ABC13 toured the 222-bed facility that officials say will include spaces for health, rehabilitation, and social services.
Thursday, May 21, 2026 11:11PM"I'm getting too old. I'm 64 years old," he said.
"I can't live on the ground for the rest of my life. " The sidewalk Felix sleeps on just east of downtown Houston is a glaring illustration of the extremes in our city. It's just down the road from an almost-completed fan festival celebrating what's being called the world's largest sporting event. Within the same half-mile area, the city's new homeless service center is set to open soon at Emancipation Street and Prairie Avenue.
"This is a housing issue, a law enforcement issue, and a mental health issue," Mike Nichols, the city's director of Housing and Community Development, said. CEO Wayne Young took ABC13 on a tour, showing us places for health, rehabilitation, and social services.
"We want to be able to meet as many of their needs as can," Young said. "Because, honestly, in those transitions and people going off somewhere else, you run the risk that they don't come back. "Those who live around the center crowded town hall meetings, saying they're worried it'll bring crime and traffic. This building was previously a women's shelter, then a facility for unaccompanied migrant children.
The City of Houston purchased the building last October for $16 million, which drew criticism because it's about $9 million above its appraised value. Officials say the center will cost $10 to $14 million a year to operate, but their goal is to eventually cover those costs.
"A lot of these individuals, because they are sick, and because they are living on the streets, they're not taking medications. A lot of times they can go into crisis," Chief Larry Satterwhite, the head of Houston Police Public Safety and Homeland Security, said.
"That's when the officers are being called, so now we have officers responding and the community being affected. " Chief Satterwhite said, HPD officers, METRO police, Harris County deputies, and private guards have been assigned to provide security here day and night. "One of the challenges is they have been saying, 'Well, Chief, we just don't have a place to take them.
' We can move them three blocks and say, 'You can't be here,' but then they go down three blocks," he said. "All we were doing was moving the problem and having more of the surrounding communities impacted by that, too. " The biggest hurdle now, officials acknowledge, will be convincing homeless Houstonians like Arbra to come.
The latest report from the nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless shows that during a recent housing surge, about 40% of those approached declined services.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Houston crime: Suspect pleads guilty to killing Houston mechanic over $500 repair days before Christmas 2022One of two men facing murder charges in connection of the death of a Houston mechanic days before Christmas in 2022 has pleaded guilty to the crime, according to court records.
Read more »
ABC13 Weather Watch: Street flooding, severe weather possible as rain continues into morning commuteWe're gearing up for multiple rounds of showers and storms that are expected to move through Southeast Texas now through Memorial Day. Street flooding and severe weather are possible.
Read more »
Manheim Township neighbors react to massive tree down & other storm damageQuick but intense storms passed through Manheim Township, Lancaster County Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction and some massive trees behind.
Read more »
Amazing Washington: Neighbors feeding neighbors through 'Free Pantry'Along an alley in Everett, you’ll find a cabinet. Inside, there’s a notebook filled with tiny testimonies. They make you happy, and they make.
Read more »