McKinney city leaders are taking another step toward addressing homelessness with a draft strategic plan that will be reviewed by the City Council later this year. The plan, part of the city’s Better Together initiative, outlines eight goals designed to tackle both the symptoms and root causes of homelessness in the community.
Community‑Driven Planning
The draft was created after a six‑month deep‑dive that involved extensive community outreach, a needs assessment, and collaboration with the University of Texas at Dallas. Margaret Li, McKinney’s housing and community development director, said the process gathered feedback from a broad range of stakeholders to shape the goals and strategies.
“For the last six months we’ve done a deep dive into understanding the challenges and opportunities associated with homelessness in the community,” Li explained.
Eight Strategic Goals
UT‑Dallas professor Teodoro Benavides presented the goals at a November 3 City Council work session. The goals include:
- Prevent homelessness and housing instability
- Increase economic stability and self‑sufficiency
- Expand shelter options across the homelessness continuum
- Establish a coordinated regional homelessness response system
- Create a low‑barrier navigation system
- Strengthen behavioral health and crisis response
- Optimize community safety and encampment response
- Build sustainable community capacity and investment
Benavides emphasized that the implementation plan will translate these goals into concrete action steps, timelines, required resources, and performance targets. Goals one and seven—preventing homelessness and improving community safety—were identified as early priorities based on community input.
Rising Homelessness Counts Prompt Action
The urgency of the plan is underscored by the city’s most recent Point‑in‑Time (PIT) count, conducted in January 2026. The count recorded 240 individuals experiencing homelessness, up from 213 the previous year. While the PIT count provides a useful snapshot, Li cautioned that it does not capture every person experiencing homelessness.
“This is an important tool for us but it only provides us with a snapshot and does not capture everyone that is experiencing homelessness,” Li said.
Next Steps
The draft plan is available on the city’s website for public review. City Council members are expected to consider a final version of both the strategic plan and its implementation roadmap in December, after which the city will move forward with funding allocations and program rollouts.
Local residents and service providers are encouraged to continue offering feedback as the city refines its approach. The collaborative effort reflects McKinney’s commitment to a compassionate, faith‑guided response that upholds family stability and individual liberty while addressing a pressing community need.
Original reporting: Community Impact — McKinney — read the source article.
