Houston Mayor John Whitmire’s administration wants to open a service center that would shelter hundreds of homeless people. It’s an important part of his push to functionally end street homelessness before 2027 — but it faces fierce opposition from some community members.
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Next to a parking lot in Houston’s East Downtown in late August, Houston Police Department officer Sheldon Theragood checked on the housing waitlist for John Pedroza, who had been homeless for about a week at that point.
It’s a typical task for Theragood — not enforcing city ordinances and state laws, but interacting with homeless people across the city. He’s a member of the police department’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOT)…