Domestic Violence and Homelessness – Where We Are Now
Communications Admin • October 31, 2018
Over the course of a year, 1.3 million women in the U.S. will experience domestic violence, but less than 10 percent of survivors will ever report what has happened to them. In 2017 in Texas, there were over 200,000 incidences of family violence reported, and 136 women were killed. Of those 136 women who were murdered, 39 of them lived in Harris County. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month and the Coalition has led The Way Home
in a collaborative effort with Harris County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council(HCDVCC) and the Houston Housing Authority
to try to make a change.
What is domestic violence? Domestic violence is a pattern of assaultive and coercive behaviors by an adult or adolescent against their intimate partner. These behaviors can include physical, sexual, psychological and economic attacks, and can present differently in each case.
Domestic violence survivors are some of the Houston region’s most vulnerable population. Most survivors face extreme danger when trying to leave the toxic relationship, and even if they are able to get out, most face the barrier of trying to find stable housing because they may have just left their whole life behind.
In October 2016, there was an opportunity to create a coordinated access system that allowed for domestic violence providers, homeless service providers, and the local housing authority to work together collaboratively to make permanent housing more accessible to those experiencing domestic violence. This new system would allow for a survivor to be able to access services, no matter where they were.
“It doesn’t matter what agency you are at, where you have your assessment, the doors are still open to you,” said Barbie Brashear, Executive Director of HCDVCC. “Agencies are now able to start working together collaboratively in a way that had never been seen before in this area.”
According to James Gonzalez, Senior Project Manager at the Coalition, this was the first time there has been a real and meaningful relationship between domestic violence providers and The Way Home homeless response system. “We thought, how can domestic violence services support us in the homeless system, because there are survivors on both sides.”
Though there are over 72,000 calls to local law enforcement annually about domestic violence cases, there are less than 350 available emergency shelter beds. Through this new domestic violence coordinated access system, the goal is to make homeless resources and permanent housing easily accessible to all and put the needs of the survivor at the forefront – essentially, this collaborative is working to make the process as easy as possible for the survivor.
One of the key parts of this system is the creation of a new role, known as the Mobile Advocate. Susan Hickey, who has been a client advocate for more than 20 years, has been in the role of Mobile Advocate for about a year now.
“Usually if a case manager has a client that discloses what they are going through, or they have a sense that some sort of family violence going on, that’s where I will step in,” says Hickey, an employee with HCDVCC. “I will then receive their contact information, meet with them at a neutral location if circumstances allow, and try to get to know them and let them feel comfortable around me.”
Hickey says it could take a few visits before she will learn about what their specific needs are because each family or individual is different. She is currently working with approximately 30 individuals and says her average day is typically spent meeting with clients around the Houston area, being as flexible as possible to be there to meet their needs, and doing everything in her power to try to get them away from the situation they may currently be in.
“In terms of the homeless service system, my role revolves around helping clients connect with the right agencies,” says Hickey. “I want to be able to help case managers learn more about what their client may be going through, teach them how to spot the signs of domestic violence, and understand why this sort of thing may happen.”
Hickey says she hopes she can be a support system for homeless service case managers and for their clients as well. She says that even though she knew a little bit about homelessness beforehand, working with these case managers and their clients has allowed for her to become a better advocate.
“The best part of my job is being able to meet clients I may not have been able to meet in the past, and sit and learn about them, and kind of help them put their life back into order,” says Hickey. “I always tell the client, I am just holding the flashlight so you can see where you are going, you’re the one driving the car.”
To learn more about the work being done by HCDVCC, you may visit their website at https://hcdvcc.org/.
When someone experiences homelessness, the right solution is not always a long-term housing program. Sometimes a person needs help replacing an ID, reconnecting with family, finding an affordable shared home or overcoming another immediate barrier. That idea guided CFTH Presents: Building Better Pathways — Creating Faster Routes to Stability . The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County (CFTH) hosted the discussion with leaders who oversee and carry out Rapid Resolutions across The Way Home, the Houston region’s homeless response system.
When most people think about homelessness, they picture someone sleeping outside or staying in a shelter. But homelessness often begins much earlier. A new survey from Rice University's Kinder Institute estimates that more than 140,000 adults across Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties experienced temporary homelessness during the past year. Many of these individuals never slept outside. They stayed with friends or family because they had nowhere else to go, paid for motel rooms when they could, slept in their vehicles or found other temporary ways to get by. For those of us working in Houston's homeless response system, the estimate did not come as a surprise. What stands out is the scale. Our 2026 State of Homelessness report found that nearly 36,000 people interacted with The Way Home, Houston's regional homeless response system, during 2025. The Kinder estimate shows a much larger group of households struggling before they ever reach organizations like ours. Those numbers do not compete with one another. They tell the story of different points along the same continuum. By the time someone decides whether to enter a shelter or sleep outside, opportunities to prevent homelessness have often passed. The homeless response system helps people regain stability after they are in a shelter or on the street. Prevention happens months earlier, while people are still trying to hold on to their housing. Most people do not ask for help at the first sign of trouble. They work extra hours. They borrow money from family. They juggle bills. They hope next month's paycheck will solve this month's problem. Like most of us would, they try to solve the problem themselves. By the time they reach out, they often need far more help than they would have needed just a few months earlier. That is why Houston's prevention network is so important. Organizations like United Way of Greater Houston connect residents with rental assistance, utility assistance, benefits navigation and other resources that help stabilize households before they lose their housing. If you are struggling to keep up with rent, utilities or other essential expenses, do not wait until you have exhausted every option. Reaching out early gives providers more opportunities to help and gives families more options to stay housed. The Kinder research also reinforces another reality facing our region: We need more affordable housing. More than 140,000 adults experienced temporary homelessness in a single year because too many households live one unexpected expense away from losing their housing. That number points to a much larger population searching for homes they can afford long before they need homeless services. Houston's homeless response system continues to produce strong outcomes. More than 2,100 households moved into permanent housing during 2025, and 85% of those who exited homelessness two years ago remain housed today. At the same time, more than 7,100 people slept in shelters or on the street for the first time in 2025. Those numbers show that while our homeless response system continues to help thousands of people regain stability, new households continue to enter homelessness every day. The Kinder research gives Houston something we have not had before: a clearer picture of the households struggling before homelessness becomes visible. The Way Home will always play a critical role in helping people regain stability, but we also need to help more people before they ever need those services. That means strengthening prevention programs, expanding affordable housing and making it easier for people to ask for help early. Houston has repeatedly shown that when our community understands a challenge, it comes together to solve it. This research gives us a better understanding of where the next challenge begins.
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