We were proud to host the second annual State of Homelessness on April 27, 2023.

Our half-day conference brought together partners of The Way Home, community members, and other supporters to hear from local and national experts in solving homelessness. Highlights included talks on the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP), the City’s housing navigation center, and Harris County’s Employ2Empower program; keynote speaker Michael Kimmelman of The New York Times; and a performance from Houston Grand Opera.

Over one hundred people joined us in person, and more than three hundred livestreamed this year's event.

Scroll down to read a recap of each session.

Opening Remarks

Ashlie Young, our manager of landlord engagement, joined us once again as this year’s Master of Ceremonies. She opened with an original poem she wrote, before passing the mic to our Board Vice Chair Chris Hanslik for opening remarks, who called on others to provide support and get involved in the fight against homelessness.  (Watch opening remarks) 

A decade of The Way Home

Thao Costis, interim executive director of the Harris County Community Services Department, kicked things off by reflecting on what the past decade of The Way Home has taught us, particularly in terms of social resources.

When she began her journey in 1992, she worked with other Houston-based resource centers to help those in need, despite having minimal funding. Costis explained that it wasn't until 2011 when, despite a lack of trust in collective efforts and red tape making progress slow, campaigns such as the 100,000 Homes Campaign aimed to make a real impact on homelessness. The development of The Way Home and the Coordinated Access system and the adoption of the Housing First approach also helped Houston to accelerate its progress in helping people experiencing homelessness.

Through her consistent efforts, Thao has learned the power of community and the importance of collaboration: "The Way Home is the answer. By coming together, we can achieve a vision of Houston without homelessness." (Watch this presentation.) 

Employ2Empower

Next, Kelly Young, CEO of Career & Recovery Resources; Mercedes Sanchez, senior director of policy & community relations for of Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia; and Sgt Theodore Perez of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office spoke about Employ2Empower. The program started in Precinct 2 and has since expanded throughout all of Harris County. It provides low-barrier employment opportunities to people experiencing homelessness. 

Mercedes introduced a video explaining that the program has become highly successful due to its partnerships. Prior to the program’s inception, Mercedes did extensive research and found there were services across the county that offered training, but participants weren’t paid. Through her research, they realized the need for programs with a more comprehensive approach. 

Career & Recovery's work in the program aims to connect individuals to available resources. The biggest challenge Kelly has observed is that for most the problem isn't a lack of skills or job training but an inability to secure employment opportunities due to barriers. The program was a humbling experience for Kelly, reflecting the very essence of humanity, she said. 

As a law enforcement officer, Sgt. Perez plays a role in validating the program by liaising with the community while out in the field. But Sgt. Perez was quick to give credit to the deputies and program coordinator who work alongside him, as well as Sheriff Gonzalez and Commissioner Garcia, stating that, "With a team like this, it's no wonder the program is making such a big difference in the lives of so many." (Watch this presentation.) 

Housing Navigation Center

Marc Eichenbaum, special assistant to Mayor Sylvester Turner for homeless initiatives; our Director of Program Operations James Gonzalez; and Preston Witt, COO of Harmony House, then took to the stage to discuss City of Houston’s housing navigation center, a new facility designed to provide people with a consistent, safe, and stable location to stay while they transition from homelessness to housing. 

James emphasized that the navigation center is a beacon of hope for those transitioning from the street into permanent housing and a perfect place to stay for those in need of a safe haven. But James stressed that the facility is more than just place to lay one's head, "It's a community that offers compassion and support during a vulnerable time in one's life, and a stepping stone towards long-term stability and a brighter future." 

Marc explained that while Houston did not invent the idea of a navigation center, our use of City-owned property to bring it closer to the urban core makes Houston's approach unique. Marc reiterated that the center's focus is not to house people, but to be a stop along the way to housing. 

