Beyoncé brought Blue Ivy and Rumi Carter to Houston to help celebrate the opening of the Knowles-Rowland House, giving her daughters a role in a community project with decades of family history.
The singer, 45, joined her mother, Tina Knowles, and former Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland for the Oct. 13 ceremony in the sanctuary of St. John’s Downtown.
The development provides permanent supportive housing for people leaving chronic homelessness. Bread of Life, the nonprofit behind the project, converted a former recreation center into apartments.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis also addressed guests at the invitation-only ceremony.
Blue Ivy and Rumi Join Their Mother for the Ribbon Cutting
Blue Ivy, 14, stood beside Beyoncé in a green jersey, gray jeans and dark heels, holding scissors for the ribbon cutting, PEOPLE reported. Rumi, 9, stood in front of her mother, who wrapped her arms around her.
Rumi wore a black dress, a cardigan with white trim and sneakers. Beyoncé chose a fitted tan dress, while Tina wore a black pantsuit.
The sisters had previously appeared together during Beyoncé’s 2025 Cowboy Carter Tour. Rumi joined her mother during “Protector,” while Blue Ivy performed choreography across several songs.
Beyoncé Recalls Being Baptized at the Church
“This church was our foundation. I was baptized right here,” Beyoncé told attendees, according to Bread of Life. She thanked pastors Rudy and Juanita Rasmus for their prayers and support, saying she still felt the spiritual connection to the church that she remembered from childhood.
Tina recalled bringing her daughters and Rowland to serve meals at the church when they were young. She credited those experiences with helping them understand the importance of supporting their community. “I’m so full because this is full circle,” Tina said.
In 2006, Beyoncé, Solange and Tina partnered with Temenos to support people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. That collaboration helped establish Knowles-Temenos Place, a separate Houston housing development, according to Bread of Life’s history.
Redevelopment Followed Hurricane and Fire Damage
The Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth opened in 1999 with support from Beyoncé, Rowland, Tina and Mathew Knowles. Funding included earnings from Destiny’s Child’s first single, according to the nonprofit’s development history.
The building hosted summer programs for children, activities for older residents and overnight shelter for people without housing. Hurricane Harvey damaged it in 2017, followed by a fire in March 2021. After the fire, it was used to store disaster relief supplies.
Beyoncé and Tina attended the redevelopment celebration on Sept. 22, 2023, when the project carried an estimated $8 million budget. FOX 26 Houston reported that the appearance coincided with Beyoncé’s return for two Renaissance World Tour concerts at NRG Stadium.
Harris County had approved more than $7.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding for the redevelopment. The completed project cost $13.96 million, with financing from public and private partners.
Residents Will Have On-Site Support Around the Clock
The three-story, 18,900-square-foot property at 2019 Crawford Street contains 31 single-room occupancy apartments. Sixteen include accommodations for people with mobility or sensory needs.
Temenos Community Development Corporation, Bread of Life’s sister organization, will have staff on-site 24 hours a day. Services include mental health counseling, substance use treatment, transportation assistance, food access, life skills training and help enrolling in and maintaining benefits.
Camille Chappell, Bread of Life’s vice president of programs and partnerships, told KPRC that residents are referred through the Coalition for the Homeless. The apartments are fully subsidized through federal project-based housing vouchers administered locally by Housing Alliance HTX.
The Midtown location is near METRO light rail, connecting residents with jobs, health care and other services. Bread of Life says residents will begin moving in Nov. 1.