We are glad to see that the Governor’s Budget includes plans to reduce homelessness across the state. Homelessness was a public health crisis even before COVID, and the pandemic has only drawn more attention to how important it is that every Texan has a safe place to call home.
 
If the governor truly wants to reduce homelessness, we strongly encourage him to pursue proven strategies, in particular, funding for supportive housing units plus services. This approach has served our area well: in our Houston-area Continuum of Care (which includes Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties) we have been able to decrease homelessness by 54% since 2011.
 
Conversely, a camping ban is tantamount to criminalizing homelessness. We believe it is inhumane to tell people they cannot occupy public spaces if they have literally nowhere else to go. We know from experience that permanent housing and proven services that promote long-term success and stability are the answer. It’s the humane answer to homelessness, and it is the fiscally responsible thing to do to. Making state HHSP funding contingent on the enforcement of camping bans will only undermine local efforts to solve homelessness.
 
We agree with the governor that a data-sharing network that connects homeless response systems across the state is a good idea, and we are glad to see that he recommends funding for this work.