Mr. Shaya Khorsandi Answers Questions About the MOHI

Mr. Shaya Khorsandi is the Community and Special Projects Coordinator of the Mayor's Office for Homeless Initiatives. I asked him a few questions about the MOHI and he took the the time to answer them, so thank you Mr. Khorsandi!

1. What has been the biggest factor in the overall reduction in homelessness of over 50% since 2011?

• "The adoption of the Housing First model towards ending homelessness, along with the serious coordination and realignment of system partners to have the greatest collective impact and move the needle have led to the great reduction of homelessness since 2011. The Housing First model is the approach that focuses on using housing as the first intervention to helping getting individuals off the streets, as people may suffer from several distinct issues in their lives leading to homelessness, whether that is economic issues, mental health issues, physical health issues, substance abuse issues, etc. Yet, it is incredibly difficult for someone who is still living on the streets and are still vulnerable to whatever pressures or issues that are ailing them to get better, but giving them a helping hand in housing and providing supportive services to help them mitigate these issues in their lives."

2. What are specific ways Houston citizens can help homeless individuals and families?

• "Houstonians historically have been gracious and there are many groups throughout Houston trying to serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Unfortunately, sometimes their efforts are misguided as they are duplicating efforts to feed or help those have more shelter. Generally in certain areas, the unsheltered homeless population already have access to food as certain shelters, or non-profits provide meals for these people. I do not want to discourage anyone from buying a meal or giving things to those who are unsheltered, but to move the needle further, it may be better to spend your time and/or donating resources to local non-profits who are already doing the work and know what activities can actually move the needle in lowering the number of people experiencing homelessness on the streets. Some of these great organizations are: The Coalition for the Homeless – Houston/Harris County; SEARCH Homeless Services; The Beacon; The Salvation Army – Greater Houston, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Galveston--Houston, etc."

3. What goals does the mayor’s office have in regard to homelessness?

• "The Mayor’s office is always working to expand the capacity of our system, increase the number housed for those who are experiencing homelessness, and lower the number of people experiencing homelessness. On a more specific level, our CCHP – Covid Community Housing Program, which is a joint City of Houston / Harris County $65 Million initiative to house over 5000 individuals in 2 years began in October of 2020. So far, over 2400 individuals have been served, and last month 9 times more individuals were housed compared to September (the month before CCHP began). Furthermore, we have worked hard to provide Covid testing and now vaccinations for these vulnerable populations who do not have reliable access to transportation to the testing/vaccination sites."

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Learn more: https://www.houstontx.gov/homeless/#:~:text=The%20Mayor's%20Office%20for%20Homeless%20Initiatives%20(MOHI)%20manages%20the%20City,Houston%20Police%20Department%20and%20others.

Contact Mr. Khorsandi: Shaya.Khorsandi@houstontx.gov