Preston said that prior to the navigation center, housing so many in need seemed daunting, but collaboration with partners led to a solution.  Today, more than 50 people who have stayed at the navigation center since it opened in January have already been successfully housed. Preston attributes this success to the power of collaboration and hard work, while reminding us that this is just the beginning and calling on everyone to continue their efforts and help even more people in need. (Watch this presentation.) 

Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program

The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) Panel was moderated by our own Stefanie Quintela, director of strategic planning. The YHDP is a new initiative to prevent and end youth homelessness in our community. Panelists included Shun Johnson, CEO of TLC Health & Wellness; Joe Fuentes, Chief Transformation Officer of Spring Branch Community Health Center; Youth Action Board Representative Kenny Easley; and Juliet Stipeche, executive director of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board. 

Stefanie kicked off the program by stressing that the life a youth faces on the streets is very different than that of an adult. Kenny explained that the Youth Action Board (YAB) is a group of youth and young adults who have had first-hand experiences with homelessness. They work with organizations to train them on how to help and communicate with youth.  The YAB was heavily involved in the planning of the program, making sure that their voices were heard. Kenny said they appreciated being given a voice and a place to share their experiences. 

Juliet has seen firsthand that education, training, and employment are vital components in preventing and ending homelessness, especially among our youth. Juliet believes in redesigning the system, creating a division focused on education, youth development, and adult literacy, and hopes to focus her efforts on working collaboratively with communities to make a difference in the lives of those affected by homelessness. 

Shun credits funding for her organization's ability to expand its capacity and offer additional services. Prior to the funding, Johnson's organization was limited to case management and advocacy, but added resources allowed them to finally fill in the missing piece: housing.  Working with the YAB has been one of Shun's most rewarding experiences. "The young adults involved are not only committed and present, but they are also honest about their experiences and share what is needed to better serve them,” she told the audience. 

Despite unforeseen challenges, Joe works tirelessly to secure transitional housing for youth in need and engage with landlords and the population at large. Joe said the collaboration between the YAB and partners has been critical throughout the process, giving him and his team the support needed to overcome obstacles and make a real difference in the lives of the youth they serve. (Watch this presentation.) 

Keynote Address

We were so excited to welcome this year’s keynote speaker Michael Kimmelman, author of The New York Times article “How Houston Moved 25,000 People From the Streets into Homes of Their Own," Regarding what prompted his interest in Houston, Kimmelman said that he, "felt all the negative doomsday scrolling stories about homelessness fed into a cycle of pessimism and despair that made people both more hostile to the unhoused and more complacent." 

 
Although it may seem daunting for individuals or organizations to tackle, Michael said he believes that a systemic approach is critical in making progress towards ending homelessness. Reflecting on the impact his article has made, he said, "The public got back a hunger to know more about what works, what is possible, and not just be told that everything is going haywire. Because in the end I believe a majority of us seek common ground and common cause, if we are just given some reason to hope. Houston gives people hope that homelessness is a problem we can tackle together. It shows that if we come together and work towards a common goal and make a meaningful impact on one of society's most intractable problems." (Watch the keynote.) 

Houston Grand Opera

After the keynote, Jeremy Johnson and Alisa Magallón of Houston Grand Opera (HGO) spoke about their experience learning about homelessness and bringing the new opera Another City to life. Then, singers Cecila Duarte and Alejandro Magallón and pianist Bin Yu Sanford took the stage to perform excerpts from the show.  (Watch this presentation.) 

Closing Remarks

Our Vice President Sara Martinez reflected on her last ten years with the CFTH and the incredible progress Houston has made. "When I think of how we got here, I think of the people in this room and the people watching online who've been selfless, forward-thinking and willing to change the status quo," she said. Looking to the next ten years, Martinez said, "If the last ten years are any indication, I  wouldn’t be surprised to be living in a Houston where homelessness is rare brief and nonrecurring.” (Watch closing remarks.) 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for State of Homelessness 2023. And a very special thank you to our sponsors, CORT, PJS, and Houston Methodist.