For decades, Texas has largely treated homelessness as a local responsibility. Cities operate shelters and fund outreach programs. Counties run jails and public hospitals. Police officers respond to disturbances, while nonprofit organizations provide housing, treatment and other services.
Now, state lawmakers are questioning whether the fragmented system contributes to a costly cycle in which some of the most vulnerable Texans move repeatedly among the streets, emergency rooms, county jails and short-term treatment programs.
The Texas House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs has been directed to study how the state can treat and prevent homelessness before the next legislative session. At a June hearing, lawmakers heard that local governments are already spending billions of dollars responding to people in crisis but often without producing long-term stability…