Meet the new CEO who is determined to end homelessness in Dallas and Collin counties

Who can blame us for feeling dog-tired and more than a little depressed in the midst of these latest generators of misery?

Shocking images from Afghanistan. Scrap data in Dallas City Hall. Politically motivated wagging fingers and mask smack-downs rising more viciously than the delta strain of COVID.

It’s easy to believe nothing is going well – one more reason for me to bring you some good news today.

As Counties Dallas and Collin have worked increasingly effectively this year to find real solutions for our homeless populations, the indomitable Joli Robinson has just been named to lead the effort.

If anyone can unite the 80+ homeless support groups in the two counties under a single strategy – if someone can tease out a common goal from dozens of different voices – it is Robinson, who will begin work as CEO of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance on Aug. 30.

Robinson, only 39, is deeply rooted in the city she has called home for more than 25 years. She has longstanding relationships with parishioners and the same respect from elected officials and philanthropists.

Robinson built many of these relationships during her eight years as community affairs director for the Dallas Police Department. She was the first black woman to run the office, which was founded to tackle decades of bad relationships between police and color communities.

Now, after less than a year as Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Dallas Habitat for Humanity, Robinson is taking her skills to a much bigger stage.

“It’s not great to quit a job so quickly,” Robinson said to me, “but I couldn’t imagine the opportunity to lead this particular job.”

Tents served as makeshift shelter against the rain on Wednesday off Interstate 30 near downtown Dallas. The city council will vote on Aug. 25 on whether to provide federal funding to provide permanent housing.(Elias Valverde II / employee photographer)

The CEO’s announcement comes at a crucial time as the city council prepares to vote on a bold plan to use Dallas’ federal COVID-19 grant allocation to quickly house its homeless.

For years, conflicting leadership and trust issues have demonized the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance and made it nearly impossible to make progress on behalf of our unhodged population.

Knowing that Robinson will be up and running soon should give council members even more reason to vote yes on Wednesday. Her years in the police force included working with the homeless and the agencies trying to help them.

Even more important to this CEO job is Robinson, a master of collaboration and born relationship building.

She understands that housing, especially affordable housing, is at the heart of almost every societal challenge, and her own family history drives her passion for the job.

Her biological father has been homeless in Atlanta for more than 10 years due to drug and alcohol addiction. Robinson says sharing these details is important in order to allay the pain and embarrassment others may feel about their own stories.

“My father has a full life and a story,” Robinson told me. He went to college, served in the military, and had two children before a series of unfortunate situations and decisions eventually resulted in homelessness.

“That doesn’t detract from him. It doesn’t detract from his family, ”said Robinson.

Their personal connection is part of what, in Robinson’s words, makes this job an “honor of a lifetime, being part of an organization that works to end homelessness and serve our unhodged neighbors.”

Joli Robinson, the new CEO of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, in a white jacket, with members of the executive team, from left, Freda Nelms, Director of the Homeless Management Information System; David Gruber, Senior Director for Development and Communication; Nissy New, chief operating officer; Alex Abraham, system-wide services manager; and Mackeshia Brown, Senior Director of Finance and Accounting.(Elias Valverde II / employee photographer)

Those of us who know Robinson well know that the racial justice of the job has drawn us to the job of CEO as well. At the end of the day, she’ll be on the right side and won’t gloss over the truth.

Robinson, who continues to serve as one of the two original co-chairs of the Dallas Truth nonprofit, Racial Healing and Transformation, states her intentions as follows: “Inclusive, just and affirmative – both in our internal culture and for those who benefit from the System.”

She found that the majority of the uninhabited population of North Texas are black men, and one of her goals is to put a face to the numbers. “These persons are the fathers, brothers, sons, uncles and nephews of men.”

Robinson understands firsthand how difficult it can be to navigate the disjointed and sometimes contradicting homeless services. Despite her own training and experience, she was often at a loss to find help for her father.

And she knows the horror of losing touch, so she had no choice but to call the coroner’s office to inquire about unidentified bodies in the morgue.

Thanks to the many relationships she has cultivated over the years, Robinson expects “more eyes, ears, hearts, and heads” – and yes, even more donations.

She approaches solutions for homelessness with the same question she asked for public safety and affordable housing: “Are we paying at the front-end or at the back-end?”

For example, she is aware that dealing with the 400 or so homeless camps across Dallas is important to residents. But instead of spending money on ongoing cleanups, it is much better to get these people to safe accommodations.

Dallas businessman Peter Brodsky, chairman of the newly formed board of directors of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance, told me that the group’s job – as the umbrella agency for Dallas and Collin counties – is to ensure that all homeless service providers are in the same Row direction.

He said it is not so important that the CEO understands all the technical details, but the skills that cannot be taught.

“We needed someone who was able to have consensus and communicate with everyone from the smallest agency to the Dallas mayor to the district judge to large donors,” he said.

The same is true of working with community members, some of whom are deeply concerned with the welfare of people affected by homelessness, and others are focused on the impact of camps on businesses and households.

“All of that describes Joli,” said Brodsky. “Besides, she’s crazy smart.”

Robinson’s salary was not disclosed, but previous CEO Carl Falconer, who resigned in February, earned $ 163,000.

Nissy New, Chief Operating Officer, leads the business side of the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance. Sarah Kahn of Atlanta will join the leadership team next month as Chief Program Officer.

Brodsky said Kahn’s deep knowledge of homelessness – federal regulations, the homeless management information system, and the on-site work of local aid agencies – will be invaluable to Robinson.

The new CEO comes on board as Dallas City Council ponders an aggressive plan to get thousands of people off the streets.

If councilors approve the use of $ 25 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance will become part of a Herculean effort to achieve what is known as a “real-time rapid relocations” initiative.

The aim is to find housing for more than 2,700 people, of whom 758 will receive a permanent grant and the rest will receive similar assistance for a year. According to a study made available to council members, more than 90% of those cared for by similar programs remain housed after the subsidies end.

Based on everything I know about Robinson, her skills are perfect for navigating the stumbling blocks on such an intense project – and one of a size never attempted in Dallas before.

But good luck trying to get her to sit in the driver’s seat. She will gently move on to spotlight the 80+ agencies that support the homeless or talk about all the successes the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance has already had.

This humility is firmly anchored in Robinson’s Christian upbringing and studies at Dallas Baptist University. She doesn’t know what to expect, but she’s sure of her approach:

“I will continue to perform at my best. I understand that no matter which door is in front of me, I should walk through it with confidence. It’s all about service. “

If the state of the world has become too difficult for me lately, I have found that following Mr. Rogers’ advice to “seek helpers” solidifies my spirit. There is no better example of this than Joli Robinson.

Dallas is fortunate to have their lead again.

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