![\"Each](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/04222026-beds-1000x667.jpg\")
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Dominic Anthony Walsh \/ Houston Public Media<\/p>\n
Each room at 419 Emancipation Avenue contains three beds and a set of lockers.<\/p>\n
On Oct. 11, a man was found dead at the city of Houston’s new residential service center for homeless people in East Downtown. <\/p>\n
A spokesperson for the Houston Fire Department said first responders were dispatched to 419 Emancipation Avenue at 10:17 p.m. for a “possible cardiac arrest, non-responsive.” The man was dead when they arrived. <\/p>\n
The death raises questions about how effectively the center triages and responds to medical issues \u2014 questions the city and facility operator have refused to answer. <\/p>\n
Sign up for the Hello, Houston!<\/a> daily newsletter to get local reports like this delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p>\n A former resident of the facility, who requested anonymity because they feared retaliation from service providers, told Houston Public Media the man was 44-year-old Mark Estelle. The Harris County Medical Examiner’s office listed the time Estelle was declared dead as 10:24 p.m. The primary cause of death was not yet determined. <\/p>\n Houston Public Media’s attempts to reach Estelle’s family were unsuccessful. <\/p>\n A spokesperson for the city’s housing department referred Houston Public Media to the Harris Center, the mental health authority for Harris County operating the facility on a three-year, $39.1 million contract with the city. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Harris Center said the organization is “unable to provide any comment due to state and federal confidentiality laws.”<\/p>\n In a brief phone interview, Houston Housing Department Director Mike Nichols declined to answer specific questions about the incident or ongoing investigation. He expressed confidence in the Harris Center.<\/p>\n “They were chosen because of their expertise \u2014 their expertise in healthcare and in dealing with people who have serious mental health issues,” Nichols said. “I feel very confident in them that they are a healthcare provider, which means that health and safety are their first priorities, and they have excellent protocols. So, I\u2019m very confident in the way they handle these very difficult situations and deal with people who are ill.”<\/p>\n Do you have a story or tip about homelessness to share? Email dominic@houstonpublicmedia.org<\/a> <\/p>\n