THN got its start in the late 1980s when a small group working on homeless issues around the state joined forces. Frustrated that they had no information about homeless service provision in their own communities, much less on the state level, they decided they needed a statewide organization. The Texas Homeless Network was born.

In 1991, THN was incorporated with funds from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) and the Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC). THN helped the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless carry out its legislatively mandated activities. The small staff of THN spent the mid-1990s traveling around the state helping to establish 36 coalitions with a focus on creating systems to end homelessness.

In 2005, the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless appointed THN as the host agency for the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care (TX BoS CoC). The TX BoS CoC includes 215 counties that cover the areas made up of mid-sized and smaller cities and rural communities. These areas do not have the resources or capacity that larger cities have. THN works with the Local Homeless Coalitions (LHCs) in these areas to assist them with coordinating funding and programs that address homelessness. Being the lead agency for the TX BoS CoC is the larger of THN’s two primary programs. The other is our Statewide Initiatives.