Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland join forces to combat homelessness in Houston

According to the Houston Chronicle, county leaders will use $7.2 million in American Rescue Plan funds to develop housing at the Bread Of Life gymnasium on Crawford Street.

Judge Lina Hidalgo suggested that a major launch is expected in September, just in time for Beyoncé's two Renaissance World Tour dates in her hometown.

“Harris County and the city of Houston, jointly with the coalition for the homeless, have reduced homeless in the middle of the pandemic by 20%, and we’ve been able to hold that reduction,” Hidalgo said in a press conference. “We just did the homeless count again, so it’s initiatives like this one I certainly will be supportive of it no matter whose behind it, but it’s especially interesting, I think, because there are these names of Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland, who, of course, have been supportive of the community for a very long time.”

The Knowles-Rowland House permanent housing will also have case managers, peer specialists, service specialists, and support services such transportation and mental, physical, and behavioural health support. Their project will break ground in October and will total about $8.4 million, including funds from outside groups, such as Rice University.

Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland have consistently given back to their hometown. After Hurricane Harvey upended the city in 2017, Beyoncé returned to Houston alongside Destiny’s Child bandmate Michelle Williams and mom Tina Knowles-Lawson to help serve food to those affected. Over a decade earlier, Rowland teamed up with the Knowles family to found the Survivor Foundation, a charity intended to provide transitional housing for Houston victims of Hurricane Katrina.