[Press Conference: "Housing Navigation Center for Homeless Services"]
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LOOK, AND, AND, AND, AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF THESE STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE STANDING HERE, UH, BECAUSE IT HAS TAKEN EVERYONE AND YOU CAN COME JOIN.UM, IT'S TAKEN ALL OF US, UH, TO GET TO, TO, TO, TO THIS POINT, UH, WHICH I'M HONESTLY, I'M QUITE EXCITED ABOUT.
UH, TO ME IS, UH, IS, UH, IS BETTER THAN A SUPER BOWL MOMENT
AND WE ARE CURRENTLY, WE ARE CURRENTLY INVESTING MORE RESOURCES INTO HOMELESSNESS, UH, THAN EVER IN THE, IN THE HISTORY OF THIS GREAT CITY.
BY PARTNERING WITH HARRIS COUNTY AND THE 100 PLUS AGENCIES OF THE WAY HOME, OUR REGIONAL HOMELESS RESPONSE SYSTEM, WE HAVE PERMANENTLY HOUSED MORE THAN 21,000 INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS SINCE I TOOK OFFICE, UM, HELPING TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS BY 63% SINCE 2012.
HOWEVER, HAVING THE LOWEST PER CAPITA HOMELESS POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY IS NOT ENOUGH.
UH, WHEN WE STILL HAVE BROTHERS AND SISTERS ON OUR STREETS, FAMILIES LIVING IN CARS AND ENCAMPMENTS UNDER OUR FREEWAYS, WE SHOULD NEVER GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE DRIVE, WALK, OR BIKE BY PEOPLE LIVING ON OUR STREETS AND, UH, NUMB TO WHAT WE SEE.
AND THAT IS WHY WE CAN, AND WE MUST DO MORE.
THIS HOUSING NAVIGATION CENTER IS A GAME CHANGING TOOL STRATEGICALLY DESIGNED TO EXPEDITE AND INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WE CAN MOVE OFF THE STREETS AND INTO THE HOUSING UNITS WITH SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE REGION, THEREBY BOOSTING OUR EFFORTS TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS.
ANDY YOUNG COME UP HERE, CHIEF OF STAFF, AND THE HEAD OF OUR ECONOMIC, UH, DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.
THIS FIRST OF A KIND, UH, FACILITY IN TEXAS IS JUST A PIT STOP ON THE ROAD TO BEING HOUSED.
THE PROCESS TO HOUSE SOMEONE OFF THE STREETS TAKES TIME AND IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK.
AND THIS INNOVATIVE FACILITY PROVIDES A CONSISTENT, SAFE AND STABLE LOCATION, UH, FOR CLIENTS TO RESIDE WHILE WORKING WITH AN ONSITE TEAM OF CASE MANAGERS ON HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT.
CURRENTLY, THERE ARE 44 CLIENTS RESIDING HERE, AND NEW CLIENTS WILL MOVE IN ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
AND ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN OPEN FOR A LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK, ONE PERSON HAS ALREADY BEEN SUCCESSFULLY HOUSED INTO PERMANENT HOUSING, AND I'M PLEASED TO SEE SIX.
AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT THAT PERSON COMES FROM, UH, THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY.
CURRENTLY, UH, THE FACILITY OFFERS 100 SEMI-PRIVATE BEDS.
IT IS CO-ED WITH 24 HOUR PROFESSIONAL MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY, PROVIDES THREE MEALS A DAY, WELCOMES PETS, AND IS ALREADY PROVIDING ONSITE SERVICES, INCLUDING LAUNDRY, HEALTHCARE, EMPLOYMENT, MENTAL HEALTH, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE COUNSELING.
NO CHILDREN OR WALKUPS ARE ALLOWED.
MOREAU THE CENTER WILL SERVE AN EMERGENCY DISASTER.
SHE WILL SERVE AS AN EMERGENCY DISASTER SHELTER IN TIMES OF SEVERE INCLEMENT WEATHER.
