Texas House Bill 1925/ Senate Bill 987 Fact Sheet

Homelessness in Texas is a serious issue that deserves serious attention. Texas is home to tens of thousands of homeless families and individuals who do not have access to affordable housing or even safe and adequate shelter, and who instead must live outdoors until housing is available to them. Many more Texans face housing instability and are at-risk of homelessness as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent deep freeze, past hurricanes, and other crises. Rather than offer needed solutions, HB 1925 / SB 987 offers a statewide criminal camping ban—an ineffective, harmful, and expensive approach, long-recognized as counter-productive to the goal of getting people off the street and into housing. In addition, HB 1925 / SB 987 robs local governments and law enforcement of their ability to craft targeted solutions that best address their particularized circumstances.