HOUSTON – Houston leaders are working on changes to the city’s civility ordinance as they try to balance compassion and public safety amid the ongoing homelessness crisis downtown.

Mayor John Whitmire says the ordinance is one way to help keep public spaces clean and safe, especially as downtown grows busier with events in places like the Theater District and near the George R. Brown Convention Center.

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“It’s a tool being used by our neighborhoods as we have more residents downtown,” Whitmire said. “But there is no doubt about it, a solution to the homeless conditions is a top priority. It’s one of the reasons I listed to run for office.”

Houston has made some progress moving people off the streets.

Since November 2024, at least 102 people have been connected to housing solutions through outreach efforts at spots like Allen’s Landing, Bayou Place, Chartres Initiative and The Beacon programs.

Still, city officials say there’s a long way to go.

Michael Nichols, Houston’s Housing Director, says homelessness can’t be solved with one single fix.

“Homelessness, as all of you know, is a complex issue that requires multiple tools to help people move off the street,” Nichols said.

The city plans to bring a $5.18 million proposal before City Council in the next two months. The six-part plan aims to help about 1,600 people through housing and shelter placements, mental health and behavioral health services, and administrative support.

Agencies like the Coalition for the Homeless, SEARCH Homeless Services, and Houston Recovery Center have been working alongside law enforcement to connect people to help rather than leave them on the streets.

“It ensures that when unhoused individuals are engaged by law enforcement, they are not only made aware of the ordinance but also prepared with a path to services and housing,” Nichols said.

Tensions Around the Civility Ordinance

Houston’s civility ordinance sets rules about sitting, lying down, or leaving personal belongings in certain public spaces from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Larry Satterwhite, Houston’s Director of Public Safety and Homeland Security, says those rules are meant to keep sidewalks open and safe for everyone.

“There are areas in the city that are really most impacted and communities that are most impacted by that,” Satterwhite said. “And because of that, even during our freeze, we saw people rolled up in less than a blanket on our streets, and we all see it every day if you’re in the City of Houston, certainly in downtown.”

He calls homelessness on the streets a tragic problem that can quickly become life-threatening.

“Right now, they don’t know another life and they are resistant to the things that we are offering because they don’t know that life and there is a lack of trust,” Satterwhite said.

Many are dying on the streets each year, he added.

“Frankly, a lot of people are dying every year on the streets in our city and across the nation due to street homelessness. We really want to correct this.”

City Council is considering expanding the civility ordinance to apply 24 hours a day in downtown and EaDo instead of only during daytime hours. Satterwhite says the goal isn’t simply to move people along or push them into another neighborhood.

Officers working on homelessness issues are specially trained and follow a specific process: first offering services and help, then moving to enforcement only if people refuse. Satterwhite says arrests are rare, and people who violate the ordinance are often diverted to services rather than taken to jail unless they have other charges or warrants.

Since the program began, 21 people have been arrested under the civility ordinance, according to Satterwhite. He said about 200 unsheltered people sleep on Houston streets each night, although the number fluctuates.

“We do have adequate beds available to handle this downtown area,” Nichols said. “We do not have adequate beds to handle the rest of the city.”

He also noted that while many people mean well by bringing food downtown, it sometimes leads to litter and sanitation problems. This would create an even playing field for all involved.

Funding and Future Steps

Houston’s efforts are said to be backed by philanthropic donations and disaster relief money, including $41 million from the Derecho and Beryl funds. Officials are also negotiating for a facility with more beds to help reduce strain on existing shelters.

Satterwhite says the real goal is helping people leave street life behind, not just enforcing laws.

“They can stay there. Everybody is entitled to walk on the public sidewalk as long as they are not interfering with anybody else’s rights, and that’s the whole point of the civility ordinance,” he said. “So, it’s not a ‘you have to move.’ It’s a ‘you can’t do this — you have to get up, you have to pick your stuff up, you can’t do those things.’”,

For now, city officials say the challenge is finding enough funding, beds, and staff to bring lasting change to Houston’s homelessness crisis, while keeping public spaces safe and accessible for everyone.