PLUS IN THE MONTHS TO COME, THE SERVICES BEING OFFERED TO CLIENTS OF THE HOUSING NAVIGATION CENTER WILL BE EXPANDED AND OFFERED SEPARATELY TO THE ENTIRE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY, INCLUDING A NEW COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC RUN BY HARRIS HEALTH.
THE SUCCESS OF THIS FACILITY IS NOT HOW MANY PEOPLE, IS NOT HOW MANY PEOPLE WE GET IN, BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WE GET OUT AND INTO A HOUSING UNIT OF THEIR OWN.
THE GOAL IS FOR EACH RESIDENT TO OBTAIN HOUSING WITHIN 60 DAYS OF ENTRY.
HOUSING WITH SERVICES IS THE RESIDENT, IS THE SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS.
HOWEVER, THIS NAVIGATION CENTER IS NOT THE HOUSING, RATHER, IT IS A VITAL TOOL THAT WILL STRATEGICALLY AID OUR HOUSING EFFORTS.
THIS FACILITY ONLY WORKS WHEN WE HAVE HOUSING UNITS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE TO MOVE INTO, AND
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THAT IS WHY I AM ASKING LANDLORDS THROUGHOUT OUR REGION TO PARTNER WITH THESE GROUPS AND WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS WITH THE CITY BY PROVIDING APARTMENT UNITS TO OUR NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HOUSING EFFORT.WE WILL TAKE BUT ARE NOT ASKING FOR FREE UNITS AS RENT WILL BE COVERED AND SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED TO THE TENANTS.
RATHER, WE ADJUST ASKING YOU TO BE WILLING TO RENT TO OUR CLIENTS.
AND FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO GET INVOLVED, YOU CAN CONTACT THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
HOMELESSNESS AFFECTS ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES, AND IT WILL TAKE COMMUNITY LED RESPONSE FROM ALL OF US TO FURTHER REDUCE HOMELESSNESS.
THAT SAID, I WANT TO THANK THE PRINCE SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR STEPPING UP AND DOING ITS PART TO RESPOND TO HOMELESSNESS.
AND WE WILL BE LOOKING AT ALL COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE GREATER GREATER HOUSTON REGION TO ALSO STEP UP AND BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.
I WANNA RECOGNIZE THE TRUE ALL STARS THAT MADE THIS PROJECT POSSIBLE.
THE CITY'S HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT FOR LEADING THE INVESTMENT OF CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATIONAL FUNDING THAT MADE THE PROJECT HAPPEN.
COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS, WHO IS LEASING THIS FACILITY FROM US, OVERSAW THE CONSTRUCTION AND WILL CONTINUE TO OVERSEE A SUCCESS.
THIS IS YOUR FIRST CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, AND ALTHOUGH I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB, HARMONY HOUSE.
THERE AREN'T MANY ORGANIZATIONS WILLING TO DO THE HARD WORK OF RUNNING THIS FACILITY DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
AND TO DO SO WITH SUCH PROFESSIONALISM.
HIGH STANDARDS AND COMPASSION IS TRULY EXTRAORDINARY.
HARRIS HEALTH FOR A NEW ONSITE HEALTH CLINIC THAT WILL SERVE THE FACILITIES, CLIENTS AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, THE HARRIS CENTER FOR YOUR AMAZING ONSITE TEAM OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EXPERTS.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, MY COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS FROM THE PRINCE SQUARE AREA.
YOUR INPUT HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE INVALUABLE.
I'VE HEARD YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.
YOU JUST DON'T WANT THIS FACILITY TO BE LOCATED IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
YOU WANT IT TO BE QUOTE, PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE UNDERSTAND AND YOU HAVE THE CITY'S COMMITMENT.
BESIDES THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THERE WILL BE MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FUTURE WHERE WE WILL BE ENGAGING WITH THE GREATER COMMUNITY.
