Houston Mayor John Whitmire vows compassionate crackdown on homeless

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Published  December 18, 2024 6:42pm CST
FOX 26 Houston
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Mayor John Whitmire addresses homeless situation

In the cusp of his second year leading the City of Houston, Mayor John Whitmire issued a hard promise to regain control of streets and public spaces from the homeless. FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan spoke one on one with the mayor with details on his campaign.

The Brief

    • Mayor Whitmire commits to a new approach to homelessness in Houston, balancing compassion with firm policies to remove encampments from public spaces.
    • Houston’s new initiative, backed by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, will provide extensive resources, including mental health and addiction treatment, to those affected by homelessness.
    • The policy aims to ensure that Houston’s streets and public spaces are safe and accessible, addressing both the needs of the homeless and the concerns of the general public.

HOUSTON - On the cusp of his second year leading the City of Houston, Mayor John Whitmire has issued a hard promise to regain control of streets and public places from the homeless.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Houston mayor announces plan to address homelessness

"I want to get the homeless out of the public space. It's not fair to them to be living on the street. It's not fair to the public to have to engage them," said Whitmire.

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Empowered by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting municipalities additional authority over public spaces, Houston's new policy will offer the homeless extensive resources while also banning encampments and sleeping in parks and on sidewalks.

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"We will be compassionate, but firm. We are not going to allow people to say no, I don't want to leave the streets. Yes, you are going to leave the streets and we will get you some help. It might be mental health or it could be drug or alcohol treatment. We are in this to win our streets back and our public space and make things safe for the homeless. It's a sin to make people sleep in their own waste and not have anything to turn to, day and night," said Whitmire.

The Source: FOX 26 Political Reporter Greg Groogan spoke with Houston Mayor John Whitmire.