Mayor Parker entered the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton Americas to the well-known song “Taking Care of Business,” and began by discussing Houston’s successes over the past few years, citing the lowest per capita crime rate in recent history, the Rebuild Houston program (which has so far completed 450 miles of road and drain improvements), the now nearly-completed backlog of sexual assault kits, and the construction of a joint processing center for the City and Harris County jails. Parker stated that Houston is on a trajectory like no other city, with more than 364,000 jobs created in the last year, not to mention that Houston will host the Super Bowl in 2017.

Parker cited bike safety issues and expansion of Houston’s privately-funded B-Cycle bike share, and publicized the newly-created Sunday Streets HTX program, where a designated street is shut down for four hours on the first Sunday of each month to encourage pedestrians and cyclists to explore all Houston has to offer. Parker also stated that she will continue to reduce emissions and work to solidify Houston’s reputation as a global arts destination. Parker also referenced Houston’s diversity and her plan to present a Civil Rights ordinance to City Council in the month of April.

Mayor Parker’s reflections on the state of homelessness in Houston may have had the most powerful impact on the audience. “Homelessness affects not just the individual, but the health of our community,” stated Parker, who added that in a “vibrant and prosperous city” such as Houston, we should readily help those who need a path to end their homelessness.

Since the introduction of the goal to end chronic homelessness by 2015, 1,420 chronic and vulnerable individuals have been placed into Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). Parker highlighted two individuals in particular who have been permanently housed: Alma and George. Alma, who has a college education, became homeless when she lost her job and had no one to call for help. When she heard the word that they had found her an apartment – a home – she fell to her knees and cried. George had been incarcerated for 32 years, and entered homelessness upon his release. George became housed, is a handyman at SEARCH Homeless Services, and now volunteers at the prison that was once his home.

Parker reflected on the entities that have come together in Houston to offer their skills and talents to end chronic homelessness. The Mayor’s Leadership Team, comprised of local and national players, works to oversee the system change that is happening in Houston. Parker also thanked Wells Fargo and Chevron, both of which have made significant contributions to help drive the system work. In addition to corporate and federal support, Mayor Parker herself has supplied incredible support to the Houston/Harris County Continuum of Care (CoC), as homeless service providers are coming together and collaborating in incredibly meaningful ways.

She ended with a challenge to others in the ballroom to step up and help end homelessness for some of our most vulnerable neighbors. As Parker ended her address, she described Houston as a city that “works for today, plans for tomorrow, and invests for the future,”