AND ONCE THE COMMUNITY HEALTH CLINIC IS OPEN, WE WILL BE INVITING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME AND SEE THE LIFE CHANGING WORK HAPPENING RIGHT HERE.
THE COLLECTIVE WORK WE ARE DOING TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS IS SETTING A STANDARD FOR CITIES ACROSS THE WORLD.
AND OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS, WE HAVE WORKED WITH LEADERS FROM NEW YORK, LA, CHICAGO, SPOKANE, TACOMA, ALBUQUERQUE, SAN DIEGO, PITTSBURGH, AND EVEN THE STATE OF DELAWARE WHO WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE HOUSTON MODEL.
IN FACT, THE MAYORS OF DENVER, AURORA, AND PENSACOLA HAVE ALREADY TOURED THIS FACILITY AS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES NOTED IN JULY.
HOUSTON HAS NOT SOLVED HOMELESSNESS AS THERE IS MORE TO BE DONE, BUT WE ARE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
AND WHEN I GO TO BED AT NIGHT, AND I'M SURE COUNCIL MEMBER GALLEGOS CAN SAY THE SAME, I DON'T THINK OF ALL THE PEOPLE WE HAVE HOUSED.
I THINK OF OUR MOTHERS, UNCLES, SIX SISTERS AND SONS WHO ARE STILL ON OUR STREETS THAT NEED THIS HOUSING NAVIGATION CENTER.
AND THE HOUSING IT WILL LEAD TO, I THINK IT'S A BRIGHT DAY, UH, FOR THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT THE FUTURE IS EVEN BRIGHTER, UH, FOR OUR CITY.
SO AGAIN, LET ME THANK ALL OF THE PARTNERS WHO ARE HERE, ALL THE COMMUNITY LEADERS, ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, HARMONY, HARRIS HEALTH HARRIS CENTER, UM, HOUSING, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, LET ME THANK THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY.
UM, LET ME THANK THE FIFTH WARD COMMUNITY.
UH, AND THEN, UH, LET ME THANK THE CLIENTS, UH, WHO HAVE, UH, WILLINGLY COME OFF THE STREETS AND, UH, WHO ARE HERE AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
AND THEN I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THEM IN THEIR OWN HOME, UH, AS ONE OF THE CLIENTS SAYS SHE HAS A PICTURE OF ME,
AND I TOLD HER, I LOOK FORWARD
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TO COMING TO YOUR HOUSE AND SEEING THAT PICTURE ON THE WALL ON HER WAY HOME.SO THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA BE VISITING WITH SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CLIENTS, UH, UH, SOME OF THE CLIENTS.
ANY, ANY QUESTIONS TO THIS GROUP? YES.
YOU, YOU MENTIONED YOU ARE NO WALK.
SO HOW DO YOU SELECT OR IDENTIFY THOSE WHO RULE? OKAY, THAT PROCESS.
MARK, YOU WANNA YOU WANNA ADDRESS THAT? UH, THE, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND THE PARTNERS OF THE WAY HOME WORK TOGETHER AND WE COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS WITH ALL THE OUTREACH TEAMS THAT ARE THERE.
UH, SO WE ARE IDENTIFYING AREAS THROUGHOUT THE REGION, UM, AND ONE BY ONE METHODICALLY GOING TO THOSE AREAS, VISITING WITH THE CLIENTS THAT ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND MOVING THEM IN HERE.
WE, YOU KNOW, SO IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A VERY STRATEGIC, METHODICAL FASHION.
WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT WHEN WE OFFER PEOPLE JUST SHELTER, ONLY 2% OF THE PEOPLE SAY YES.
BUT WHEN WE OFFER THEM PLACES LIKE THIS NAVIGATION CENTER, 90% SAY YES.
WE DID A TEMPORARY NAVIGATION CENTER OFF OF TWO 90, AND THAT WAS RUN BY COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS AND HARMONY HOUSE FOR A YEAR.
