Understanding the Problem 

Homelessness is a global epidemic that affects communities all over the world. It is characterized as lacking stable, safe, and adequate housing that can include individuals who live on the streets, move between temporary shelters, or have no permanent residence. A number of causes affect homelessness, from a lack of affordable housing to physical and mental healthcare costs. There is no “one size fits all” reason for how or why someone may be experiencing homelessness, which makes it a complex issue to solve, despite touching us all.

How We’re Helping – Partnering and Doubling Down on Prevention 

Over the past 10 years, the City of Beaumont has invested more than 1.2 million dollars into local organizations that work to prevent and provide services to help address the homeless problem

Through various funding sources (including CDBG and ESG at a state and federal level), the City of Beaumont supports and partners with local organizations that work to prevent homelessness, provide services for those at risk of becoming homeless, and/or provide tenant-based rental assistance programs.

We also support agencies who work with people experiencing transitional, temporary, or episodic homelessness to provide temporary or transitional shelter, ideally on the path to permanent housing, and organizations that provide supportive services for those experiencing chronic homelessness, including case management, to assess individual needs, along with facilities that address special needs populations. Family Services of Southeast Texas, Girls Haven, Inc., the HOW Center, and Land Manor Inc. each provides housing for a special population that would otherwise be homeless.

Featured Organizations:  

Some Other Place - Established in 1968 by the Beaumont religious community to address the unfulfilled emergency needs of community members experiencing poverty, those needing assistance were often told to go to "some other place." Today, Some Other Place (SOP) operates a day shelter that provides food, clothing, bus passes, and laundry facilities for the unhoused. Many homeless persons use SOP as their address of record to receive checks and mail. The City also contracts with SOP to administer their Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program.

Henry's Place - An extension of Some Other Place, Henry's Place grew out of a need to provide day shelter and services to chronically homeless persons. Some Other Place / Henry's Place provides services and items such as bus passes, shower facilities, laundry facilities, food, hot meals, clothing, and rental/utility assistance, along with case management.

Salvation Army - The only overnight shelter in Beaumont is operated by the Salvation Army. In 2022, they opened a newly renovated and expanded "Home Sweet Home." The two-house complex provides shelter free of charge and can house 25-30 individuals. CDBG funds were used to assist the completion of the project, and in the upcoming year, they will use HUD funds for the purchase of a walk-in freezer that will be used to store food used for meals served at the shelter and the Boys and Girls Club programs.

How You Can Get Involved – Join a Community Meeting

The Mayor’s Homeless Coalition hosts monthly meetings that are open to the public and a chance for the community to get together, hear from activists, organizations, and other speakers and discuss solutions. They collaborate with the greater Texas Homeless Network on best practices for collecting and analyzing data, maximizing resources, and tailoring activities to the local needs.

The Homeless Coalition meets the first Thursday every month at 2 pm rotating between the Lakeside Center and the Event Centre. Check the calendar for the next meeting.

There are additional meetings organized by Southeast Texas Coalition for the Homeless Program (SETCH) that meets the third Thursday every month at the Southeast Texas Regional Planning Commissioner’s Office and the Warriors for Christ of SETX Homeless Coalition that meets every third Saturday at One City Church.

Resources

Pocket Pal Services for the Homeless – Addresses, Phone Numbers and Information for Every Organization Providing Services in Southeast Texas in One Handy, Printable PDF

HUD Combined Homeless Counts – The 2022 demographic data of the sheltered and unsheltered population in Beaumont

House America Initiative - A federal program Beaumont is participating in in conjunction with HUD, House America is an action plan to address the crisis of homelessness

Texas Resources – Links for services if you’re at risk of losing your home, food banks, legal assistance, help hotlines and other information