Joseph Williams looked at the green carpet, cozy couch and TV in his new apartment in complete amazement.
"Good God almighty, I can't believe this,"
he said.
After being homeless for a year, the 66-year-old Dallas man needed time to get used to the fact that he now has his own place to cook meals and watch Dallas Cowboys and Mavericks games.
"I'm home,"
he said. "I ain't coming out for a week."
Mr. Williams and three other seniors moved out of The Bridge, Dallas' new homeless shelter, on Wednesday after sleeping on the ground or in transitional housing rooms. A total of 18 people from The Bridge, all 62 or older, will move into the Mountain View Apartments in southwest Dallas County over the next month.
The seniors on Wednesday loaded their few belongings, in well-worn suitcases and plastic bags, into volunteers' vans. They arrived to find their apartments furnished, complete with pantries and fridges stocked with food, thanks to volunteers from Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas and donations from the Ladies of Charity of Dallas, The Senior Source and the Dallas Furniture Bank.
Mike Faenza, president and chief executive officer of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, said the program is an example of how The Bridge is working to bring agencies together to move people out of homelessness.
"This project is especially exciting because there's nothing sadder than someone who's in their golden years who has to live in shelters or on the streets,"
he said. Mr. Faenza added that The Bridge has four more projects in the works to move more homeless people into apartments in the next several months.
Mr. Williams and his neighbors from The Bridge will receive rental assistance through the Dallas Housing Authority. Many of them receive $630-a-month disability checks, which were too small for them to afford apartments on their own. Now, they will pay 30 percent of their income in rent under the program.
"DHA is excited to reach out and find alternative ways to help the citizens of Dallas in need of housing,"
said Troy Broussard, interim president and CEO. "The agreement with Mountain View Apartments and The Bridge is a perfect example of how the special-needs vouchers directly benefit people in dire need of housing assistance."
The move was a special occasion. Marion Peña, who had been sleeping under a tree in The Bridge's outdoor courtyard, wore a suit and tie.
"Oh, man. This is really great,"
he said as he surveyed his new place. "Oh, yeah. This will work."
