(Educating the public: Kelly Young, president and CEO of CFTH, educates key stakeholders at the Westchase District Public Safety Alliance Meeting, outlining strategies to address homelessness in the area.)
Driving through Houston, it’s common to see people at intersections asking for help or to come across encampments set up along the roadside. Recent surveys estimate that on any given day, more than 3,200 people are experiencing homelessness in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties. Many people want to help but are unsure how, and local businesses feel the impact as well.
“Our tenants often lose business as customers don’t feel safe enough to shop when there are unsheltered people sitting and standing outside the door,” said a property manager of a Westheimer retail center.
In response to this growing concern, Westchase District is taking action by forming a partnership with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County (CFTH) to address the issue of homelessness in the area. This collaboration aims to connect the unhoused population in Westchase with essential resources, ultimately guiding them toward permanent housing.
The mission of CFTH
Since 2012, CFTH has served as the designated homeless response coordinator for Houston. The organization’s approach is strategic, connecting people experiencing homelessness with a network of partners that provide various services. These partners include well-known organizations like The Salvation Army, The Beacon, and Star of Hope. 
“Our strategy is housing as a solution to homelessness,” said Kelly Young, president and CEO of CFTH. “We connect unhoused persons to resources that help move them along the process toward housing. Once they are in housing, we surround them with the support they need to maintain it.”
This method has been effective, leading to a more than 60% reduction in homelessness in Houston since 2012. The city’s approach is now seen as a model across the country.
Addressing the issue in Westchase
Phase one of the partnership has already begun. “We provided CFTH with areas in Westchase District where the unhoused often congregate so they could initiate conversations,” explained Mark Hubenak, Westchase District vice president of public safety.
A CFTH outreach team visited these areas over several days at various times, including at night. “An important part of the outreach process is establishing relationships,” Young commented. “Many people experiencing homelessness are, understandably, hesitant about engaging. It takes time to build trust.”
During this initial outreach, CFTH assessed the individuals living unsheltered in the area and noted other activities contributing to safety concerns. They found that about half of the individuals they encountered were already receiving services from the homeless response system, meaning they are in the process of securing housing. The other half did not have an established profile, allowing CFTH to begin connecting them with resources.
The outreach team also discovered that most unhoused individuals present in Westchase during the day do not stay in the District overnight. The report revealed that people who are on the streets asking for money during the day often do not actually live unsheltered.
In addition to the partnership with CFTH, Westchase District will partner with Houston Police Department and SEAL Security to address the additional safety concerns found in the report.
Next steps in the partnership
As a result of the outreach process, CFTH identified several next steps. These include coordinating a System Outreach Team to ensure regular engagement with unsheltered individuals and connecting with local nonprofits and churches to determine what services they can provide.
Another key step is providing education and an overview of homeless response to Westchase District stakeholders and businesses. The first example of this took place during a meeting of the Westchase District Public Safety Alliance on August 27, with Kelly Young as the guest speaker.
“This meeting was really insightful and I’m taking away a lot of valuable information,” said Olga Maciques, property sales support for the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Houston Westchase. “It is good to see that the District is taking measures to understand what steps can be taken towards a solution for this issue.”
CFTH will continue to work in Westchase District, following through on these next steps. Hubenak acknowledged the complexity of the issue, stating, “This issue won’t be resolved overnight, especially with the current backlog of people waiting for housing. However, we believe this partnership will guide the unhoused in Westchase District to essential resources and maintain the safety of our community.”
