84R15218 BK-D
By: Naishtat H.R. No. 1610
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Each year, hundreds of thousands of American
families and individuals face homelessness or the prospect of
losing their homes; and
WHEREAS, A homeless person is generally defined as an
individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime
residence, or whose primary nighttime residence is a public or
private place not designed for regular sleeping accommodation; and
WHEREAS, While it is impossible to measure the rate of
homelessness with perfect accuracy, the Texas Homeless Network
estimates that close to 60,000 Texans experience homelessness on
any given day and that more than 2,200 of these people are youths;
and
WHEREAS, A significant number of these Texans defy the
commonly held stereotype of the homeless; according to a 2013
point-in-time count, families represent 30 percent of the state's
homeless population, and 2.4 percent of the homeless are
unaccompanied minors; children who lack safe and permanent housing
often suffer from health and emotional problems as well as impeded
academic progress, with fewer than one in four graduating from high
school; and
WHEREAS, The State of Texas is home to a great number of
charities, government agencies, businesses, and advocacy groups
that are committed to serving homeless populations and developing
solutions to prevent and reduce homelessness in our communities;
and
WHEREAS, To that end, advocates from across the state are
gathering in Austin on April 2, 2015, to observe Homelessness
Awareness Day at the State Capitol; this occasion presents an
opportunity to promote greater understanding of issues facing
homeless individuals and to foster solidarity in statewide
endeavors to end homelessness, a problem with implications for the
future of our society that cannot be overstated; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize April 2, 2015, as Homelessness
Awareness Day and commend all those endeavoring to aid the homeless
for their important work.