Texas has a homestead law meaning unlike almost anywhere else, you can even keep your house in bankruptcy. There wasn't a lot of previous rental capacity before either. The gentrification is in every way more humane than Seattle or Sf.
The property I bought was developed after someone died. Granted there was no inheritance because it had accrued 1.4m in backtax, but the previous resident got to live out their home despite poverty. That's the case with most new construction within the city.
The homeless travel here because it's more tolerable to be homeless here than many places.