UM, AND IT WAS A GREAT SUCCESS.
THIS IS THE NEXT PHASE WE'RE GONNA BUILD UPON AND EXPAND UPON THAT SUCCESS WITH THIS CRITICAL BUILDING.
SO YOU GO TO KEY AREAS, YOU SPEAK TO THOSE WHO ARE IN THOSE ENCAMPMENTS OR AREAS AND TRY TO CONNECT WITH THEM TO COME? YES.
AND THE OUTREACH TEAMS, UH, FROM AN ARRAY OF PARTNERS DO THIS ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
THEY KNOW THE FOLKS THAT ARE ON THE STREETS, THEY'RE WORKING WITH THEM NOW IN A VERY STRATEGIC FASHION.
THEY'LL BE ABLE TO GO TO THEM AND OFFER 'EM A PLACE HERE AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER.
SO TO EXPEDITE, UH, THEIR, UH, PROCESS THROUGH THE HOUSING SYSTEM.
COULD GIVE US YOUR NAME AND SPELL IT? YEAH, MY NAME IS MARK EICHENBAUM, SPELLED MARC.
LAST NAME IS E-I-C-H-E-N-B, LIKE IN BOY A UM I'M THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE MAYOR FOR HOMELESS INITIATIVES.
AND IF I, IF I WANT TO ADD, I'VE WORKED WITH SEVERAL ADMINISTRATIONS, UM, BUT MAYOR TURNER HAS DEDICATED MORE TIME, MORE EFFORT, AND MORE RESOURCES TO HOMELESSNESS THAN ANY MAYOR IN THE HISTORY OF THE CITY.
AND I WORK, I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO WORK WITH 70 CITIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD, AND ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THEY'RE MISSING IS THAT POLITICAL WILL AND LEADERSHIP FROM THEIR MAYORS.
WE ARE VERY, VERY, VERY BLESSED.
THIS, UH, THIS CENTER IS BECAUSE OF, IT WAS FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING, IT WAS THE VISION OF MAYOR TURNER, AND IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE WITHOUT HIS LEADERSHIP.
UM, WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT HOMELESSNESS WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE IN HOUSTON, UM, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL FOR THE, THAT THE NEXT MAYOR WILL BE EQUALLY AS DEDICATED.
UH, BUT, UH, WE COULD NOT DO THIS, UH, WITHOUT YOUR EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP AND POLITICAL WILL.
SO THANK YOU CLIENTS THAT YOU, UM, MY, UH, ARE THEY ALL FROM ONE SPECIFIC ENCAMPMENT? IF SO, WHERE AND WHAT CHANGES DO YOU ANTICIPATE IN THAT AREA? DO YOU EXPECT MORE PEOPLE TO COME AND ASK FOR MORE TRANSPORT? AND I WON'T SAY THEY'RE FROM ALL, FROM ONE, BECAUSE THE INITIAL FIVE WERE HERE, CAME DIRECTLY OUT OF THE FIFTH WARD AREA.
UM, AND THERE ARE OTHERS THAT WE EXPECTING TO COME.
OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN TERMS OF PLACEMENT ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS IN FIFTH WARD.
UH, THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THE CASE.
SO THEY WILL ALWAYS HAVE GREATER PRIORITY.
AND THEN THE SECOND LARGEST, UH, GROUP IS COMING FROM THE ENCAMPMENT ON CHARTERS.
DID THAT, DID THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? YES.
UM, AND, AND BEFORE WE GO, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, AURA MICHELLE FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE ASSOCIATED, UH, BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF THE NEGOTIATING BETWEEN, UH, THE CONTRACTS WITH ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PARTNERS.
