Voters to decide tax rate for homelessness programs

Dallas County voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to approve a property-tax rate above the county’s voter-approval tax rate, with the additional revenue intended to support homelessness reduction, encampment resolution, mental-health treatment, stable housing and self-sufficiency services across the county.

The Dallas County Commissioners Court approved the election order and proposed tax rate in a 3–2 vote on Aug. 11. County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins and Commissioners Theresa Daniel and Andrew Sommerman supported the measure; Commissioners Elba Garcia and John Wiley Price opposed it. Garcia cited concern about additional financial pressure on residents as household costs rise.

If voters approve Proposition A, the county’s 2026 tax rate would be $0.248650 per $100 of taxable value. If voters reject it, the rate would be $0.224650 per $100 of taxable value, the county’s voter-approval tax rate. The ballot proposition represents an additional $0.024 per $100 of taxable value, or 2.4 cents, above the rate that would otherwise take effect.

Tax-rate impact

The election is not a choice between the current county rate and a higher rate. Dallas County’s 2025 tax rate was $0.215500 per $100 of taxable value. Even if Proposition A fails, the county’s 2026 voter-approved tax rate of $0.224650 would be higher than the 2025 rate.

 | Tax metric | If Proposition A fails | If Proposition A passes | 2026 county tax rate | $0.224650 per $100 valuation | $0.248650 per $100 valuation
| Difference caused by Proposition A | — | $0.024000 per $100 valuation
| Difference from 2025 county rate | $0.009150 per $100 valuation | $0.033150 per $100 valuation
| Estimated revenue tied to the election | — | About $102.9 million

For a homestead with the county’s stated median taxable value of $268,056, approval of Proposition A would add about $64.33 per year compared with the county’s 2026 voter-approval rate.

That $64.33 estimate is the effect of the ballot measure alone. It is not the full year-over-year change in a homeowner’s county tax bill. At the proposed $0.248650 rate, the county tax bill on a $268,056 taxable homestead would be about $88.86 higher than under the 2025 county rate. The actual impact will vary based on taxable value after applicable exemptions.

County officials estimate the proposed $0.248650 rate would produce about $1.58 billion in total county revenue. Of that amount, the county estimates about $102.9 million would result from the tax-rate election above the voter-approval rate. 

Program priorities

The election order says the additional funding would support programs intended to:

The measure does not itself establish contracts, award funding or set specific performance standards for providers. If approved, the county would still need to make implementation decisions involving program design, contracting, accountability measures and oversight.

Housing Forward, the region’s lead homelessness-response organization, has supported a dedicated revenue source for homelessness work. United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, which advocated for the proposal, said the funding could help strengthen services coordinated through Housing Forward and the broader regional homelessness-response system. 

A separate proposed property-tax funding mechanism for expanded childcare services did not advance to the November ballot. 

Voter information

Dallas County voters can check registration, review sample ballots and find voting locations through the Dallas County Elections Department. Statewide information on election deadlines, voter-identification requirements and voting procedures is available through the Texas Secretary of State Elections Division.

This article was created with artificial intelligence and edited by staff.