Watch a short video highlighting my plan to end street homelessness.
Our plan to end street homelessness and restore public spaces to make them safe and accessible to everyone is moving forward with momentum. By collaborating with nonprofits like the Coalition for the Homeless and the Harris Center, we are already making a significant impact.
The plan to end street homelessness focuses on several key elements and recognizes that responding to homelessness is a matter of public health and safety. We will move vulnerable people off the streets and on a path to wellness and recovery by:
Providing pathways to permanent housing
Ensuring public spaces remain safe and accessible for all
Addressing the root causes of homelessness, including mental health and drug use
Empowering outreach and law enforcement
The plan will take $70 million to fund each year and will require federal and state assistance in addition to financial help from the philanthropic, private and nonprofit sectors. I want to thank the Downtown Management District Board for being the first partner organization to officially provide support by the plan by contributing $1 million toward this critical effort.
As Mike Nichols, Director of the City of Houston Housing and Community Development put it, «the mayor’s strategy is designed not only to provide safe, permanent housing for our most vulnerable citizens but also to enhance the safety and enjoyment of our public spaces for all Houstonians.»This initiative extends beyond offering individuals a safe place to call home – it fosters robust partnerships with entities like the Harris Center and law enforcement and secures long-range sustainable funding streams.
