A purple suitcase and pink tote bag filled with Lasonya Harris’ belongings were left on a sidewalk in front of Houston City Hall on a Wednesday morning, highlighting the plight of homelessness in the city. Harris, who recently lost her sales job, has been sleeping outside for almost two years, primarily in public spaces throughout downtown Houston.
After her situation was shared with Houston Public Media, the city council subsequently approved an updated version of the “civility ordinance,” which enforces restrictions on sitting, lying down, or placing personal possessions on sidewalks in certain areas, now including downtown and East Downtown around the clock.
Harris expressed her concerns about the new ordinance, stating, “There are people like myself that’s hopeless. I’ve exhausted all of my limitation as to where I can go and where I can stay. I’m out of options. If I get off the sidewalk, I’m going to get in the grass or in the water — that’s all I know. It’s like, it’s out of options… If they put another rule that you can’t be on the sidewalk at all sleeping, in day or night, that makes the homeless more vulnerable.”
Mayor John Whitmire defended the ordinance, emphasizing that it aims to handle the situation with compassion. He stated, “No one is criminalizing the civility ordinance allowing people to be taken off the streets like a crime. They’re being handled compassionately. It’s a plan that’s been well thought out.”
Under the updated ordinance, individuals caught violating the rules could face fines of up to $500 or even arrest. The administration has framed this legislative change as a “pilot program” with ambitions of a citywide expansion in the future.
For those like Harris, there remains a flicker of hope in Whitmire’s approach towards resolving street homelessness. The city’s housing department, in association with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, is actively working towards providing transitional housing and services before enforcing the ordinance. Harris expressed her readiness to accept housing in any form, stating, “If I was offered housing in any form, any program… yes, I will accept it.”
As the city aims to raise $70 million for homeless initiatives, it still faces substantial funding gaps, including a search for an additional $20 million from private donors. Currently, about $40 million in federal disaster recovery funds is set to support these efforts.
Harris is one among an estimated 200 to 250 individuals sleeping on the streets in downtown Houston. Mike Nichols, director of the housing department, assured that the city has sufficient resources at hand to assist them, yet he acknowledged limitations in providing immediate solutions citywide. He stated, “It’s disappointing to some folks who would like to do it citywide. We can’t do that. The resources aren’t there for that.”
During discussions at the city council, Nichols refrained from specifying whether the city could house every homeless individual immediately, choosing instead to focus on the need for a systematic approach to gradually transition people towards housing.
Council member Letitia Plummer advocated for an amendment to the civility ordinance, promoting the involvement of mental health professionals and specially-trained crisis response officers before enforcement begins. She expressed her concerns regarding the use of regular officers, highlighting that they may not have adequate training to handle the complexities of the situation. The amendment was approved unanimously, though it remains merely a suggestion rather than a requirement.
Before the council vote, a member of the Houston Police Department directed a homeless man to remove his stroller containing possessions from the sidewalk outside City Hall, illustrating the practical implications of the ordinance. Despite multiple ongoing outreach efforts, no social service providers were present, and there was no mention of transitional housing for those affected.
Larry Satterwhite, director of public safety and homeland security, affirmed that the potential violation of city rules, including the civility ordinance, was being monitored closely. He remarked, “When it comes to clearing homeless encampments, we have highlighted several targeted initiatives within the downtown area since November, and of the more than 130 people who were engaged, 85 were connected to housing solutions.”
The city administration is hopeful that even individuals facing citations and arrests due to the new ordinance could be led towards services and housing through a special “homeless court.” Satterwhite noted, “No one likes to issue the citation and bring them to court. No one likes to make an arrest. But… it does give us another opportunity to try to get them help, and some of them take it.”
Council member Mario Castillo reported that his communication with the homeless court alleviated some of his worries concerning the issuance of citations to the homeless. Meanwhile, council member Tarsha Jackson expressed her opposition to the ordinance, arguing, “I don’t believe people should be penalized, especially our most vulnerable community, because they’re homeless.”
Jackson continued, voicing concerns that ticketing could lead individuals into a difficult cycle within the criminal justice system.
Council member Abbie Kamin echoed similar concerns, emphasizing the importance of a “housing-first” approach in addressing homelessness. She stated, “That’s the Houston way — to bring in a coalition of wraparound services that goes to a location and addresses that one individual at a time, compassionately and holistically. But the civility ordinance itself doesn’t talk about that or address that.”
According to data from the Coalition for the Homeless, the Houston area has made notable progress in combating homelessness, with the population decreasing from approximately 8,400 in 2011 to around 3,300 last year. This includes about 1,100 individuals who currently find shelter in public spaces outside of conventional accommodations.
The administration, led by Mayor Whitmire, maintains a goal of alleviating homelessness to a point where every individual who becomes homeless has a pathway to permanent housing within 90 days.
image source from：houstonpublicmedia
