HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Residents in northwest Houston reached out to ABC13, concerned about what they believe is a rise in homelessness along White Oak Bayou near Watonga Blvd.
It’s happening while Mayor John Whitmire has been pushing for change, calling homelessness one of his top priorities.
“Houston, this is not happening in my city,” said Alma Thompson, who lives nearby.
She worries about safety, both criminal and environmental, as trash continues to pile up.
“Water cannot flow through trash. Water cannot flow through Styrofoam,” she said.
According to the nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless, 3,280 people in Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery Counties were homeless during last year’s count.
The nonprofit’s report says 34% of them are living on the streets, outside of shelters. The report also shows that 39% of those living outside have been doing so for three years or more.
Homelessness, according to the nonprofit, has dropped more than 60% in Houston since 2011 as city officials focus on outreach and affordable housing.
Now, Houston’s mayor has promised a $70 million annual investment.
Just last month, the city council passed a ban on sitting, lying down, or putting personal possessions on sidewalks overnight in much of the city. In downtown and East downtown, the ban applies 24/7.
“These are human beings. I’m not here to hurt nobody. I want them to get the help that they need,” Thompson said.
Houston city officials put up a notice on Wednesday that they will be clearing out the area along White Oak Bayou and Watonga on September 10.
Thompson doesn’t think that will be a permanent fix, and she knows it’s a complicated issue.
“I’ve lived through it. I know what homelessness is about because I’ve been laid off jobs with no family to turn to,” she said. “I ended up out here on the streets, but I got a job and picked myself up by my bootstraps. I’ve been self-sufficient for 13 years now.”
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