The night began with an interactive simulation that placed participants in the shoes of someone navigating recovery while experiencing homelessness. Each person received a persona card, challenge sheet, and an empty bracelet string before rotating through stations that represented different parts of the system. With each scenario, choices led to beads added on their bracelets, symbolizing the journey toward housing and recovery.
CFTH Presents – More Than a Fix: Substance Use, Stigma & Homelessness
Fryda Ochoa • August 26, 2025
This event kicked off a new season of CFTH Presents, bringing the community together for a discussion on the intersection of homelessness, recovery, and housing.
Panel Insights
Moderator and CFTH Senior Outreach Associate, Kris Donaldson, opened the panel with a memory from their first day in outreach: witnessing a man die in encampment due to alcohol use disorder. It was a powerful reminder of how homelessness and recovery intersect.
Panelists then shared their own experiences:
- Amber Honsinger, Program Director at The Harris Center, recalled meeting Victor, whose simple self-introduction challenged stereotypes.
- Frederick Weatherspoon, Counselor of Outpatient Services at The Council on Recovery, reflected on nearly 30 years of homelessness, compounded by criminal history and mental health barriers, before housing gave him the foundation to heal.
- Judy Chavez, Interim CEO for The Council on Recovery, emphasized seeing the whole person—physical, emotional, and spiritual—in the process of recovery.
The panel addressed common misconceptions, including the belief that people “choose” homelessness or that addiction defines worth. Frederick shared how being told he was “too far gone” nearly crushed his hope but how it fueled his determination to become a counselor. They agreed that stigma is often the greatest barrier, while empathy and respect can open doors to recovery.
What does recovery look like?
For Judy, recovery is holistic. For Frederick, it looks like him—from dental care to stable housing to pursuing a master’s degree. Amber emphasized recovery as a journey rather than a destination. All agreed that housing is not just shelter, but the cornerstone of recovery.
Policy and Systems
The conversation also touched on current policy trends on homelessness. Judy was clear: “We will never criminalize our way out of this problem.” Amber acknowledged challenges but also pointed to opportunities like new funding for behavioral health and housing supports that require agencies to work together.
When asked what everyday people can do, panelists stressed small but powerful steps: check on neighbors, extend compassion, and stay informed so you can connect people to resources.
Key Takeaway: Recovery and housing are inseparable, and both begin with compassion. By breaking stigma and strengthening community, we can build systems that truly support people on their journey.
Houston, Texas (February 24, 2026) – This week, the nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County (CFTH) is leading the annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count & Survey (“PIT Count”) to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness across Houston and throughout Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties. “We may see a slight uptick in the number this year, but we have a plan,” said Kelly Young, President & CEO of CFTH. “With the support of the City of Houston, Harris County, and private funders, we have been piloting new interventions to shorten the length of time people in our region experience homelessness. With adequate funding, we look forward to expanding those interventions to help people regain lives of self-determination.” CFTH coordinates the Houston region’s public-private homeless response system, The Way Home . Through this collaboration, The Way Home partners have successfully housed over 36,000 people since 2012. CFTH will release the results of Houston’s 2026 PIT Count in the summer, following independent verification by an epidemiologist. These findings will provide insight into how factors such as increases in the cost of living and the end of federal pandemic relief funding have impacted homelessness in our region. More information about the 2026 Point-in-Time Homeless Count & Survey The PIT Count offers a snapshot of how many people are experiencing homelessness in our region on a single night. This year, the “night of record” is Monday, Feb. 23. CFTH determines the number of people staying in shelters on that night by pulling records electronically from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) . The unsheltered count will be conducted on the following days, from Tuesday, Feb. 24 to Thursday, Feb. 26. More than 400 volunteers and staff of local nonprofit service provider partners will canvass the three-county region to survey people living unsheltered, using an app on their mobile devices. Results from the 2026 PIT Count will help gauge the progress of The Way Home’s ongoing collaborative efforts. It will also help CFTH and partner homeless outreach teams understand geographic shifts and target their outreach throughout the year. The PIT Count illuminates specific programmatic gaps and provides additional information needed to allocate resources most efficiently. The PIT Count is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) for the annual Continuum of Care (CoC) funding process. HUD furnishes the majority of funding for programs that provide housing and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness in the region. In 2024, HUD granted more than $71 million to the Houston area.
As lead agency to The Way Home Continuum of Care (CoC), CFTH is working with local governmental entities to advocate on behalf of people experiencing homelessness to ensure their needs are being considered as winter weather affects our region. We will make frequent updates as we receive information. Please check back often for the latest information. Last updated 02/01/2026 at 12:00 p.m.
While our system has helped thousands of people move from homelessness to housing, this year’s results highlight the need to broaden our approach.
