The framework behind a new countywide policy was adopted by Harris County commissioners that addresses how county officials will handle encampments of unhoused populations in flood-prone areas, requiring 14 days of outreach before closure.
“It always works better when we’re collaborating and treating everyone with dignity and respect,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said at the May 8 court meeting. “Those are human beings down there. God bless them for what took them to those places, but nonetheless they are in harm’s way and we have to have an approach to this. There are flood-prone areas that see fast, frequent [and] dangerous flooding.”
The framework
The policy, dubbed Homelessness on the Bayou, will require at least 14 days of outreach before any encampment closures take place, and will bring in housing and service partners to provide support, not just enforcement, Garcia said.
Officials from various county departments will be involved, including Harris County Flood Control District, law enforcement, outreach teams and partners such as the nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County.
While multiple entities will be involved, Garcia said the policy aligns with state law and is tailored to various site types, including large encampments to what he called "small hot spots."
“It’s about more than just clearing land; it’s about building coordinated, safety-first systems, which provides for a good government approach that is strategic, compassionate and results-driven,” he said. “But this policy is not enough.”
Also of note
An amendment was also added to the motion that makes way for the creation of a system that will allow citizens to have a way of reporting encampment complaints to Harris County officials.
Harris County commissioners directed the county’s information systems staff to update the 311 call system to begin tracking homeless complaints submitted by the public.
Garcia said the information coordination will go to all respective stakeholders involved in the policy including:
- Harris County Sheriff’s Office
- Harris County Deputy and Constables Office
- Harris County Food Control District
- Harris County Housing and Community Development
- Harris County Public Health
- Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County
By the numbers
At the meeting, Garcia updated the public on the action-items that are under review:
- 31 known encampments in the flood control district’s purview
- Six encampments have been cleared
- More than 20 encampments are pending to be addressed
The cost
The work behind the countywide effort will cost Harris County an average of $700,000, Garcia said, which requires at least a month to fully close each encampment, which includes assessing, coordinating and engaging with each site.
Looking forward
Coalition for the Homeless volunteers conducted the 2025 Point-in-Time Count and Survey in January, which counts sheltered and unsheltered individuals on a single night. The results from the 2025 survey are expected to be released this spring, as previously reported in Community Impact.
A status update on how county officials with the new Homelessness on the Bayou policy will have handled its unhoused population encampments will be brought back to commissioners court no later than September.
Cassandra Jenkins and Kevin Vu contributed to this report.
