After Years of Success, Houston Sees Spike in Unsheltered Homelessness

Unsheltered homelessness in Houston grew by 16 percent this year, writes Ryan Kushner in Smart Cities Dive, reversing the city’s success in reducing homelessness over the past several years. 

“The proportion of unsheltered people experiencing chronic homelessness — defined most commonly as people with disabilities who have been living on the street for more than a year — increased to 44%, compared with 29% in 2024,” according to data from the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County. CFTH attributes the rise in unsheltered homelessness to a reduction in available shelter beds and the loss of Covid-19 funding.

Previously, the city had reduced homelessness by 16 percent since 2020 through Housing First policies — “a stark contrast to the U.S. as a whole, which recorded record highs in homelessness in 2024.”

According to Kusher, “Houston Mayor John Whitmire has pledged to end street homelessness in the city. In February, Houston launched the Initiative to End Street Homelessness Fund, seeking a $70 million investment from public and private institutions. As of May, the fund remained $40 million short of its goal.”