UH, SO I DO WANT TO PLEASE, UH, UH, GIVE UP TO AURAURA MICHELLE AND THE LEGAL TEAM FROM THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
UM, THE OTHER PART OF IT IS, UM, HOW DO YOU PREVENT OTHER PEOPLE FROM COMING UP AND BUILDING MORE TIME HIGH AREA? WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT WORKING WITH HPD AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HHPD IN THE, AND THE HOT TEAMS, UM, WE ARE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THESE SITES ARE NOW OFF LIMITS IN SOME CASES WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH TECH STOCK, THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE, THE AREA UNDERNEATH OR ADJACENT TO, UH, THESE FREEWAYS, FREEWAYS, UH, THOSE AREAS, PROPERTIES ARE OWNED BY TECH STOCK.
UH, SO WE, UH, WHERE WE CAN FENCE OFF, WE WILL BE FENCING OFF.
SO IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WILL SEE FENCING COMING IN THE MEANTIME.
UH, HPD, THE HOT TEAMS AND OTHERS, UH, WILL BE SAYING, NO, THESE AREAS ARE, ARE NOT AVAILABLE, YOU KNOW, ANY LONGER.
HEY, YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS A LONG TIME.
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THIS DOES COME IN THE BACKDROP OF THAT THE CITY IS TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE STREETS THEY HAVE DAY TO DAY.IS THAT THE CASE? WELL, IF, IF YOU, UM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER IN MY COMMENTS, UH, SINCE I'VE BEEN MAYOR, WE HAVE HOUSED 21,000.
SO THAT'S OVER THE LAST SEVEN PLUS YEARS, I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
UM, AND THEN THIS, AND TRYING TO GET THIS NAVIGATION SYSTEM AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR, WHEN DID WE START? FIVE YEARS AGO? MM-HMM
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO CAN REMEMBER, YEP.
THERE WAS A TOWN HALL MEETING, UH, TOWN, NOT TOO CLOSE, HAMMOND, THAT LASTED ABOUT THREE HOURS.
AND THAT WAS OVER A, A YEAR, A YEAR AGO.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT TRYING TO, UH, MAKE SOME STATEMENT FROM THE, UH, NCAA.
THIS IS ABOUT PROVIDING PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR FRIENDS, OUR RELATIVES.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S THE FOCUS.
AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE EVEN AFTER SPORTS EVENTS COME AND GO.
UM, ALLOW ME, 'CAUSE I THINK I WOULD BE REMISS, I DO WANT TROY TAYLOR AS AS CHAIR OF THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS TO AT LEAST SAY SOMETHING.
I CURRENTLY SERVE AS CHAIR OF THE COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF FUTURE PROJECTS AND WE COULDN'T DO IT WITHOUT A MAYOR THAT SUPPORTED IT AND A COUNTY THAT SUPPORTS IT.
SO IT'S BEEN A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
WE HAVE A COLLECTIVE, UH, BOARD THAT'S ENGAGED, BUT NOT JUST ENGAGED.
WE HAVE A TEAM AND SEVERAL OF THOSE TEAM MEMBERS ARE HERE RIGHT NOW STANDING WITH US.
SO IT'S BEEN A PARTNERSHIP AND IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO BE A PARTNERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT HOMELESSNESS IS RARE, BRIEF AND, UM, NOT REOCCURRING.
I, I THANK THIS MAYOR AND I THINK SEVERAL OF HIS STAFF, I'M LOOKING AT THEM RIGHT NOW, JUST, IT'S BEEN A COMMUNITY EFFORT.
AND THIS NAVIGATION CENTER IS THE CULMINATION OF A LOT OF MEETINGS, A LOT OF EFFORT, AND A LOT OF GOODWILL BY NOT JUST CITY AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BUT BUSINESS PARTNERS AS WELL.
WHAT, WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT THAN OTHER, OTHER TEMPORARY SHELTERS OR SERVICES? SURE.
SO THIS ONE, THIS IS, IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S A PERMANENT STRUCTURE.
IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT IS NOT TEMPORARY.
