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Houston natives Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland are partnering with Harris County officials to help build permanent housing units in their hometown, which will directly benefit some of the city’s homeless population!
Judge Lina Hidalgo spoke on the matter during a press conference earlier this week.
While introducing the initiative, she shared that it’s seeking the approval of “$7.2M in American Rescue Plan funding for the Knowles-Rowland House Project.”
Hidalgo noted that the project seeks to “create 31 new permanent supportive housing units for people experiencing homelessness.” She was also sure to discuss some of the successful efforts within the county to help reduce homelessness.
“Harris County and the city of Houston, jointly with the Coalition for the Homeless, have reduced homelessness in the middle of the pandemic by 20 percent, and we’ve been able to hold that reduction. We just did the homeless count again.”
The judge added that, while she’s certainly supportive of the initiative itself, it’s “especially interesting” to see it garner support from Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. Additionally, she pointed out that the artists “have been supportive of the community for a very long time.”
“[With] initiatives like this one, I certainly will be supportive of it no matter whose behind it, but it’s especially interesting, I think, because there are these names of Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, who, of course, have been supportive of the community for a very long time.”
Aside from sharing that the project has support from Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, Lina Hidalgo added that a “bigger initiative” focused on the matter will take place in September.
“It’s actually a project that has the support of Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, and so we’re gonna do a bigger initiative and launch later in September, around the time we know Beyoncé is gonna be in town for her concerts.”
According to her website, Bey is slated to be in H-Town on Sept. 23 and 24.
As fans wait to see what this “launch” will look like, people continue to express gratitude for the initiative.
Pastor and activist Rudy Rasmus — co-founder of Houston’s Bread of Life organization — says he’s “grateful” to see Beyoncé and Kelly step up to help their city, per Chron.
He also pointed out that Beyoncé and Kelly laid the groundwork for the initiative when they — along with Michelle Williams — helped finance a youth center back in 2002.
“This will be our fifth housing development in downtown in Precinct 1 over these last 17 years, and just really grateful to continue to help end homelessness in our county.”
