes will be premade units at 400 sq. ft. each, and will be purchased
from Modular Homes of Texas. Each home will be furnished with a couch, bed, table and chairs,
and kitchen appliances. This community will also be developed with sustainability in mind to
reduce living costs. Each unit will be built with renewable materials, a rainwater collection bin, a
garden area, and powered partially by solar energy (The Cottages at Hickory Crossing, n.d.).
Community and nonprofit volunteers will be preparing each home for occupancy by decorating
and overseeing the installation of the pre-made units.
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 6

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1501-E-Camp-Wisdom-Rd-Dallas-TX-75241/2098389255_zpid/

The Community Service Center will be a 4,000 sq. ft. one story building built by D.R.
Horton employee volunteers. This facility will consist of a community gathering area, an office
suite, a kitchen, 5 private rooms, and 3 bathrooms. The following services will be available
on-site at the Community Service Center or fifteen minutes away at CitySquares Opportunity
Center (Ragland, 2016).

Mental and Medical Services Job Training

Tenant Services Food

Social Services

Why not build the homes ourselves?

Building the homes ourselves would add months to our projected timeline, resulting in a
large loss in productivity and profits. Rather than delaying production and risking the loss of new
customers, we chose to buy the homes from Modular Homes of Texas. Purchasing the homes is
also about $16,000 less per home than building them ourselves, and these savings enable us to be
able to build 100 homes, instead of 50.

What impact will this project have for the community?

Stable housing is essential to a successful recovery for chronically homeless individuals,

and this community will provide a foundation for rehabilitation, therapy, and improved health of
the tenants ("Chronic Homelessness - Overview", 2016). By following the permanent
supportive housing model, where housing is coupled with supportive services, we can truly
make an impact in the lives and living conditions of the homeless population and hopefully
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 7

encourage others to continue building additional communities ("Chronic Homelessness -

Overview", 2016).
Not only will one hundred chronically homeless individuals now have a place to call
home, but taxpayers will also benefit. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the cottages will
take the burden of care off taxpayers, who are funding emergency room visits and jail stays for
the county's most chronically homeless. And he said it's a better long-term solution than simply
funding temporary shelters (Tsiaperas, 2016). By living in permanent supportive housing, the
individuals are much less likely to end up in homeless shelters, emergency rooms, or jails; which
reduces overall public costs. One study of a similar project in Seattle, WA found that their
program saved about $30,000 per tenant per year in publicly-funded services, while also
providing better housing and health outcomes for the tenants ("Chronic Homelessness -
Overview", 2016). The long-term implications of this project could be tremendous.

Staffing

Volunteers

As mentioned earlier, having the homes installed by Modular Homes of Texas makes it
possible for us to provide enough volunteers for this project and not have a negative impact on
our company. D.R. Horton employees will be building the Community Service Center and the
communitys infrastructure, and all other volunteers will be helping with lighter tasks, such as
decorating homes, preparing welcome packages, and setup for the grand opening.
In order to utilize our time wisely, we will be sending a mass email to all of our
employees soliciting their participation in this project and encouraging them to reach out to
friends and family as well. We look forward to a large amount of responsiveness and plan to
have a minimum of 100 employee volunteers, including employees families and friends.
Meanwhile, our partners will be soliciting for volunteers from within their organizations and
within the community. We hope to have at least 50 community volunteers to participate in
addition to our employees, for a grand total of 150 volunteers.
All volunteers will be required to sign a liability waiver prior to participate and must sign
in each day with a valid photo ID. There will also be a small medical staff on-site at all times in
case of any emergencies, and food and drinks will be provided. Each volunteer will be provided
the following as a thank you for their hard work and commitment to helping rebuild our
community, one home at a time.

Free t-shirt with D.R. Horton company logo and the Camp Wisdom Village logo
Free food and drinks
Extra day of PTO for every 8 hours volunteered (For employees only)
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 8

Volunteer Task List

Daily Schedule

Budget

Buying modular homes is not only easier, but it is also more economical when compared
with the price of a D.R. Horton built house. The following table shows the comparison between
the two and the benefits that result from buying the modular homes. Per our research, we found
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 9

that, on average, it is $110 per sq. ft. for modular homes and $150 per sq. ft. when built by our
company (Elitzer, 2014). We save $40 per sq. ft., $16,000 per home and a total of $1,600,000 for
100 houses. Saving $1.6 million dollars allows us to invest in more homes and build the
community center.

(Fernandez, 2016)

Funding

The project will be funded through the following methods and we will lean on our partners
heavily to utilize their expertise in this area (Tsiaperas, 2016).
Public Funding
Dallas County
The City of Dallas
Grants
Donations
Organizational Partnerships

Conclusion

With the generous donations and partnerships made, we are excited to put into action our
plan to house the 100 most vulnerable chronically homeless individuals in Dallas. With Camp
Wisdom Village, we will be able to save the City of Dallas and its taxpayers about $3.3 million;
that is about $33,000 per homeless individual housed. The project itself will have an initial cost
of $6,996,450, but within two years the project will have saved the City of Dallas and its
taxpayers enough to cover the initial cost of the project.
It will be a privilege to work with these individuals to rebuild their lives, educate them,
and help them establish great communication and personal skills. By developing their
weaknesses into their strengths, we hope to equip each individual with a new skills that motivate
them to be the best person they can be. At D.R. Horton, our ultimate goal is not only to provide a
stable living environment, but also to to create a new lifestyle for each individual.
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 10

References

2016 Homeless Count. (2016). Retrieved October 09, 2016, from

http://www.mdhadallas.org/2016-homeless-count/

Chronic Homelessness - Overview. (2016). Retrieved October 09, 2016, from

http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/chronic_homelessness_overview

Contects - Consultants & Architects. The Cottages at Hickory Crossing. Retrieved November 06,
2016, from http://www.contects.com/projects/cottages-hickory-crossing?bc=list

Elitzer, J. (2014, January 05). ModularHomeowners.com. Retrieved November 29, 2016, from
http://modularhomeowners.com/how-much-will-my-modular-home-cost/

Fernandez, R. (2016, November 27). Personal Interview.

Point-in-Time Count TX-600 Dallas City & County/Irving CoC. (2016, May 22). Retrieved
November 28, 2016, from
http://www.mdhadallas.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/HDX-PIT-All-Summary-2016.p
df

Ragland, J. (2016, September 09). A homeless solution in Dallas that actually comes with a
home. Retrieved October 09, 2016, from
http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2016/09/09/homeless-solution-dallasth
at-actually-comes-home

Solutions, B. T. (n.d.). HomeAid. Retrieved November 28, 2016, from

http://www.homeaid.org/homeaid-stories/69/top-causes-of-homelessness

Schutze, J. (2016, December 04). At The Bridge, the City's Homeless Shelter, Teaching People
How to Live Indoors. Retrieved November 28, 2016, from
http://www.dallasobserver.com/news/at-the-bridge-the-citys-homeless-shelter-teaching-p
eople-how-to-live-indoors-7828918

The Cost of Homelessness Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2016, from
http://greendoors.org/facts/cost.php

The Cost of Homelessness. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2016, from

http://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/cost

Tsiaperas, T. (2016, September 08). Dallas is giving away tiny houses to the homeless. Retrieved
October 09, 2016, from
D.R. HORTON: BUILDING HOMES, REBUILDING LIVES 11

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/dallas/2016/09/08/dallas-giving-tiny-houses-away-hom
eless

Fernandez, R. (2016, November 27). Personal Interview.