The only option for folks to seek shelter from the cold this winter will be the Lawrence Community Shelter, the City of Lawrence has announced.
The city and local churches have opened additional shelters during recent years to ensure that anyone in need of a warm place to go will have one. That will not happen this year, according to the city.
Instead, “All emergency winter sheltering is centralized at LCS for safety and service coordination,” the city announced Tuesday.
The city’s Community Building downtown and recreation centers will no longer be available as warming centers this winter, either, as the city has implemented access fees to use the centers. (Read more about that at this link.)
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This will be the first winter since the city in May implemented a residency policy that restricts homelessness services, including stays at the emergency shelter, to people who can prove they are residents of Lawrence or Douglas County.
Misty Bosch-Hastings, director of the city’s homeless solutions division, said via email Tuesday that the residency policy will still apply during winter shelter.
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But “That said, when we’re dealing with life-threatening temperatures, the priority is keeping people safe,” she said. “In those situations, individuals may be sheltered for the duration of the weather event even if they cannot immediately verify Douglas County residency.
“Any extended stay beyond the emergency period will still require verification, but no one is going to be turned away into dangerous conditions while we sort that out,” Bosch-Hastings continued.
Accepted documentation to verify residency will include utility bills showing a Douglas County address, or a lease or rental agreement.
“Residents of Lawrence/Douglas County experiencing homelessness and seeking services who are unable to provide traditional forms of documentation to verify residency in the city of Lawrence may request assistance through the Homeless Solutions Division,” according to the May 2025 policy update.
Get help
People who need a warm place to go this winter can head to the Lawrence Community Shelter, 3655 E. 25th St. Nightly check-in is between 7 and 10 p.m.
This year, LCS has capacity for up to 223 people each night. That includes 125 beds inside the main shelter building, and 48 beds among 24 Pallet shelters, or cabin-like shelters constructed this year behind the main building. That area is called Pallet 24; read more about it at this link.
LCS also has 50 beds at the Village, the longer-term option on North Michigan Street for folks who are working to find housing.
“Individuals who stay overnight at the Lawrence Community Shelter may also remain on-site during the day when no other safe indoor option is available or when weather conditions remain dangerous,” the city’s sheltering website states.
People may enter LCS if they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs as long as they don’t pose a danger to themself or others, according to the website.
“All guests are expected to follow shelter rules and behavioral guidelines to help maintain a safe and supportive environment for everyone,” according to the website.
Read more about expectations at this link.
Getting there:
The shelter is accessible by Lawrence Transit Routes 1 and 5, which will operate as long as road conditions are safe. See lawrencetransit.org for more information and help planning a ride to LCS.
Transit buses are free to ride, and they run from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Outside of regular bus hours, Lawrence Transit On Demand service is available. Its hours are 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. as well as midnight to 6 a.m. on Sundays.
People can download the Lawrence Transit On Demand app on Google Play and the App Store to book a trip, or call 785-312-7054 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday to make reservations.
There will be a $3 fare for on-demand rides, but not until March 2026, so the service will still be fare-free for riders through the worst of winter weather.
Pets:
LCS will allow each guest to bring one pet with them, Executive Director James Chiselom said Tuesday. That applies to the main building and Pallet 24.
Pets will require a kennel or muzzle depending upon shelter placement, according to the website.
If people who have more than one pet need to seek shelter and want to ensure their animals are safe, the Lawrence Humane Society can help.
If people who need to bring in their pets in order to seek sheltering can call LHS at 785-843-6835 to give a heads up, that’s ideal, but if that’s not possible, people can show up from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Pet Resource Center, according to Elina Alterman, a spokesperson for Lawrence Humane. That’s the lime green side of the humane society building at 1805 E. 19th St.
Learn more about how it all works in this January 2024 article.
Alterman said LHS would appreciate donations of sizes L, XL, XXL and XXXL coats and sweaters for dogs “so that our social worker and outreach team can get them to folks before the cold truly sets in!”
More info:
Call 785-832-8864 or email lcshrt@lawrenceshelter.org for more information about winter shelter options.
Learn about volunteering at LCS at this link. See a list of the shelter’s current donation needs at this link.
Read more about the Lawrence Community Shelter in our articles at this link.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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