The City of Irving has $2.9 million in American Rescue Plan funds meant for homeless services it instead plans to use toward a domestic violence shelter — leading to criticism from some residents and local nonprofits who say the money should go toward addressing homelessness instead.
That’s because a domestic violence shelter could cost the city an estimated $20 million in building costs alone and would take years to build. The city has pursued around $10 million in federal funding for the project, although as of early July it was still uncertain whether those earmarked funds would be included in the federal budget.
The city council has identified a women’s domestic violence shelter as a high priority, Irving City Council member Mark Cronenwett told KERA News. The city is continuing to pursue the federal funds and it’s unable to get them, he said Irving will come up with the funds on its own…