Beyoncé, Tina Knowles, and Kelly Rowland gathered in Houston to open the Knowles-Rowland House, a 31-unit permanent supportive housing development for individuals exiting homelessness at St. John’s Downtown Church.
St. John’s Downtown Church Transforms Former Youth Center Into 31 Permanent Supportive Housing Units
The newly completed three-story development at 2019 Crawford St. replaces the former Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth on the site of St. John’s Downtown Church. Bread of Life, the Midtown Houston nonprofit founded in 1992 by pastors Rudy and Juanita Rasmus, led the multi-year redevelopment to address chronic homelessness.
Bread of Life stated that the completed building cost $13.96 million. The property includes 16 apartments specifically designed to accommodate residents with mobility or sensory impairments. All 31 residential units operate with full rental subsidies through a federal housing voucher program.
Data from the Houston Chronicle’s coverage of the February 2026 point-in-time tally shows that the area counted 3,321 homeless individuals, sustaining a steady figure comprising approximately 2,050 sheltered residents alongside 1,270 unsheltered people.
Family Presence and Emotional Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony in Houston
The grand opening brought out multiple generations of the Knowles family, including Tina Knowles and Beyoncé’s daughters, Blue Ivy and Rumi Carter. The mother of the girls sported a khaki wrap-around dress that matched Rowland’s black top and tan pantsuit, as well as Knowles’ black suit.
The Knowles-Rowland House — an $8.4M permanent supportive housing project — is nearing completion and set to open in early 2026. This 31-unit complex (with 16 accessible units) will provide stable homes + essential services like case management, mental health support, substance… https://t.co/fGYFoGdbML pic.twitter.com/7BrvFY5bv8
The gathering drew intense public attention not only for the milestone itself, but for rare family appearances and emotional speeches from the founders and artists. Beyoncé reflected on her childhood ties to the congregation during the ceremony.
This church was our foundation. I was baptized right here. I made the choice on my own to be baptized because I felt the spirit here, and I feel the spirit right now.
Rowland also addressed the crowd through tears, praising the pastors for the legacy they created. Kelly Rowland remarked on the significance of the space and the souls within it, telling the pastors, What a legacy you've built. You both have built.
Rowland also said, I’m grateful to be here, and thank you, thank you to the city of Houston for just being such an anchor for us, for always being able to come back home and being able to give. Describing the inauguration as a full-circle moment, Tina Knowles highlighted the family’s enduring ties to the church and its outreach efforts.
Federal Grants and Multi-Million Dollar Funding Timeline
The project’s financial backing stems from a mix of private philanthropic commitments and public grants assembled over several years. The redevelopment was estimated to cost $8.4 million in 2023. Separately, Harris County committed about $7.2 million in federal pandemic recovery funding toward redevelopment in 2023.
Photo: Baller Alert
The development also received a $500,000 Affordable Housing Program grant awarded by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) through member institution Home Bank. Bread of Life’s sister organization, Temenos Community Development Corporation, will manage on-site tenant support.
Funding Source
Contribution Amount
Role in Development
Redevelopment Estimate
$8.4 million
Initial project estimation
Harris County Commissioners Court
$7.2 million
Federal pandemic recovery grant
FHLB Dallas and Home Bank
$500,000
Affordable Housing Program grant
History of the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth and Subsequent Rebuilding
Over more than two decades, the building functioned as a gymnasium, summer camp, senior community center, and overnight shelter.
Beyonce Kelly Rowland & Tina Knowles Speak & Open the Knowles-Rowland House in Houston
Environmental disasters eventually forced a complete redesign of the property. Rather than abandon the site, community leaders and nonprofit organizers pivoted to permanent supportive housing, with redevelopment beginning in 2023.
Wraparound Support Services and Scheduled Resident Move-Ins
Access to food, case management, mental health counseling, and transportation assistance will be delivered on-site by Temenos Community Development Corporation. Furthermore, the gathering served to unveil plans for the Rudy and Juanita Rasmus Food Distribution Center, which will broaden Bread of Life’s mission of tackling food insecurity and related challenges citywide.
Bread of Life confirmed that the facility’s first residents are officially scheduled to move into the building on November 1, 2026.
