Dear Friends of Hope Center Houston,

Approximately a month ago (May), Hope Center Houston and similar agencies across the state faced the possibility of permanent closure. The Texas Congress was considering shutting down agencies located near schools, parks, or residential areas, which included almost all agencies that provided services for those experiencing homelessness. Due to most agencies being situated in cities, avoiding proximity to these areas is nearly impossible.

When we became aware of Senate Bill 2623, it came as a surprise. We learned that Hope Center Houston could potentially be closed by September 1. We took immediate action, traveling to Austin, spreading the word, and hoping for a favorable outcome. As the only agency of its kind in Northwest Houston, serving between 2-8 new individuals daily, prompt action was necessary due to the growing demand for our services.

We requested volunteers, donors, the Board of Directors, church partners, and others to contact their Texas Representatives, make phone calls, write letters, or join us in Austin. Advocacy efforts from Hope Center Houston were substantial, and although we will most certainly face this issue again, the representatives ran out of time, partly due to the intense response from us and others throughout the state.

This issue remains unresolved and will almost certainly be revisited by the Legislature before the next session in 2027. While no one desires homelessness in their cities, criminalizing homelessness and forcing individuals onto the streets statewide would worsen the situation. It would deprive them of places to seek help or meet their needs, leading to larger problems in managing the homeless population.

Thank you to everyone who helped address Senate Bill 2623. You have made a difference for our brothers and sisters on the streets!  When we come together, we are a “force” for our most vulnerable neighbors!

Below is a synopsis of the Bills. We are establishing an advocacy group for agencies throughout Houston to stay informed about current legislation and ensure we are prepared in the future.

IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF SENATE BILLS 2623 AND 241 (SB 2623 & 241)

The issue of homelessness has become increasingly urgent. Recent bills, Texas SB 2623 and SB 241, posed significant risks to service providers assisting those experiencing homelessness. At Hope Center Houston (HCH), awareness of these bills came two weeks before they were to be voted on, prompting immediate action including writing letters and phone calls to House Representatives and traveling to Austin to oppose them. These bills had been under development since September 2024 and had already passed in the Senate.

If enacted, the bills would have criminalized homelessness and imposed fines up to $5,000 per day on agencies continuing to serve homeless individuals. They would also have prohibited agencies from operating within 1,500 feet of school safety zones, potentially eliminating navigation services for resources like housing, meals, job placement, and sheltering.

Civil penalties up to $5,000 per day would have been enforced for non-compliance, with no provisions for existing service providers, including long-standing organizations and churches.

While the intention behind the bills was to enhance school safety zones, it did not consider established relationships between schools and service providers or address public safety and health concerns arising from a lack of support for the homeless population.

Potential consequences included loss of food resources, overnight shelters, inclement weather shelters, housing assistance, showers, laundry facilities, protection for children with disabilities, safe havens for women and children affected by domestic violence and trafficking, and more. Emergency rooms, jails, and police services could face overwhelming pressures, increasing taxes for residents and potentially leading to street violence, which would reduce school safety. Thousands of people who are currently receiving shelter and protection might be forced onto the streets statewide, with unintended negative consequences.

Making service providers illegal would harm them financially, leaving them with mortgages or leases. These legal agencies would lose property, jobs, volunteer support from churches and citizens, and disrupt aid for vulnerable neighbors, creating community chaos.

Service providers are crucial to community health by serving the homeless where they live. They contribute to the solution, not the problem, ensuring the health and safety of the wider community.

Debbie Johnson

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