In the News - July Coverage Recap
From extreme heat to a major grant announcement. Check out some of our media coverage from July!
“The New York Times has touted “how Houston is fixing homelessness.” Politicians from Colorado, California and Washington have reached out to Houston leaders to see what they can learn.
“Tuesday morning, the Houston Endowment, a philanthropic foundation, announced a $15 million grant to organizations to sustain the fight against homelessness in the Houston area, along with a call to action.”
Read the full story on Houston Chronicle.
“Houston Endowment is boosting its efforts to reduce homelessness in the Bayou City with a $15 million investment in four key local partners.
“The investment will be split into four grants among the partners: $10 million will go to the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, $3 million for Search Homeless Services, $1 million for The Beacon, and $1 million for U.S.Vets-Houston, the local arm of a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization helping veterans and their families.”
Read the full story on Houston Business Journal.
“The Lone Star State’s reduced its homeless population by almost a third over the past decade, while published reports say California’s has grown by over 40% during the same time period. On top of that, Texas spent millions less of its state budget on homelessness than California last year.
“In their search for solutions, California lawmakers have even traveled to Texas to try to get an inside look at how the state’s homelessness programs operate and to learn if they can be replicated or should be replicated back on the West Coast.”
Listen to the full interview on Texas Standard.
“What is Texas doing differently to alleviate the problem of homelessness? And what, if anything, can California learn from the Lone Star State?
“In 2012, the total number of homeless people in Texas was 34,052, according to federal data compiled by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. By 2022, the number had fallen to 24,432. That’s a decline of 28.3 percent—and it is mostly due to the efforts of one city. In 2012, about one in five homeless Texans lived in the greater Houston area. And that area has made impressive progress in the fight to reduce homelessness.”
Read the full story on California Local.
“Mike Nichols, president and CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless, discusses why Houston has been nationally recognized for its success rates of individuals who do not return to homelessness in 2 years.”
Watch the full podcast on Houston Community College District.
“As some take to air-conditioned homes and safe public spaces to escape triple-digit temperatures in the Southwest, the elements pose unique risks to people experiencing homelessness.
“Here in Texas, currently the weather is 97 degrees, and it feels like 109,” said Mike Nichols, CEO of Coalition for the Homeless of Houston in Harris County, Texas.
“Groups like Nichols’ work year-round to place people in permanent housing. When extreme weather sets in, volunteers hit the streets to distribute aid like cold water and information about cooling centers.”
Read the full story on NewsNation.
