NEWS BRIEFS Area homelessness sees 5.8%spike despite pandemic decline
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Memorial Hermann come to contract agreement
BY CHRISTOPHER GOODWIN
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE COUNT
The Coalition for the Homeless’ annual homelessness count suggests pandemic response efforts may have helped keep the homeless- ness rates down in Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties. A March 16 news release from the coalition reported more than 3,200 people were experiencing homelessness during the January count with about 1,700 in shelters and 1,500 unsheltered. The number of people experiencing home- lessness rose 5.8% from the 2021 count, but the 2022 unsheltered and sheltered numbers both saw a decline from 2020 figures. “We believe that we would’ve seen higher numbers if not for the very successful community COVID[-19] housing program,” said Michael Nichols, president and CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless, during a virtual announcement March 16. “This program as you know is a housing-focused
The number of people experiencing homelessness in the Houston area rose from 2021 to 2022.
*MONTGOMERY COUNTY HOMELESSNESS NUMBERS WERE NOT INCLUDED UNTIL 2017. **2021 DATA IS NOT DIRECTLY COMPARABLE TO OTHER YEARS DUE TO DIFFERENT SURVEY METHODS. 0 2K 4K 6K 8K 10K PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN THE HOUSTON AREA* 2011 8,471 3,223** 2013 2014 2012 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
BY ANDREW CHRISTMAN
Insurance company Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and health care provider Memorial Hermann came to a contract agreement March 11 after previous negotiations failed. According to a news release from Memorial Hermann, in-network access has been restored to patients. “While this was a challenging endeavor, it was critical to us that BCBSTX renewed its commitment to the sustainability of Memorial Hermann, MHMD and our ACO—all integral resources to the health and well-being of the many communities we have proudly served for more than a century,” the news release stated. The announcement follows a March 1 news release that indicated contract negotiations had failed.
SOURCE: COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
pandemic response that will allow our partners to rehouse 14,000 people experiencing homelessness from the fall of 2020 through 2024.” Due to the pandemic, 2021’s count results were difficult to compare to identify trends because of the use of different survey methods, he said, but the coalition has since returned to its prior methods used until 2020. Homeless counts have dropped
during the pandemic from nearly 4,000 in 2020. Overall, the number of people experiencing homeless- ness has declined 64% since 2011, according to coalition data. Announced in July 2020, Phase 2 of the Community COVID Housing Program used American Recovery Plan Act dollars to help house 7,000 more clients and added more support to ensure more long-term successes.
Port expansion plans underway amid increased demand
PORT PRODUCTS
In 2021, Houston’s main imports in the Port of Houston were consumer goods, while exports were less front-facing industries.
BY MICAH BOYD
Recent initiative Project 11 will widen the Houston Ship Channel from 530 feet to 700 feet, allowing ships to navigate the channel safely and efficiently. One of the first steps was completed in 2021, and those widening improvements are expected to finish by 2025. The port is also looking to invest $1.1 billion into more yard space, equipment, 12 ship-to-shore cranes, 19 rubber tire gantry cranes, two more container yards, another wharf, and the redevel- opment of general cargo and breakbulk docks.
The Port of Houston is expanding to maintain the capacity to accommodate overflow from other ports seen during the pandemic, according to Maria Aguirre, director of community relations and events for the Port of Houston. Aguirre gave a presentation on the state of the port at the Cy-Fair Houston Chamber of Commerce general membership luncheon March 22. High- lights included effects from the pandemic and expansion plans.
TOP IMPORTERS • Walmart • Anheuser Busch • IKEA • Steve Silver • Heineken • LG Electronics
TOP EXPORTERS • ExxonMobil • Vinmar Internation • Dow Chemical • Muehistein International • Allenberg Cotton • Montachem International
SOURCE: PORT OF HOUSTON/COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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