Homeless in Moriches: The Way Home

Prior to changes in its system and its approach, Houston’s homeless services for those in its city and its suburbs were among the worst in the nation.

According to Fryda Ochoa, communications associate with The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, Texas, before their current strategy, there was no coordinated approach.  Nonprofits and other providers were working in silos.  There wasn’t much communication or collaboration. As a consequence, their homeless issues were managed, not addressed.

“By implementing our strategy, focusing on housing first, everyone was brought to the table to find the best ways to work together,” she said. 

HUD provided technical assistance to create a community plan to address homelessness, and the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery Counties (CFTH) was designated as the lead agency for The Way Home, Houston’s homeless response system.

A major change was in the approach to its homeless citizens. Believing that having a safe, stable home was primary and the foundation on which all other assistance should be based, CFTH made housing its No. 1 priority.

As a condition of funding from HUD’s Continuum of Care (COC) program, it conducts an annual count of both sheltered and unsheltered citizens to capture trends in this population’s increasing/decreasing numbers to assess the overall effectiveness of its programs. 

The 2023 count was conducted over three days in January.  It showed a total of 3,270 people experiencing homelessness. Of those 62 percent were sheltered, while 38 percent remained unsheltered.  It followed a year in which COC received $46 million in assistance.

Among the key findings of the report:

A 61 percent decrease in homelessness since 2011 when CFTH began

59,000 people sought information through the CFTH Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

More than 9,300 people were living in a permanent, supportive program through The Way Home

More than 28,000 people had been placed in permanent housing since 2012

A major factor in the program’s success is the financial support provided by HUD. 

In 2024, the region received $59 million, funds the program can rely on; recently a significant increase in funding came, thanks to pandemic relief dollars. 

As a designated lead agency, CFTH is in charge of submitting a joint application to HUD each year.  Funds are then distributed to each organization that applied through CFTH; additional funds may come from outside sources through separate fundraising efforts.

Under CFTH, a collaborative network of over 100 organizations—including homeless service agencies, local governments, public housing authorities, the local Veterans Affairs Office, and other nonprofits and community stakeholders—are linked into a system called The Way Home.

“Our partners work together to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring in our region,” Ochoa said. “When an individual presents as seeking services from any of our partners, they are entered into our database, where they’re able to track services received and whether or not they received a coordinated access assessment—the first step toward housing.”

“Since our funding comes from HUD, we are only able to house those who meet the literal definition of homelessness: someone living in a shelter or in a place not meant for habitation; outside; or in a vehicle or abandoned building. Those couch surfing with friends or in a hotel qualify only if the loss of that option is imminent.  An ancillary pilot program works to address housing and financial needs of those who don’t qualify under The Way Home.”

“The city of Houston, Harris County, and all partners of The Way Home have a strong commitment to making sure everyone in their community has a safe place to call home.  The program continues to build on the momentum generated by the data which show continued success of its efforts.”

And CFTH’s rising reputation as a model for effectively applying a “housing first” philosophy, to fulfill the need for housing and then treat any additional needs once housing is secured, has prompted many elected officials, media outlets, as well as groups from around the country, and the world, to reach out to see what they can learn from CFTH to address homelessness in their communities.