Houston Area Women's Center Opens Comprehensive Campus for Survivors of Violence

The Houston Area Women's Center has officially opened One Safe Place Houston, a transformational 5.5-acre campus designed to offer safety, dignity, and wraparound support to survivors of domestic and sexual violence and sex trafficking through comprehensive, trauma-informed services all in one location. This new temporary supportive housing will triple the organization's capacity, ultimately providing safety and support for up to 350 survivors through a phased approach.

The campus represents a bold response to the urgent need for integrated, survivor-centered services in Houston, bringing together mission-driven partners who have thoughtfully shaped every element of the environment to reflect respect, resilience, and renewal. The facility includes 135 supportive housing apartments for survivors and their families, alongside comprehensive on-site services such as behavioral health counseling, legal advocacy, medical forensic care, childcare, a Houston ISD elementary school, community gathering spaces, workforce readiness, and financial literacy programs within a highly secure, thoughtfully designed environment.

GSMA Architects, a Houston-based architecture firm known for its civic and community-centered work, led the design of the campus with a vision that prioritized dignity, safety, and healing. The firm transformed traditional shelter models into a restorative and empowering environment through trauma-informed design principles developed in partnership with survivor advocates and frontline staff. Every apartment, corridor, and shared space was imagined to balance privacy with connectivity while centering the dignity of every survivor.

CORT Furniture Rental partnered with HAWC to furnish the entire campus, ensuring that every residential, counseling, and common area is equipped with high-quality, multi-functional furnishings that meet the needs of residents and staff. The furnishings help create spaces that uplift and support people, making One Safe Place Houston feel like a home rather than just a facility. More information about CORT's services can be found at https://www.cort.com.

This collective investment in Houston's future represents a public commitment to the safety and wellbeing of survivors at a time when intimate partner violence and sexual assault remain deeply rooted public health and safety issues. The creation of One Safe Place Houston demonstrates what's possible when organizations, design experts, community partners, advocates, corporate and civic leaders, and community members come together to build a future where survivors don't have to choose between silence and survival. The project shows how thoughtful architecture and furniture design serve as part of a public health strategy that fosters safety, dignity, and healing for everyone who enters the facility.