Jeremy rests along Congress Street in Downtown Houston on July 22 in an area targeted for increased enforcement of an ordinance effectively banning homeless people from city sidewalks. (Photo by ShaVonne Herndon)
Houston expanded enforcement of its ordinance banning sitting, lying down, or leaving personal belongings on sidewalks in downtown and East Downtown.
The city of Houston launched a pilot program targeting people without housing, expanding its ban on sitting, lying down, or leaving personal belongings on sidewalks to downtown and East Downtown.
The Houston City Council approved the new pilot program in a 14-2 vote on July 16. The expansion means the ordinance will be enforced 24 hours per day in downtown and East Downtown. Enforcement of the ordinance in 10 other areas will continue to take place from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Mayor John Whitmire said the expansion of the ordinance is not aimed at criminalizing homelessness but ensuring a compassionate response to a growing public concern.
“No one is criminalizing the civility ordinance allowing people to be taken off the streets like a crime. They’re being handled compassionately,” Whitmire said during the July 16 meeting.
The city’s strategy pairs enforcement with outreach, working with organizations such as the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County and SEARCH Homeless Services. The organizations help provide transitional housing, case management, and pathways to permanent residences. Before citations are issued, outreach teams offer shelter and support services, according to the city.
Michael Nichols, director of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department, said the expanded enforcement of the ordinance is consistent with the city’s efforts to house unsheltered people.
“It is consistent with the efforts that are being made to move people from the streets into housing,” Nichols said during the council meeting. “The efforts are there every day in multiple ways, moving people into permanent supportive housing from the navigation center and from the street.”
Despite broad support among city council members, not all backed the plan. Councilmember Abbie Kamin was one of two members who voted against expanding the ordinance. She represents District C, which includes portions of Montrose and the Heights.
Kamin expressed concern that the measure might unintentionally harm vulnerable residents. She advocated for a more empathetic strategy, asserting that punitive measures are not the most effective long-term solution.
“We’re creating an ordinance that outlives all of us and can be used in different ways,” Kamin said.
Approximately 3,280 people were experiencing homelessness across Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties during a 2024 Point-in-Time Count by the Coalition for the Homeless. Of that total, about 1,107 individuals were unsheltered, meaning they were living on the streets, in encampments, or in places not meant for habitation.
This count is conducted annually by the Coalition for the Homeless and provides a snapshot of homelessness on a single night in January. The region has seen a 60% drop in homelessness since 2011, according to the coalition.
Kamin attributes that progress to the city’s focus on housing over criminal penalties.
“To say we’re not doing something, or that the model we have isn’t working, is a false narrative. Do we need more? Absolutely,” she said. “Let’s see how much headway we’ve made, how big of a dent we’ve made, and then if we need to add sticks to those carrots, then let’s have that discussion.”
Whitmire said the city needs to take more swift action.
“We’re not waiting for perfection, we’re acting now, because every night someone sleeps on the sidewalk is a failure we can’t afford,” he said.
The mayor also defended the ordinance expansion from criticism that it criminalizes homelessness.
“This is not about punishment, it’s about progress. We’re offering housing, services and dignity before enforcement,” Whitmire said.
City officials did not set an end date for the expanded ordinance enforcement. If deemed successful, the mayor wants to expand 24/7 enforcement of the ordinance to the other 10 zones across Houston, including the Central Business District, Midtown, Old Sixth Ward, Avondale, Hyde Park, Historic Near Northside, Museum District, Montrose, Upper Kirby, Washington Corridor, and Rice Military.
