Turner said he believes Houston is a model for other cities in how it has responded to homelessness, a response he said has focused on "wraparound" care. This focus was reflected in several projects that passed at the Jan. 11 meeting, which collectively target housing, health care and long-term solutions to mitigate homelessness.
The city agreed to collaborate with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston and provide up to $130,000 in planning services, such as strategies to prevent and end homelessness.
Additionally, the city entered an agreement with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and authorized $401,908 in State of Texas Homeless Housing and Services Program Funds for fiscal year 2022-23 to focus on youth homelessness.
Council members also approved $1.6 million in funding to Heights-based nonprofit Avenue 360 to provide supportive services, such as rental assistance, to 190 low-income households living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. As of September, Avenue 360 has helped 399 clients, using 92% of its available funds, District C Council Member Abbie Kamin stated at the meeting.
New funding will serve the organization through May 31.
As a part of Phase 2 of the Community COVID Housing Program, the council also agreed to provide $324,520 in funding to mobile trauma support partners, benefitting a minimum of 100 individuals and/or families who are homeless or are at-risk of homelessness and may be survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or human trafficking. Five thousands individuals were served through Phase 1 of the CCHP from October 2020-December 2022. The goal of Phase 2 is to serve 7,000 people experiencing homelessness by December 2024.
"We've had multiple items today continuing to address different parts of homelessness," Kamin said at the meeting during the discussion of additional funding for Avenue 360.
Kamin also highlighted the importance of funding for the "nexus" of homelessness and domestic violence.
Lastly, the council signed off on providing up to $150,000 to Healthcare for the Homeless Houston for the continuation of Project Access, an initiative providing transportation to homeless people for health care services and treatment.
As of Nov. 1, HHH had served 107.6% of its annual client goal, according to the council agenda item. These funds would supply transportation to a minimum of 2,100 homeless riders and would fund Project Access through Dec. 31. Project Access provides transportation from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on weekdays with a 40-passenger, wheelchair-accessible bus via a scheduled bus route to 23 agencies, offering food, social services, shelter and health care.
