Preparing for Hurricane Laura
We will use this page to post and share information about Hurricane Laura and resources for people experiencing homelessness as it becomes available.
Local Emergency Management Authorities
| Jurisdiction | Website |
|---|---|
| City of Houston | https://houstonemergency.org/ |
| City of Pasadena | https://www.pasadenatx.gov/185/Emergency-Management |
| Harris County | https://www.readyharris.org/ |
| Montgomery County | https://mctxoem.org/ |
| Fort Bend County | https://fbcoem.org/ |
For the latest forecast, visit https://spacecityweather.com/
Hurricane Laura Q&A
What is the homeless response system doing to prepare for Hurricane Laura?
- The Coalition for the Homeless is working with local government agencies, including the City of Houston and Harris County, as well as partner agencies of The Way Home Continuum of Care to ensure that people living unsheltered are informed about and protected from the storm.
- For the past several days, we have been working with our outreach teams — the front-line staff who interact with people living unsheltered (i.e., on the streets or in encampments) — to help spread the word that we were likely to be hit by a hurricane this week.
- On Wednesday, August 26, we worked with the City of Houston to activate about a dozen outreach teams to visit encampments in areas that are most at-risk during Hurricane Laura (i.e., in Harris County’s Zip-Zones A and B, which are under voluntary evacuation orders). People living unsheltered in these areas were offered transportation via Houston METRO buses to a “refuge of last resort.”
- HPD patrol units have also been out offering transport to shelter to people living unsheltered.
- To reach those living unsheltered in unincorporated Harris County, the County Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach Teams have been going out to encampments for the past week. They have moved many people to safety and have secured shelter locations for those remaining.
- Anyone still in need of shelter should contact 3-1-1.
- Throughout the year, we also encourage our outreach teams and housing case managers to register their clients in the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR). STEAR is a free registry that helps emergency responders to keep track of people in their geographic area who might need extra assistance in an emergency.
To learn more about the City of Houston’s efforts to help people living unsheltered prior to Hurricane Laura, watch Houston Mayor’s Sylvester Turner’s Aug. 26 press conference (fast forward to the 11 minute mark).
What is a “refuge of last resort?”
- A “refuge of last resort” is meant to provide shelter as the storm passes through and will not remain open afterwards.
How does COVID complicate the situation?
- Typically, during an extreme weather event, our established emergency (homeless) shelters would simply make room for more people to stay.
- Because of COVID, our shelters have already had to reduce capacity to maintain social distancing.
- For this reason, and because we know some people have fallen into homelessness as a result of COVID (although we won’t know exactly how many until next year’s Point-in-Time Count), we may have more people living unsheltered than we did before COVID.
- In order to prevent the spread of COVID/outbreaks, most of our shelters will not be able to accommodate additional people that might need shelter from the storm.
- However, people living unsheltered will be able to seek shelter from the storm at any disaster shelter(s) established by the Red Cross.
Is shelter space be available for people currently living unsheltered?
- Yes. People living unsheltered will be able to seek shelter from the storm at any disaster shelter(s) established by the Red Cross.
I'm experiencing homelessness, and I need help.
Anyone still in need of shelter should contact 3-1-1.
Visit the Red Cross’ website to find an open shelter near you: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/disaster-relief-and-recovery-services/find-an-open-shelter.html
I would like to help.
To Volunteer
Visit
https://volunteerhouston.org to explore volunteer opportunities related to Hurricane Laura.
To Donate
The Coalition for the Homeless serves as an administrative agency, providing leadership and coordination to local direct service providers. As such, leading up to the storm, we worked to coordinate The Way Home's outreach teams, who encouraged unsheltered homeless individuals in voluntary evacuation areas to access emergency shelter.
Once we are able, we will assess the needs of our partners who serve people experiencing homelessness.
Please consider supporting our work to help us respond to crises and solve homelessness in our community.
For Local Homeless Response Agencies
If you need help
Following Hurricane Laura, if your agency is in need of supplies (e.g., cleaning supplies) or a connection with other local service providers (e.g., nonprofits like the Food Bank or government entities), please contact Renee at rcavazos [at] homelesshouston [dot] org and Caybryn at csouthern [at] homelesshouston [dot] org.
We cannot guarantee help, but just as we make these connections for our partners in non-emergency times, we will do our best to do so in response to the hurricane.
Operations Updates
If you would like us to include information on this page about your agency's operations during Hurricane Laura, please send that information to Catherine at cvillarreal [at] homelesshouston.org and Caybryn at csouthern [at] homelesshouston [dot] org.