WHEN YOU COME HERE, THERE IS A PROTOCOL.
SO THERE ARE OPERATING FOR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES SO THAT WHEN YOU GET HERE, YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT HOME.
YOU GET FOOD, YOU GET WHATEVER SUPPORT YOU NEED, WHETHER IT'S MENTAL, WHETHER IT'S SUBSTANCE ABUSE, WHATEVER YOU NEED.
AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT DAILY THAT THEY'RE HERE 24 HOURS WITH YOU.
SO THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS ONE DIFFERENT.
WHEN YOU GET HERE, WE'RE NOT JUST TELLING YOU WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO.
WE'RE ASKING YOU WHERE DO YOU HAVE THE MOST SUPPORT AGAIN? SO THAT SUPPORTS THAT HOMELESSNESS BEING RARE, BRIEF, AND NON-REOCCURRING.
SO IF YOU'RE FROM SOUTHWEST HOUSTON OR FROM NORTH HOUSTON, WE'RE LOOKING FOR PERMANENT HOUSING FOR YOU IN THOSE AREAS.
I THINK THOSE QUALITIES MAKE THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION DIFFERENT.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT THIS STRUCTURE, THE COMMUNITY AT HAND AND EVENTS LIKE THIS THAT GET THE WORD OUT, WILL ENCOURAGE OTHERS THAT ARE HOMELESS TO COME AND LOOK FOR PLACES LIKE THIS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S SERVING AS THEIR NAVIGATION TO PERMANENT HOUSING.
AND IT'S NOT THEIR FINAL STOP.
EVERYONE THAT I TALKED TO KNEW THAT THEY WERE, THAT THEY WERE HEADING TO A HOME, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEADING TO A HOME.
AND THEN LEMME JUST DO THIS, UM, HARRIS HEALTH, WAYNE HARRIS CENTER.
I MEAN,
I'M WAYNE YOUNG WITH THE HARRIS CENTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND IDD, UM, AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER SUPPORT SERVICES, UM, TO THE RESIDENTS WHO COME HERE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN A, A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE SYSTEM AND CONTINUUM, TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE TRANSITION FROM HOMELESSNESS INTO HOUSING.
UM, I ECHO THE, THE APPRECIATION FOR THE MAYOR SUPPORT, UM, ATTENTION NOT ONLY TO HOMELESSNESS, BUT CERTAINLY HE'S BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR, UM, IMPROVED AND INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR US IS TO SHARE IN THAT VISION OF HOW DO WE END UP SUPPORTING THESE INDIVIDUALS MOVING ALL THE WAY THROUGH A PROCESS TO WHERE THEY END UP IN THEIR HOME.
AND IN FACT, OUR TEAM AT THIS CENTER ULTIMATELY HANDS OFF TO A SECOND TEAM THAT WILL HELP SUPPORT THESE INDIVIDUALS ONCE THEY ARE HOUSED.
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VERY EASY FOR THEM TO DETERIORATE OR STRUGGLE A LITTLE BIT IN NEW HOUSING.AND SO WE WANNA SUPPORT THOSE INDIVIDUALS NEWLY IN HOUSING, UM, WITH THE SERVICES THEY NEED, WITH THE CARE THAT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL AND DON'T END UP COMING BACK THROUGH A FACILITY LIKE THIS IN THE FUTURE.
BUT WE APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AND THE COMMITMENT TO THOSE THAT WE SERVE.
AND THEN HARMONY HOUSE AND, AND THEY ARE USED TO, UM, UM, WITH THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST.
AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO WILL BE RIGHT HERE AT THE NAVIGATION CENTER, HARMONY HOUSE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALLOWING US TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, THIS ISN'T OUR FIRST RODEO.
WE OPERATED THE TEMPORARY NAVIGATION CENTER OFF TWO 90.
SO WE ARE READY TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICES NECESSARY FOR THIS POPULATION.
