Huntsville says new homeless team has housed 22 after Derrick Street reset

Huntsville officials say the city’s new Homeless Services Team has already helped 22 people secure stable housing, a sign that the city is shifting to a more coordinated approach after the South Derrick Street reset.

In the city’s June 2 update, officials described a model built around case management, closer coordination with service providers, and more direct follow-up than the city used before. The point, city leaders said, is to connect people to housing and services instead of relying only on enforcement or one-time outreach.

That matters for residents because Huntsville’s response to unsheltered homelessness affects encampments, public spaces, shelter access, and how quickly people can be linked to longer-term help. It also affects the workload for city departments, police, and local nonprofits that are part of the response.

At the center of the new effort is Charles Morris, the city’s first Homeless Resource Specialist. The city says that role gives Huntsville a more active point of coordination for people who need housing assistance, outreach, or a connection to other services.

Huntsville’s homeless resources page describes the city’s broader system as a coordinated entry process that identifies, assesses, refers, and connects people in crisis to shelter, housing, and assistance. The city also says its Homeless Outreach Initiative is a joint effort involving Community Development, the Huntsville Police Department’s Community Outreach Unit, and community partners.

For now, the key takeaway is that Huntsville is presenting homelessness response as a longer-term service model, not just a cleanup operation. The city says the new team is meant to improve communication, build trust, and create steadier pathways from the street to housing and support. The 22-person figure is the city’s reported count as of the June 2 announcement, not a final answer to homelessness in Huntsville.

Sources

• City of Huntsville: homelessness team announcement
• WAFF: Huntsville homelessness update