Advocacy is essential to protecting homelessness solutions in Texas
Last year, a piece of proposed legislation could have shut down homelessness service providers across Texas, including organizations that have served their communities for decades. Authored by then Senator Brandon Creighton, Texas Senate Bill 2623 proposed creating “school safety zones” that would have prohibited homeless service providers from operating within 1.5 miles of schools, parks and other broadly defined areas.
Advocates warned the bill would have had sweeping, unintended consequences, by placing restrictions that many providers said would have forced them to close or relocate.
For Texas Homeless Network advocates Ellen Magnis, President & CEO of Family Gateway, and Janet Collinsworth, Founder & CEO of Agape Resource & Assistance Center, Inc. and Jericho Village, LLC., that moment made one thing clear: advocacy isn’t optional. It’s essential.
“It is important if we’re going to lead agencies to not be afraid to go into that war field for what we believe in,” Collinsworth said.
A unified voice, at the right time
Through Texas Homeless Network’s advocacy efforts, providers from across the state were able to quickly mobilize, share information and take action. For some, it meant testifying. For others, it meant reaching out to elected officials, submitting comments or helping spread awareness across their networks.
“It’s really important for our elected officials to hear the same message over and over again,” Magnis said.
That coordination mattered.
Together, advocates helped stop bills that would have significantly limited where and how homelessness services could operate, policies that could have disrupted care for families, veterans and individuals across Texas, including those served by Collinsworth and Magnis’ organizations.
“It was clear these bills would have shut us down,” Magnis said. “There were only a few of us [homeless organization leaders] really paying attention. And so in addition to what THN is trying to do statewide, we have to get organized locally.”
Advocacy makes systems work
Behind every housing program or service is a broader system, one that depends on policy decisions, funding and coordination.
Texas Homeless Network’s advocacy work helps strengthen that system by:
- Supporting data-driven, coordinated homelessness response across the state
- Advancing policies that support people most impacted by housing instability
- Educating policymakers on real-world impacts — and flagging legislation that could cause harm
- Developing policy stances and advocacy tools, including sample press releases, to help communities and partners speak with a strong, unified voice at the local, state and federal level
Without that advocacy, effective local programs can be at risk.
Making advocacy accessible
For many providers, advocacy can feel intimidating, especially for those new to the process.
Both Collinsworth and Magnis emphasized how critical it was to have guidance, tools and support to navigate the legislative process, from understanding how to testify to knowing who to contact and what to say.
“I had no idea what to do,” Collinsworth said. “But THN showed us step by step. That made all the difference.”
That support helps ensure more voices, especially those closest to the work, can be part of shaping solutions.
Why it matters
Advocacy isn’t just about shaping policy. It’s about protecting the systems that help people stay housed and ensuring those systems reflect the realities communities are facing every day.
“You can either be at the table or on the table,” Collinsworth said, recalling what a representative told her. “And for us, there was no choice.”
Through collective action, shared knowledge and a unified message, advocates across Texas are helping ensure homelessness solutions remain effective, responsive and rooted in real experience.