KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — Killeen’s plan to build a $3.3 million homeless shelter has hit a pause—but one local realtor says the city doesn’t need to build at all.
Jim Wright, owner of JWC Company, is offering to sell a fully outfitted building on Medical Drive for less than $1 million, claiming it could serve as a turnkey solution to the city’s growing homeless crisis.
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“I called Mayor Nash,” Wright said. “I’ve known her for a long time and said, ‘Hey, did you get them?’ She said, ‘We’re not going to build them, we don’t have the money.’ Then I saw it was back on the agenda.”Wright says his building includes 42 beds, showers, laundry facilities, and even a game room—and that he sent detailed information to city officials last month.
“I could let the public know they’d rather spend $3.3 million than buy a ready-to-go building for under a million,” Wright added. “To have the property sold or leased—that’s my endgame.”
Despite Wright’s enthusiasm, City Councilman Anthony Kendrick says he wasn’t aware of the offer and stresses that any building must meet strict city standards.
“As far as me knowing about this building being for sale to save the city money—I don’t really have total knowledge of that,” Kendrick said.
The council voted Tuesday to pause the shelter project, citing concerns about long-term viability.
“There’s no need to build something if you can’t sustain it,” Kendrick explained. “There’s no good in having a building if you can’t support all the activities that go along with helping the homeless.”
Kendrick also emphasized the importance of code compliance.
“We’d have to ensure the building doesn’t have any code infractions or violations. We don’t want to incur more fees.”
While the debate continues, Kendrick says the urgency of the issue remains.
“Every day I drive and see people who are homeless,” he said. “Hopefully, through everything, we can find a way to get this project going. It’s needed.”
As of now, Mayor Debbie Nash-King has not responded to requests for comment regarding Wright’s proposal.
