The Targeted Eviction Prevention Project (TEPP)
TEPP provides families in Southern/South Dallas whose children attend one of five target schools with a 12-month, unrestricted $250/month cash transfer ($3,000 total per family) delivered through UpTogether, paired with voluntary comprehensive case management. The goal is to help families facing high eviction risk stay housed so children avoid mid-year school moves. It is a philanthropically funded pilot led by United Way of Metropolitan Dallas with Child Poverty Action Lab, UpTogether, CitySquare, Dallas ISD, TR Hoover, Texas Women's Foundation, Carter's House, Harmony CDC and ForOakCliff.
Eviction Prevention, Unrestricted Cash, School-Based Targeting, Case Management, UpTogether Platform
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- United Way of Metropolitan Dallas
- City
- Dallas
- State / Province
- Texas
- Country
- United States
Contact
- Phone
- +1 214-978-0000
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Number of recipients
- 500
- Funding type
- Philanthropic, Nonprofit
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- USD
- Total Amount
- 3,000 USD
- Avg. Per Month
- 250 USD
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 12 months
- Distribution Type
- Direct Deposit, Prepaid Card (UpTogether Card/Virtual Wallet)
- Benefit details
Verified families receive $250/month in unrestricted cash for 12 months ($3,000 total), disbursed via the UpTogether platform (direct deposit or UpTogether prepaid card/virtual wallet). Funds can be spent on any household need; UpTogether staff reported most recipients used funds for bills, rent, utilities and basic needs. No spending restrictions or proof-of-use requirements were reported.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
Targeted to low-income families residing in South/Southern Dallas neighborhoods with high eviction-filing rates whose children are enrolled at one of five identified schools (Billy Earl Dade Middle School, Joseph J. Rhoads Learning Center, Dr. Martin Luther King Learning Center, Elisha M. Pease Elementary School, or J.N. Ervin Elementary School), selected via Child Poverty Action Lab data analysis of eviction filings cross-referenced with school mid-year mobility rates. Reported recipients averaged about $14,000/year household income (cash equaled roughly a 23% income boost), though no formal published income cutoff was found. No public application process; families are identified/referred through partner schools and case managers, not self-application.
Family
- Family Status
- Parent
- Number of dependents (minimum)
- 1
Housing
- Housing status
- Renter
Geography
- US states covered
- Texas
- Countries covered
- United States
- Cities covered
- Dallas
- Counties covered
- Dallas County
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Complementary program enrollment required
- Comprehensive case management (offered by TEPP partners) is provided alongside the cash but is voluntary, not a condition of receiving the $250/month payments.
- Research / participation requirements
None required to receive cash; case management participation is optional. Some families have voluntarily shared testimonials/outcomes data with partners (e.g., presentations to Dallas City Council), but this does not appear to be a mandatory condition of enrollment.
Application Process
- How to apply
No public/open application. Families are identified and referred into TEPP by partner organizations (school staff at the five target schools, Child Poverty Action Lab data screening of eviction-risk neighborhoods, and case managers from partner nonprofits such as CitySquare, TR Hoover, Carter's House, Harmony CDC and ForOakCliff), then enrolled with United Way/UpTogether.
- Selection process
Child Poverty Action Lab analyzed eviction filing data and cross-referenced it with elementary/middle schools reporting high rates of mid-year student moves to identify the five target schools and surrounding high-eviction-risk South Dallas neighborhoods. Families with children at those schools who are facing eviction risk are identified/referred through partner case managers rather than through open enrollment.
