It Starts with Beds

Source: "¡Que Onda! Magazine".

On October 27, 2025, the Richardson City Council reviewed and discussed the city's housing needs assessment and strategy. In two hours and fifteen minutes, the words "homeless" and "unhoused" were spoken exactly zero times.

The City of Houston shows how it should be done. It's an option that the City of Richardson needs to have on the table if it's serious about doing something about homelessness.

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In an interview with WFAA, "Houston council member [Mario Castillo] reveals new homeless supercenter is first of several to come. 419 Emancipation will provide hundreds of beds and is expected to open at the beginning of 2026."

Houston "City Council approved the purchase of the $16 million property, but it still needs to choose an operator for the facility. There will be beds for up to 320 people who are homeless, a kitchen, and mental health and substance abuse treatment areas. Residents can also receive counseling and assistance in returning to the workforce."

Houston's plan is not permanent housing. It's a transition to that. Castillo says, "We've gotta get folks stabilized and so this facility acts as a way to get them off the street, get them connected to services, get them to the navigation center or other places where they can then transition to that permanent supportive housing and have a much higher rate of success."

Everything Richardson is doing for the unhoused is admirable, but it's not enough. Richardson should acquire a property out of which services can be provided to the homeless, starting with beds. Other services can be made available as well, offered either by the city itself or by non-profits operating out of the city's new building. The beds are essential to meeting RPD's stated desire to "get them off the street that same day." Houston shows the way.

Richardson is beginning to plan a 2026 bond program. We already have two recreation centers, a gymnastics center, a performance hall, and a senior center. We'll soon have a renovated libary and a brand new city hall. It's time we had a homeless resource center.

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"Houston shows the way,
buys one roof to start the change.
Beds bloom into hope."
—h/t ChatGPT