CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Some people question whether Corpus Christi city leaders are doing enough to help the city's homeless population.
At a City Council meeting in July 2024, City Manager Peter Zanoni discussed several incoming reductions within the 2024-25 fiscal year budget. One of the departments feeling the impact is Planning and Community Development. City employees on the team not only navigate progressive planning for city neighborhoods, housing and rehabilitation programs, but also homeless services.
Within the proposed budget, Zanoni recommended the department eliminate at least three homeless program employee positions. The salaries from those positions total up to more than $280,000 from the city's budget. The team would assist homeless individuals with resources and connect them to designated organizations. The idea was to become a direct source for people in need.
However, Zanoni said that particular job was not entirely successful over the past several years.
“We don't have a facility. The city doesn't have one, so our work is a collaborative alignment of the agencies," Zanoni said. "There’s no direct service. This is one service we don’t have in the city, which is funding for direct service to help homelessness. We don’t have it. I've been here five years and we didn't have it six years ago. I don't think we ever had it.”
Marilena Garza was one of those who spoke during public comment. She began her address to council members reminding them how homeless individuals are normal, everyday people and should be treated as such.
"This is sick. This is people out there," Garza said. "These are veterans, these are mothers, these are daughters."
She claimed the city has millions of dollars that aren’t being used to help the homeless.
“Your proposed budget cuts from $433,804 to $60,828, while over $4.3 million in federal funding remains unspent," Garza said. "You also want to follow up with reducing housing services that has an over five year wait time from $266,685 to $178,245. While also eliminating grass abatement and demolition services from the budget as well."
Zanoni said the city will minimize employees within the homeless program and allow larger organizations like the Salvation Army and other non-profit organizations to step in.
Furthermore, Garza described one encounter she had with a homeless veteran near the Crosstown Expressway that sheds light on the lack of outreach initiatives.
“He had a medical emergency and fallen over and covered in his own feces," Garza detailed. "Had I not been there, he would have stayed like that. He’s still underneath that bridge. The hospital spit him out two days ago.”
In addition to Garza's point to the council, she also explained her thoughts on the city's decision to take away more than $400,000 for grass abatement and over $200,000 for property demolition. She said those eliminations would increase crime within the city, compared to previous years.
"The grass abatement and demolition, that is $60,000 they’re trying to trim from the budget and going to completely eliminate that. Are you trying to make Corpus Christi an entire tent city? When you’ve got tall grass, you have abandoned buildings and you have more homeless people, crime rises, that’s a fact," she said.
She said there are several properties along Furman Avenue near South Staples Street that are dilapidated, with numerous code violations. However, due to the lack of proper housing, several people have set up tents and homes within some properties to stay safe. But those homes aren't really as safe as they seem.
Garza said she fears that fewer housing options for the homeless population, the more they are encouraged to violate trespassing rules and find shelter in areas that are not liveable.
Some City Council members agreed there’s a larger issue at hand when it comes to the city's homeless population.
“District 1, the downtown area, there’s a lot of issues. And so I do think we do have to look at other alternatives," District 1 Councilman Everett Roy said.
“I started discussing this with the [Coastal Bend] Council of Governments Leadership, as using a grant writing position to do some of those efforts, that we have not been able to do," District 5 Councilman Gil Hernandez said.
KRIS 6 News reporter Alexis Scott took to the streets of Corpus Christi and spoke with several individuals who said they've been on the street for several years. Among the necessities many of them urge city leaders to assist with, something simple like getting proper identification has been a challenge for them.
“Identification restoration," Roseann Garcia said. "That’s the biggest thing because once you have your id, you’re somebody. That gives you some meaning and you can start getting the proper resources. It's hard to even get a job without an I.D."
“If they would just come and talk to us on a personal basis and find out what we need, it would help. Many of them have never experienced being homeless. If we have the help and the support, then we can get what needs to be done, done," Timothy Towery said.
Garza said that she will continue fighting for homeless individuals until more resources are provided to them across the city.
“Nobody grows up and says I want to live in a dumpster, I want to be starving on the street. If only there were better options available for them," Garza said.
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