Houston city officials are moving forward with plans to build a $16 million 'superhub' for the homeless population, but residents are skeptical.
The Houston City Council approved the initiative in October, despite pushback from residents who said the community was not involved in the decision-making process and that they were concerned about their safety.
The superhub has been approved for development at 419 Emancipation Avenue in the city's East Downtown neighborhood near Shell Stadium.
The now-empty warehouse was purchased by an organization called Star of Hope in 1977 and served as a homeless shelter from 2004 to 2017, until the property's current owner, 419 Hope Partners, purchased it in 2017.
The property was then leased by the federal government as a shelter for migrant children until last year.
At a press conference last October, when residents spoke about the issue, Cassie Batson said she was 'irate.'
'We love it here. We have worked hard to invest in the community to clean up the area. We want to live here forever, and this has come as a major shock to me,' Batson added.
Batson added in an interview with local ABC affiliate, KTRK, that she was concerned for her safety after the city council approved the measure.
The new 'superhub' is a part of a broader initiative to end homelessness in the city of Houston. Individuals in the city's homeless population are pictured above speaking with an outreach officer in December, 2024
The empty warehouse, pictured above, operated as a shelter for women and children before it was turned into a facility to house migrant children. It has been empty since last year
Residents attended a city council meeting last fall, pictured above, to voice their concerns. Many stated that they were worried about their safety and accused city officials of a lack of transparency
'I think this is just going to draw more people loitering out on the streets,' she added.
Elizabeth Spivey added that she believed it was a 'misuse of funds' to allocate millions to the initiative.
The negative attention surrounding the superhub generated the attention of Houston-based independent investigative media firm, Dolcefino Media.
'We are fighting for a neighborhood that quite frankly could be ruined if council members vote yes,' Wayne Dolcefino said in a video message.
He also accused Mayor John Whitmire's administration of breaking its promise of transparency to residents of East Downtown.
Scott Singleton, another resident near the superhub location, accused city officials of failing to notify the community before plans were enacted in an interview with local NBC affiliate, Click 2 Houston.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the mayor's office for comment.
The massive building is equipped with 75 rooms, and city officials estimate it can accommodate up to 225 individuals. The photo above is a screenshot from the proposal
The superhub has been dubbed the 'first front door' in the city's action plan to End Street Homelessness.
Independent journalist Wayne Dolcefino said the neighborhood 'could be ruined' by the superhub
The plan was released to the public on October 6, just nine days before the city council voted on whether to purchase the property for $16 million.
The superhub is part of a larger Ramp Up plan scheduled to unfold over three years and cost a whopping $168 million, according to the superhub proposal.
The proposal said $60 million of the funds would come from foundations, and $6 million has already been donated.
In addition to the $16 million purchase price, the city estimates total annual operations will cost between $10 and $14 million.
Funding is intended to come from the city and county general funds, state funding, philanthropy, and corporate donations.
The project's initial timeline projected that the superhub would open in the first quarter of 2026.
The superhub is a part of a broader initiative to end homelessness in the city. A proposal estimates that the total cost of the three-year plan will be $168 million. Homeless encampments in Houston are pictured above in 2017
Houston Mayor John Whitmire has supported the proposal despite pushback. He's pictured above at a media briefing last May
The superhub was initially set to open earlier this year, but has now been pushed back to the summer. Homeless individuals in Houston are pictured above in a photo from January, 2024
The Houston Housing Authority told KTRK that the facility is now set to open around June. The city still has to select a nonprofit to run the program.
Mayor Whitmire has previously promised success and praised the superhub's mission.
The superhub is intended to operate as a 'triage point' where homeless individuals can temporarily stay and connect with resources for healthcare, psychiatric support, substance use programs, and pathways to permanent housing.
The building has 75 rooms and can fit up to four beds per room. The initiative's proposal estimated that around 150 to 225 people could stay in the superhub at a time.
