Houston officials discuss homelessness, panhandling at town hall

By the end of the year, officials hope to cut the number of homeless in Houston by one-third.

Houston City Council District E, which includes the Clear Lake area, spent a lot of money last year on police overtime to combat the homelessness problem, especially in the many encampments under I-45, said Dave Martin, District E council member and mayor pro tem.

“It’s not a pretty picture,” he said.

Houston is also partnering with the Texas Department of Transportation because many homeless people live under freeway overpasses and bridges, which are controlled by TxDOT, Turner said.

A Houston police captain said officers go under these overpasses about once every three months and clean up about 60 cubic yards of homeless people’s trash and possessions and throw it away. But each time, three months later, there are another 60 cubic yards of trash to clean in the encampments, the captain said.

The Houston Police Department has a Differential Response Team responsible for, among other things, responding to the homelessness problem.

Houston Police Department Sgt. S. Pham said DRT officers have focused on homeless encampments, panhandling and related issues in Clear Lake. They have observed encampments under almost freeway overpass and panhandlers, some of whom are aggressive, on nearly every corner, Pham said.

“The homeless issue is not just a downtown issue,” Turner said.

DRT officers have tried to give resources to homeless people to help them get off the street, Pham said, but the majority rejected those resources.

Officers have started issuing citations to repeat offenders and arresting people with outstanding warrants. Additionally, Pham said, officers have noticed familiar homeless people from 2019 have left, and new homeless people have taken their place.

Additionally, many of the panhandlers in the area, especially along El Camino Real, either drive to the area to panhandle or live in nearby apartments; Pham said he believes many of them are not homeless.

Pham cautioned residents to not give panhandlers money and urged them instead to donate to organizations that can truly help reduce homelessness.

“The more you give, the more they remain within the area,” Pham said.