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Located in a renovated fraternity house near UTMB's campus, David's House provides 18 residents with something rarely found in traditional homeless services—time to heal, dignity, and genuine community support.
A Different Approach to Transitional Housing
Lee Norton, Executive Director of Galveston Housing Plus, brings 13 years of experience working with unhoused populations in Houston. What struck him most about Galveston was the unconditional love shown by the community and church partners.
The program operates on a housing first model, welcoming people as they are without requiring sobriety or employment as prerequisites. Residents can stay up to two years, paying 30% of their income once employed, with half returned upon graduation to help with future housing deposits or other needs.
Within seven months of opening in March 2024, three residents had successfully transitioned to permanent housing, with another preparing to move. Current residents include three individuals enrolled in school, including one who recently graduated from Galveston College with a culinary arts certificate.
Born from Community Loss
The program emerged from a sobering realization. In 2021, Galveston Central Church staff discovered that every community member who died that year had died from poverty-related causes, substance abuse, or suicide. Michael Gienger, co-pastor at Galveston Central Church and co-founder of Galveston Housing Plus, explained how this prompted action.
Working with community partners and UTMB, they secured funding to purchase and renovate the building. They named it after David McLaurin, a beloved community member who died from preventable gastrointestinal issues after cycling through homelessness and lack of healthcare access.
Creating Family, Building Stability
Each resident receives a private room with new furnishings, a deliberate choice to communicate worth and dignity. The program provides TVs in individual rooms to prevent conflicts over shared spaces, computers for job searching, and internet access for educational pursuits.
Beyond physical amenities, residents access trauma-informed counseling through Family Service Center, case management, and employment support. Local businesses like Arlen's have become crucial partners, with the owner welcoming any resident needing employment.
Residents participate in communal meals, tend a community garden producing cucumbers and tomatoes, and make decisions collectively about house rules like curfew times. A disciplinary committee includes both staff and community partners, ensuring fair representation and shared governance.
Grace Clinic Partnership Rebuilds Trust
Many residents previously avoided healthcare due to negative experiences at emergency departments, often their only option when uninsured. The Grace Clinic, operating Thursday mornings through a partnership between Galveston Central Church, UTMB, and St. Vincent's House, has transformed these relationships.
Gienger emphasized how the clinic flips traditional power dynamics. Healthcare providers enter as guests in a space that belongs to the community, creating a more respectful, effective care environment.
Residents now actively seek healthcare appointments, with some requesting to be taken to medical visits. This shift demonstrates how treating people with dignity transforms health outcomes.
Challenging Misconceptions About Homelessness
The program confronts common stereotypes about homelessness. Half of David's House residents are originally from Galveston, contradicting the myth that all unhoused individuals come from elsewhere. Many residents hold degrees or had successful careers before experiencing housing instability.
One resident worked as an accountant before job loss led to a spiral where full-time rideshare driving barely covered vehicle lease payments. Another resident with children works two jobs, cycling between them to meet child support obligations despite the physical toll.
Norton stressed that trauma, rather than substance abuse, underlies most residents' experiences. The program addresses these root causes while helping residents navigate practical challenges like outdated child support orders or missing identification documents.
Community Impact and Future Vision
David's House has created meaningful change throughout the community. Moody Methodist Church members regularly cook meals with residents. Churches across denominational lines contribute support. Even law enforcement relationships have improved through positive interactions.
By some estimates, Galveston County could save $6 million annually by investing in housing first approaches rather than cycling people through emergency services, jails, and hospitals. Each hospital bed, police intervention, and emergency response represents both human suffering and community resources that could be redirected toward sustainable solutions.
However, challenges remain. The 2024 Point-in-Time count reported only 69 unhoused individuals in Galveston, a number staff consider significantly undercounted. This affects funding eligibility, as federal resources are allocated based on these counts. Galveston Housing Plus maintains a waiting list of over 200 people for just 18 rooms.
Expanding the Safety Net
Austin Taylor, Public Practice Coordinator for UTMB's School of Public and Population Health, sees numerous opportunities for student involvement in supporting the program. Current initiatives include a chess club fostering intergenerational connections and karaoke nights building community. Future opportunities might include:
- Researching the true economic impact of homelessness on Galveston
- Documenting resident stories to combat stigma
- Advocating for improved shade coverage and cooling resources
- Supporting workforce development initiatives
- Analyzing health outcomes through the housing first model
Taylor highlighted how public health students can engage with pressing community issues through partnerships with organizations like Galveston Housing Plus, seeing firsthand how social determinants affect health outcomes.
A Model Worth Replicating
Cities like Abilene, Texas, have achieved "functional zero" homelessness by housing anyone who becomes unhoused within 30 days. David's House demonstrates that similar approaches can work in Galveston, given adequate community support and funding.
The program operates on the principle that everyone deserves dignity, time to heal, and genuine community. As Norton emphasized, the goal is making transitional housing as close to independent living as possible, eliminating the shock many experience when moving from highly regulated programs to autonomous housing.
For those interested in supporting Galveston Housing Plus, the organization welcomes both financial contributions and volunteer involvement as they work to expand their impact.
As one resident noted, the program offers something invaluable: people who believe in them when they're ready to work and change. In a community built on mutual support rather than hierarchy, David's House proves that addressing homelessness requires treating people as neighbors deserving of love, respect, and opportunity to rebuild their lives.
For more information about David's House or to support Galveston Housing Plus, visit GHplus.org.