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Today’s newsletter is 952 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Local officials and philanthropic leaders unveiled a $48 million initiative yesterday aimed at getting people out of homelessness faster across the Houston region.

Why it matters: Houston has been lauded nationally for reducing homelessness, but the city still has work to do, prompting local leaders to launch the three-year initiative called Pathways to Independence.

Driving the news: Pathways to Independence has raised $34 million of its $48 million goal from local philanthropies, according to the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, which is leading the effort.

• The goal is to end street homelessness and resolve new instances of homelessness within 90 days.
• Organizers ultimately hope to secure public funding to sustain the effort beyond three years.

How it works: The initiative will provide short-term assistance to people who don't qualify for long-term supportive housing and better coordinate housing, behavioral health, health care and other services.

What they're saying: "Not everyone requires — or can qualify for — permanent housing programs to resolve their homelessness," coalition president and CEO Kelly Young said in a statement. "P2I is designed for people our existing resources cannot currently reach quickly or effectively."

• "The homeless population is one of our highest priorities," Mayor John Whitmire said yesterday in City Council. "We still have so much work to do with the homeless population to get those individuals into the care and facilities they need, but also to protect our neighborhoods from individuals that need to be somewhere else."

By the numbers: The annual 2026 count in Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties found 3,321 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in February, virtually unchanged from 3,325 last year.

The big picture: The initiative is the latest effort to address homelessness in Houston.

• Houston's "housing first" approach with The Way Home has housed more than 38,000 people.
• This summer, the city opened 419 Emancipation, where people can temporarily stay while receiving treatment for behavioral health and substance use and other services.
• The city also received a $12 million federal grant this month to establish a medical respite center for unhoused people with medical, mental health and substance-use needs.

Texas Republican Senate nominee Ken Paxton privately lamented the impact of the Iran war and gas prices on his campaign in a meeting last month, telling a group of donors and lobbyists, "I don't make the decisions," according to audio obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: It's a candid admission from a close Trump ally about the challenging environment Republicans face this cycle.

• Paxton, the Texas attorney general, was speaking to donors and lobbyists at a closed-door fundraiser in Washington, D.C. The audio was provided to Axios by a person, granted anonymity because it was a private event, who was in the meeting and is opposed to Paxton.

Driving the news: Asked by one attendee what issues are "dragging" on his campaign, Paxton responded, "It's not tariffs. ... It's the war, it's gas prices, it's diesel," according to an audio file obtained by Axios.

• "When it's over $6 per gallon for diesel ... people are feeling the pinch," he continued, adding that the rising cost of fuel "drives up food prices and everything else."
• The Republican candidate said affordability is "by far our biggest problem" and "why we're having a hard time with numbers."

What they're saying: "This is a non-story. The Attorney General said what every Texan already knows: gas and diesel prices are too high, and hardworking Texans are struggling at the pump and at the grocery store," a Paxton campaign official told Axios.

Read the rest and listen to the audio

🎒 Houston ISD enrollment fell by nearly 10,000, according to superintendent Mike Miles — more than double the district's projection. (Houston Public Media)

❌ The I-10 Katy Freeway-Downtown HOV Connector is closing Friday evening and is expected to open in 2028. (KHOU)

🧾 Mayor John Whitmire said the city withdrew its application for a $148 million federal public safety grant, saying it was submitted without approval from City Council. (ABC13)

The Emancipation Park Conservancy has completed renovations to the historic Cultural Center at Emancipation Park in Third Ward.

Why it matters: The upgrades give the historic community park more space for arts, education and gatherings.

The big picture: The Cultural Center, originally built about 90 years ago, now features new technologies, like digital storytelling capabilities and audio-visual upgrades, as well as a gift shop.

• The renovations are designed to expand the conservancy's cultural and educational programming and provide more space for community resources and events.

What they're saying: "The completion of the Cultural Center will create even more opportunities for people to learn, gather, and experience arts and culture," EPC president and CEO Corey Wilson said in a statement.

Zoom out: The Cultural Center renovations are part of an $18.5 million investment in the park that also includes the Jacqueline W. Bostic Stage, a new performance stage unveiled during this year's Juneteenth celebration.

A big thank you to everyone who joined us in the Heights Tuesday evening for our first-ever Axios Social Club.

• Social Club is our experiment in helping readers connect not just with Axios journalism, but with each other and the city they call home.

As life becomes increasingly digital, we think good old-fashioned human connection is only becoming more valuable.

• We hope you had a fun time and made some new connections.

Thanks to Bob Gee for editing this newsletter.

🎃 Shafaq is queuing up Halloween movies.