Residents in Houston’s East Downtown (EaDo) are voicing opposition to a proposed $16 million homeless services facility planned for 419 Emancipation Avenue.
A press conference and community meeting were held Tuesday evening at Settegast Park Community Center, where residents plan to call for more public input before the project moves forward.
The project, which recently advanced through a City Council committee, would establish a large housing and support center aimed at serving people experiencing chronic homelessness. But nearby residents and business owners say they were not informed about the plan and are raising concerns about transparency, public safety, and the potential impact on property values.
“The last thing we need is these problematic homeless folks wandering around the stadiums during the World Cup,” said Wayne Dolcefino, president of Dolcefino Media, who has been working with residents opposing the project.
Some residents living in the Second Ward believe the project is too expensive and won’t provide the help homeless people need.
“For the amount of money that they’re paying for this property and what we’re getting for it for this one building, 100 beds. There’s no money being dedicated towards helping these people,” said resident Elizabeth Spivey.
Dozens of people packed a room voicing their frustration with the project Tuesday night as Houston’s public safety director Larry Satterwhite and housing director Michael Nichols laid out the plan.
Some people like Ed Pettitt are on board with the project and believe it’s a step towards solving the homeless problem.
“We can’t just take this homeless situation and toss it around like a hot potato," said Pettitt. “We’d rather have a facility that can actually help these folks get into housing, help them access services."
The city council was supposed to vote on the project on Wednesday, but it was delayed until next week.