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Nonprofit coalition leaders provide update on homeless shelter effort
By Ken Fountain KFOUNTAIN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Fort Bend County individuals and families struggling with homelessness will soon have a new location to offer shelter after a coalition of nonprofit organizations begins work on a facility in Rosenberg.
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At its May 23 meeting, Fort Bend Commissioners Court heard from leaders of the coalition, which has been collectively working to address the growing issue in the county for several months.
During the public comments portion of the meeting, Fulshear Mayor Aaron Groff, who also serves as executive director of the nonprofit organization Abigail’s Place, provided an update on the project, which has been in discussion in Commissioners Court for several months.
Commissioner had earlier dedicated some funds from the 2020 American Rescue Plan Act toward the effort.
Groff began by thanking the commissioners for their interest in committing county dollars toward the effort, although a vote on the matter was postponed. The agenda item on which the nonprofit leaders were speaking - which would transfer $5,909,544 in the county’s American Rescue Plan Act funds into a contingency fund toward the project - had previously been pulled from the meeting agenda to be considered at a later date.
“I am thankful that we live in a county that respects the dignity and needs of our residents,” he said.
Groff said the coalitionwhich also includes Attack Poverty!, the George Foundation, Parks Youth Ranch, and the Henderson-Wessendorff Foundation - is under con- tract for the purchase of a 3-acre property in “the heart of Rosenberg.” He said the coalition plans to move forward on developing a housing and family services center at the property.
Groff said the coalition is working to secure additional funding from the state government and other entities to keep the program sustainable once it begins operating. The group is also nearing the point where it will begin “critical hires” to administer the facility once it’s completed.
“We are committed to pro-