REMEMBER, TELL THE COMMUNITY ADVISORY.
HI, MY NAME IS ETTE WILLIAMS. I AM BORN AND RAISED RIGHT HERE IN THE COMMUNITY.
I AM SO HAPPY TO SEE, UH, A PLACE LIKE THE NAVIGATION CENTER COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE PARTNERS THAT CAME INTO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP.
THE NEED THAT WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY IS HOMELESS.
AND I'VE SPOKEN WITH, UH, QUITE A FEW OF THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE HERE, TEMPORARY RESIDENTS.
UH, THEY HAVE BEEN, ONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN PLACED IN APARTMENT ALREADY, AND THEY'RE VERY EXCITED AND THEY'RE HAPPY AND IS, AND THEY'RE MOTIVATED.
BUT I WANT TO SAY I WELCOME THE NAVIGATION CENTER HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK ON THAT NOTE, UM, LET ME JUST, UH, LET ME THANK EVERYONE AGAIN.
LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR COLLAB, THE COLLABORATION.
UH, MARK, LET ME THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, AND CAN'T SAY, UH, SAY ENOUGH, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY FOR THE CLIENTS THEMSELVES THAT, UM, THAT WE ARE HELPING TO STAND UP ON THEIR FEET.
THAT'S, THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING.
SO THANK Y'ALL VERY MUCH AND ENJOY.
IF WILL, IF I COULD ASK YOU ONE QUICK QUESTION ABOUT CRIME STATS BEING DOWN FROM WHERE THEY WERE A YEAR AGO.
OH, I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ADDRESS THAT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS DISTRIBUTING TO THAT? I KNOW ALSO A YEAR AGO FEBRUARY LAUNCHED ONE, SAY HOUSTON, AND WHAT MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE TO YOU? WOULD YOU SAY MORE? IT'S, IT IS A CON IS A WORK IN PROGRESS.
YOU NEVER CLAIM A MISSION ACCOMPLISHED, BUT A YEAR AGO, UH, WE DID, UH, PUT FORTH ONE SAFE HOUSTON.
IT IS VERY COLLABORATIVE IN NATURE.
UM, IT IS, UM, HPD PROVIDING MORE OVERTIME, PUTTING MORE BOOTS ON THE GROUND.
IT'S THE GREATER UTILIZATION OF TECHNOLOGY.
UH, IT IS THE, UH, GUN BUYBACK PROGRAMS INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE HAD.
ANOTHER ONE, AND THAT'S COMING UP AGAIN, THE THIRD ONE ON THIS COMING SATURDAY, ON FEBRUARY OF THE 18TH AT DO SOME PARK.
UM, IT IS, UH, THE REENTRY PROGRAMS, UH, WHERE WE HAVE INVESTED MONEY IN.
IT'S ABOUT THE 28 TO $30 MILLION WE PUT IN CRISIS INTERVENTION, PEOPLE SUFFERING, MENTAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, GETTING PEOPLE WHO ARE HOMELESS OFF THE STREETS AND INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.
UH, THE $10 MILLION THAT WE'VE PUT IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND ABUSE AND HOW WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT.
AND THEN IT'S THE COMMUNITY, THE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY PIECE, THE COMMUNITY MESSENGER PROGRAM, THE COUNCIL MEMBER ASHA JACKSON HAS SPEARHEADED QUITE A BIT.
UM, AND THEN WHAT WE CALL OUR HIGHEST HOUSTON YOUTH PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON THAT POPULATION BETWEEN 16 TO 24.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THAT THE AGE GROUP THAT'S KIND OF DRIVES THOSE CRIME STATS BETWEEN 16 TO 24.
BUT, AND IT'S PROVIDING PAID, UH, UH, INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS FOR THAT POPULATION.
THE GOAL IS TO HOW IS TO PROVIDE, UH, PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, UH, JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, 20,000, UH, HOUSTONIANS PEOPLE IN THAT AGE GROUP.
