Texans across political lines overwhelmingly perceive homelessness as a growing problem (68%), with strong concerns about encampments near schools and public areas. These concerns reflect a broader shift: voters increasingly link homelessness with public safety and urban disorder, not just poverty or housing costs. This aligns with a national trend—particularly among center-right and independent voters—toward enforcement-based approaches over permissive or purely service-based models.
KEY FINDINGS:
Public Concern Is High and Bipartisan
A strong majority (64%), including 58% of Democrats, are very concerned about encampments near elementary schools. Concern is high even in politically diverse regions, with 72% of all voters saying major cities should be doing more to address homelessness.
Homelessness Seen as a Public Safety Issue
Nearly half of all voters view encampments as a moderate or significant threat to safety, with 81% of GOP voters and over 70% of independents sharing that view.
Behavior Is Changing
52% say they’re very likely to avoid gas stations with aggressive panhandlers. Nearly half would avoid parks or even sending their child to a college near encampments. Public space avoidance is now a mainstream response to street disorder.
Support for Accountability and Enforcement
Texans favor practical solutions that reinforce order. A strong majority support:
- Enhanced drug penalties near shelters (57%)
- Easier eviction of squatters (79%)
- Business tax rebates for security (64%)
- Holding local officials legally accountable for failing to enforce the law (71%)
Homelessness in Texas has visibly increased in urban centers since 2018, especially in cities like Austin, where decriminalization policies briefly took hold before being reversed under public pressure. Governor Greg Abbott has taken a firm stance—deploying state resources to clear dangerous encampments, opposing policies that legalize public camping, and advancing models that tie shelter to services like job training and recovery. This reflects a growing appetite for policies that combine compassion with accountability.
At the federal level, the Trump administration’s HUD emphasized “housing results, not process,” and took steps to discourage the expansion of encampments while encouraging cities to show measurable outcomes. The public support for enforcement reflected in this poll mirrors that policy posture.