East Houston News

A $65 million plan to house 5,000 homeless people in the Houston area over the next two years also aims to help curb the spread of COVID-19 in this at-risk population.

The City of Houston, Harris County, and the Coalition for the Homeless partnered to create the Community-wide COVID-19 Housing Program (CCHP), the office of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner reported.

Those who are homeless become more susceptible to the coronavirus because of their health conditions and that they have no access to facilities, the mayor's office reported. People living on the streets, in encampments or in shelters will be permanently housed at the CCHP, as will people who become homeless because of the pandemic's economic impact.

Houston pitched in $29 million and Harris County another $18 million, making use of federal funding from the CARES Act, the mayor's office reported.

“This crisis response program will also have a major long-term impact, permanently housing 5,000 individuals experiencing homelessness and significantly reducing our homeless population to record lows,"  Turner said. "Homelessness knows no geographical boundaries."

The CCHP will meet need through diversion to help 2,000 people maintain or regain housing; provide rapid rehousing providing short-term rental assistance for approximately 1,700 newly homeless people; and give another 1,000 chronic homeless people a bridge to permanent supportive housing.

“During this unprecedented time, taking care of the most vulnerable among us must be a priority,” Harris County Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis told the mayor's office. “The continuing economic crisis could push even more people who were already struggling before the pandemic deeper into poverty and possibly homelessness."