Recognizing that he can't do it alone, Houston Mayor John Whitmire has assembled a new team to hopefully "solve and address the homeless issue" in Houston.
"It's not rocket science, it's us coming together" Whitmire said during a news conference, "Everyone that can hear my voice has a role to play. It's a call of action."
A call that is long overdue, with the mayor pointing out that past administration's are no longer, 'the model', and that homelessness in Houston has become a major problem.
"I'm tired of living in the past, and hearing about what Houston's done since 2011" Whitmire noted, "I cannot do it by myself. I ran for mayor to fix things, I'm here to tell you that we can lead the nation, but it won't be easy."
It won't be easy, or cheap, with a start-up cost of $70 million for the first year. They mayor said that $25 million has been raised so far.
The plan calls for rapid rehousing, as well as permanent supportive housing. But the mayor also pointed out that this year's ruling in August from the U.S. Supreme Court, allows cities to insist that people get off of the streets.
The mayor also said it's time to reclaim public spaces like parks, libraries, and sidewalks.