Homeless in Texas

Heat-related emergency calls have spiked amid historic heat. Cooling centers are available in major cities but often close in the late afternoon — during the hottest parts of the day. Full Story 

Advocates say emergency communications have not improved much since last year, and people experiencing homelessness were less likely to seek help this year because of new state and local policies targeting them. Full Story 

Gov. Greg Abbott has signaled that he would sign the bill, which does not allow cities to opt out of enforcing a homeless encampment ban. Full Story 

Advocates for people experiencing homelessness drove through Texas' largest cities trying to bring them to the available warming centers and emergency shelters. The official number of casualties is still unknown. Full Story 

Despite changes to the regular count of people experiencing homelessness, support organizations are hoping they’ll still be able to capture a clear picture of who is unhoused in Texas as the pandemic continues. Full Story 

A year and a half after Austin lifted a local ban on camping in public, some city officials are pushing to turn hotels into housing for people experiencing homelessness. Meanwhile, a state-sanctioned encampment in the city is full and can't accept new residents. Full Story 

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs is proposing that people with certain criminal convictions be temporarily or permanently blocked from living in tax-supported developments that provide support services. Full Story 

The Texas Department of Transportation will begin lease negotiations with ATX Helps, which plans to construct a large shelter on the southeast Austin property where more than 100 people reside. Some camp residents say they're concerned about the proposed changes. Full Story 

Abbott has long opposed extending state-funded health coverage to 1.5 million Texans under the Affordable Care Act. But a spokesman for the governor did not rule out a possible coverage expansion under a new Trump administration block grant policy. Full Story 

As the governor latches on to violent incidents to criticize Austin city leaders, people experiencing homelessness say he's painting them with too broad of a brush. Full Story 

Hundreds of people walked the streets of Dallas on Thursday to count how many homeless residents live in the area. Similar counts are planned in other cities this month. The results will be key to finding solutions for vulnerable Texans. Full Story 

"Resettlement funding cannot simply be reallocated to other problem areas such as homelessness," said the CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. Full Story 

The Texas governor said DPS will place additional patrols within two blocks of state buildings downtown and around the University of Texas. Full Story 

A fatal stabbing near downtown Austin on Friday has reignited a social media squabble between Abbott and Austin leaders over the city's decision to overhaul its homeless policies. Full Story 

Homeless Texans in the state's less populated areas are harder for people to find and help. But the number of people experiencing homelessness outside of Texas' urban centers has increased 33% in recent years. Full Story 

Elected officials have bickered over how to respond to Texans experiencing homelessness, and President Donald Trump tapped a man who founded a San Antonio shelter to coordinate the federal government's approach. Meanwhile, homeless Texans say they're often misunderstood. Full Story 

Gov. Greg Abbott has focused attention on homeless Austin residents. But many more Texans are homeless in other parts of the state. Full Story 

Robert Marbut Jr. helped develop the Haven for Hope homeless shelter in San Antonio, which Gov. Greg Abbott praised as "probably the best template" for addressing homelessness. But aspects of Marbut's approach have been criticized as harsh and patronizing. Full Story 

Texas officials have waged a social media war over how best to approach homelessness. Experts say one way Texans can help is to reach out to local organizations and see what they need. Full Story 

Gov. Greg Abbott announced a five-acre plot of land for homeless camping in Austin after he took action to clear people living under state overpasses. Full Story 

TxDOT began removing property and debris from under Austin's highways as the number of places Austin ordinances let homeless people camp dwindles. Full Story 

In this edition of Tenth Talks, The Texas Tribune's yearlong video series on the next 10 years of Texas, top leaders in housing, homelessness and transportation give Texas cities a decade's worth of marching orders. Full Story 

Homeless residents in the state's capital took varied paths to end up without shelter. And some who have found homes still return to homeless encampments to check in on friends. Full Story 

The governor's decision to force homeless people from under state overpasses drew the ire of city leaders and homelessness experts, who criticized Abbott's "fear-based approach." Full Story 

The Texas Department of Transportation began posting notices Tuesday letting homeless Austin residents know they must leave encampments under state overpasses by early next week. Full Story 

The governor has vowed to use state resources to clear Austin's homeless residents from public spaces since city officials began changing local ordinances dictating where people can and can't camp. Full Story 

Governments respond to problems as policymakers see them. And sometimes — homelessness appears to be a case — the solutions only address what's visible to politicians and their voters. Full Story 

Abbott’s office lamented reports of “violence, used needles, and feces littering the streets of Austin and endangering Texas residents.” Full Story 

The Texas governor's comments came amid controversial changes to Austin's ordinances, which many said criminalized homelessness. While San Antonio officials say they've reduced the visibility of people experiencing homelessness downtown, their overall numbers remain stagnant. Full Story 

Although the view on the streets might tell a different story, Houston decreased its homeless population by 54% since 2011, according to an annual census. In Dallas, the trend is the opposite — and housing affordability might make the problem even worse. Full Story