Lawrence city commission candidates will participate in a forum this week on housing instability and its connection to violence and trauma.
Housing is a key issue in the 2025 city election in which two Lawrence City Commission seats and three Lawrence school board seats are on the ballot. Learn more about the four city commission candidates at this link; meet the seven school board candidates at this link.
“Housing has become one of the most pressing issues in our city, affecting everyone from students and young professionals to families and seniors,” according to a news release from forum organizers. “As we approach the upcoming election, it’s crucial to understand where our candidates stand on this vital issue. For example, studies reveal much higher rates of sexual abuse among homeless populations compared to the general population, and that sexual violence is both a cause and a consequence of housing instability.”
The forum is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 in the north room of the Dreher Family 4-H Building at the Douglas County Fairgrounds at 21st and Harper streets.
The Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center, Sexual Violence Prevention Work Group of LiveWell Douglas County, Coalition for Collaborative Governance and KU’s Center for Community Health and Development are hosting the forum.
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Zach Newby, prevention education specialist for the care center, will moderate and facilitate the forum.
“The data is clear: housing status is directly linked to the risk of sexual violence,” according to the release. “Sexual assault can cause housing instability, and housing instability can increase a person’s vulnerability to sexual assault.”
Early voting is underway. Find much more election coverage and info on how and when to vote below and at lawrencekstimes.com/election2025.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
More forums we covered
• Coalition for Collaborative Governance:
Lawrence City Commission, school board candidates commit to transparency at forum, Oct. 1 —
Click here for the article; click here for additional written responses from some Lawrence City Commission candidates and click here for additional written responses from some school board candidates
Lawrence City Commission candidate forums:
• Lawrence Branch NAACP, League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County and Women for Kansas:
Lawrence City Commission candidates discuss DEI in city policy, budget issues and more, Oct. 11 —
Click here for the article and audio recording; click here to watch the video
• Former mayors’ forum, part 1:
Candidates for Lawrence City Commission address annexation, homelessness during forum, Sept. 17 —
Click here for the article and audio recording; click here to open the audio recording in YouTube
• Former mayors’ forum, part 2:
Lawrence City Commission candidates address tax breaks, debt financing during forum, Sept. 22 —
Click here for the article and audio recording; click here to open the audio recording in YouTube
• Lawrence Board of Realtors and Lawrence Home Builders Association:
Candidates for Lawrence City Commission offer ideas on housing development at forum, Sept. 24 —
Click here for the article and audio recording; click here to open the audio recording in YouTube
• Speed campaign event:
Voters meet Lawrence City Commission candidates at ‘speed campaign’ event, July 19 —
Click here for the article
School board candidate forums:
• Women for Kansas, League of Women Voters of Lawrence-Douglas County and NAACP:
School board candidates address future of Lawrence Public Schools at forum, Sept. 7 —
Click here for the article; click here to see a video recording by Jerry Jost on YouTube
More resources to learn about the candidates
• Our election coverage: See it all at lawrencekstimes.com/election2025.
• Our YouTube playlist of candidate forums and more can be found at this link.
• Lawrence Chamber of Commerce: The chamber has asked the Lawrence City Commission a series of “business-minded questions.” See their answers on video:
— Part 1: Why they decided to run; barriers to economic growth; skills required of an effective commissioner — watch on YouTube
— Part 2: How they’d improve the development process; Project 2040 — watch on YouTube
— Part 3: City development expectations and final remarks — watch on YouTube
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This post is by the Lawrence Times news team.
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More Election 2025 coverage:
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
