HOUSTON – Homelessness in Houston. It’s a major problem Mayor John Whitmire says he’s hoping to solve.
He says this will be done through a new initiative aimed at getting people without housing off the streets and connected with resources.
Under the mayor’s vision, gone will be the days of seeing people sleeping on the street and under overpasses. Instead, they’ll be temporarily housed in a central location. A stop before the ultimate goal of getting them more permanent affordable housing, and, or reuniting them with loved ones.
“The sad part is a lot of the homeless are sleeping in urine or feces,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire. “The Supreme Court ruled recently that we can insist that people leave the streets. Now, Houston does have an ordinance that you can sleep on the streets after 11. We’re going address that at city council and say you can no longer have a bed roll and just sleep on the streets of Houston.”
He says getting them off the streets doesn’t mean locking them up, further overwhelming the criminal justice system, but instead transitioning them into a caring environment.
“You’ve got to have them in a location that you can interview them, provide for them, showers, port-o-cans, the food bank will feed them,” Whitmire said.
The Homeless Coalition, the Houston Housing Authority and Homeland Security are all part of the team Whitmire says will help execute a plan that includes case workers who will focus on mental health issues. City councilmembers are applauding the mayor’s efforts.
“He clearly understands mental health is a challenge for us and there’s a balance between making sure the unhoused have what they need in terms of medical support, which is primarily the issue right? Job placement,” said Councilmember At Large, Position 4, Dr Letitia Plummer.
“It certainly indicates that he’s concerned about community safety and quality of life as well as sensitivity to the unhoused,” said District D Councilmember, Carolyn Evans-Shabaaz.
Mayor Whitmire said a detailed plan should be rolled out early next week. Right now, he says the city is working to secure a location for this initiative. He says he will be holding a press conference.