SO IT IS THE COLLECTIVE EFFORT THAT HAS HELPED TO DRIVE DOWN THOSE, THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, UH, HOUSTON, UH, LED ALL MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREAS IN THE COUNTRY IN CRIME, IN THE VIOLENT CRIME REDUCTION IN 2022.
UH, AND EVEN AS WE START IN 2023, UH, ON HOMICIDES, OUR NUMBERS ARE BELOW 22 AND BELOW 21.
AND SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO DRIVE THOSE THINGS DOWN.
AND NOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS EVEN MORE SO ON NON-VIOLENT CRIMES.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT BURGLARY, RAPE, ASSAULT HOMICIDES, UH, THE NUMBERS ARE, ARE TRENDING DOWN.
AND LASTLY, WHAT COULD YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO SAY IT'S ONLY ONE YEAR, BUT WHAT ABOUT THREE YEARS OR FIVE YEARS AGO? UH, YOU CAN ALWAYS SAY THAT.
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NUMBER ONE, YOU KNOW, I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL THERE'S NOT ONE HOMICIDE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON OR BURGLARY OR ASSAULT.UM, SO IT IS, THAT'S LIKE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHY I'M SAYING IT'S NEVER DONE.
UM, AND YOU DO NEED, YOU NEED PARTNERSHIPS.
WE NEED THE STATE, THE HELP OF THE FEDS, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE GOVERNMENT, UM, MOMS AND DADS AND OTHERS.
BUT WHAT I CAN COMMIT TO THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS THAT, UM, MY OFFICE, WORKING WITH CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, WORKING WITH HPD AND OTHERS, WE'LL DO EVERYTHING WITHIN OUR POWER TO DRIVE DOWN THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT WE NEED EVERYBODY TO PLAY THE ROLE.
AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO PEOPLE INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIND FAULT, JOIN IN.
UM, BECAUSE I CAN'T BE MOM AND DAD.
UM, EVERYBODY HAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
UH, BUT THE CITY OF HOUSTON, WE ARE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN DO IN ORDER TO DRIVE DOWN THOSE NUMBERS.
AND I CERTAINLY WANT TO THANK LAW ENFORCEMENT AND I WANT TO THANK PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, AS WE WORK TO INVEST IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERSERVED AND UNDER RESOURCED FOR DECADES, AS WE WORK TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS INTO PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AS WE WORK TO ADDRESS THE MENTAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS OF PEOPLE, AS WE WORK TO DRIVE DOWN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, THEN THOSE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN.
SO I'M OPT, I'M OPTIMISTIC, I'M OPTIMISTIC.
NEVER WANT NEVER, UH, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
UM, BUT I AM PLEASED WITH THE DIRECTION IN WHICH WE ARE MOVING.
AND THEN LAST, I WILL SAY, A HAPPY HOUSTON IS A SAFE HOUSTON.
SO PEOPLE GOTTA SMILE AND START, YOU KNOW, DON'T LOOK SO FOR THE NEGATIVE.
AND SEE THE, A HAPPY HOUSTON IS A SAFE HOUSTON, AND IT'S HARD TO BURGLARIZE OR KILL SOMEBODY WHEN YOU'RE HAPPY.
OKAY, SO, SO, I'M, I JUST WANT TO BE HAPPY.
OH, OH, SHE WAS TELLING ME THAT I, THAT, THAT I, I'D ANSWERED MY, YOUR QUESTION AND MY TIME WAS UP
ANYTHING ELSE? BUT AGAIN, LET ME, LET ME, LET ME, AND LET ME THANK THE MEDIA.
LET ME, LET ME THANK YOU ALL, UH, FOR COVERING, UH, FOR COVERING THIS STORY.
BECAUSE IF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY.
UH, SO LET ME, LET ME THANK, LET ME THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING HERE AND FOR BEING ATTENTIVE.