3NEWS: Texas nonprofits raise concerns over Senate Bill 2623’s potential impact on homelessness services
Texas nonprofits voice concern over SB 2623, fearing impacts on homeless services near schools.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Several bills still awaiting final votes, including Texas Senate Bill 2623 that has many nonprofit raising concerns.
SB 2623 is a proposal that could impact how and where homeless services are offered across the state by regulating how close homeless services can operate near public schools.
According to the Point-In-Time Count, 1,177 individuals are experiencing homelessness in Corpus Christi. This is an 88% increase from the 627 reported in 2023.
President of the Wesley Community Center Melinda Faughn said the nonprofit has provided food pantry services, childcare, and housing assistance to the homeless community in Nueces County for over 80 years.
“Food pantries that feed over 70,000 meals a year at both of our centers and our mother and child home located at our Corpus Christi campus that provides permanent housing for homeless mothers with dependent children,” Faughn said.
Faughn said Senate Bill 2623 aims to prevent homelessness services within 1500 feet of public schools. Both of the centers are located close to schools.
“It doesn’t make very much sense and, and it’s probably not been well thought out on how these lack of services is going to impact the community as a whole,” Faughn said. “We have strong committed nonprofits that just work each and every day to help those that are underserved and to just say, y’all can’t do it anymore…is ridiculous.”
Daniel McGin with the City of Corpus Christi Planning and Community Development said it’s too early to tell how this bill would impact the rezoning if passed.
“We don’t do a whole lot of analysis until the bills kind of become law because of course there are so many we just don’t, wouldn’t have the time to kind of run all the kind of what-if scenarios,” McGin said. “But at first-glance we don’t, we don’t think we have all that many that would be impacted existing so.”
Faughn said she and other nonprofits were unaware of this bill until the Senate passed it last week but they will do everything they can to spread awareness for this bill.
“I think it’s a misstep,” Faughn said. “On the legislature’s part because this the way that it’s being done and it almost appears sometimes and we’ve talked to many, many people about this. It’s kind of being pushed under the radar so that there’s not a whole lot.”
Currently, Senate Bill 2623 is under consideration in the House. If the House passes the bill, it will be sent to Governor Greg Abbott. If signed into law, SB 2623 is scheduled to take effect on September 1, 2025.