Homelessness & housing
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Lawrence City Commission approves joining program to rehab blighted, abandoned houses
Lawrence city commissioners agreed Tuesday for the city to participate in a program to rehabilitate vacant and blighted homes to create affordable homeownership opportunities.
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Lawrence city commissioners to consider joining abandoned housing pilot program
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider signing on to a pilot program that would aim to convert blighted, abandoned homes into quality affordable housing.
Wulfe Wulfemeyer/Lawrence Times
A Douglas County resident is building the first off-grid, tornado-resistant Earthship
The first tornado-resistant Earthship — an off-grid, self-sustaining home built with recycled material — is landing in Douglas County.
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Douglas County Commission approves pilot for extended-stay housing at Lawrence Community Shelter
Douglas County commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a pilot project that will turn some shipping container shelters at the Lawrence Community Shelter into extended-stay housing.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Lawrence advisory board will review these 12 affordable housing trust fund applications
Lawrence’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board will soon hear presentations from 12 applicants vying for about $3.3 million total from the city’s housing trust fund, which has $700,000 to allocate for 2027.
Cuyler Dunn/Lawrence Times
Douglas County commissioners supportive of extended-stay housing pilot at Lawrence shelter
The Douglas County Commission generally expressed support Wednesday for a plan to convert some tiny homes into extended-stay housing at the Lawrence Community Shelter.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Douglas County Commission to discuss new extended-stay housing for Lawrence Community Shelter
The Douglas County Commission on Wednesday will hear about a plan to convert some shipping container shelters into extended-stay housing at the Lawrence Community Shelter.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission approves sales tax breaks for market-rate apartments on KU’s west campus
Lawrence city commissioners voted 4-1 to approve sales tax breaks for developers to construct The Crossing, a market-rate apartment complex, on KU’s west campus. The request prompted a larger discussion on the city’s economic development policy.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Lawrence community members celebrate opening of Promise Heights housing for families
A new six-unit housing development in central Lawrence will begin welcoming families in early to mid-September, offering lower-barrier housing and case management for people working to regain long-term stability.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Ribbon cutting set for Promise Heights, new housing for families in Lawrence
A local church and nonprofit will soon celebrate the opening of Promise Heights, a new six-family housing community intended to support Lawrence families experiencing housing crises.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Lawrence’s Human Relations Commission to look into whether unhoused people need discrimination protections
Lawrence’s Human Relations Commission met Monday, for the first time since December 2025, and agreed to take steps to understand if local unhoused people face discrimination in social services due to their housing status.
Lawrence’s affordable housing board eyeing sites around the city for development
Lawrence’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board is looking at vacant lots around town that could be good spots to develop more infill housing, including near Oak Hill Cemetery, Fifth and Mississippi streets, and more.
Contributed photo
Upcoming exhibition will share history, culture of unhoused communities in Lawrence
People can view an art wall featuring work from previously and currently unhoused community members in an exhibition called “Unsettled Lawrence” at the Watkins Museum of History.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence workshops to guide first-time homebuyers, advise on renters’ rights
Two free workshops coming up at the Lawrence Public Library will help residents navigate from renting to buying housing.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence community members voice concerns about framing of discussion on homelessness
Dozens of community members gathered Wednesday and many voiced concerns about a discussion hosted by three county and city commissioners and advertised as focusing on a plan to handle homelessness.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
O’Connell Children’s Shelter opens family service center in Douglas County
O’Connell Children’s Shelter hosted a ribbon cutting Tuesday for a family service center, which staff said will offer wraparound services and three beds for kids in crisis.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence city commissioners approve affordable housing incentive policy
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday approved a policy that aims to standardize how the city chooses affordable housing projects to award incentives.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission approves 10-year plan to address housing issues
Lawrence city commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a study and 10-year plan to address housing issues in the city.
Jacob Rice/Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission to consider affordable housing incentive policy, hear proposal from chamber
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider approving a policy on affordable housing incentives, and they’ll discuss a proposal from the chamber of commerce suggesting that city voters directly elect the mayor.
City Commission approves tax breaks for northwest Lawrence apartment complex
Lawrence city commissioners voted 3-1 Tuesday to approve sales tax breaks for a new market-rate, “townhome-style” apartment complex slated for northwest Lawrence.
Jacob Rice / Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission to consider tax breaks for market-rate apartments
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider a request for tax breaks on construction materials to build market-rate apartments in west Lawrence.
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Resources for renters and tenants
Tenant issues and rights:
• Read about the rights Kansas tenants have and issues that could come up before, during and after tenancy from Kansas Legal Services.
• Find more info and connect with Lawrence Tenants.
Evictions:
• Learn about the eviction process from the Kansas Judicial Branch at this link.
• Check out the self-help page on the Douglas County District Court’s website at dgcoks.gov/district-court/self-help for resources and helpful forms.
• Find the Kansas Judicial Branch’s eviction expungement portal online at this link.
City of Lawrence fair housing help:
• Find information about the city’s fair housing civil rights enforcement procedures and a form to initiate a complaint on the city’s website at lawrenceks.org/attorney/fairhousing, or call 785-832-3310.
Rental assistance:
• Apply for help from the Douglas County Housing Stabilization Collaborative via the county’s website at this link.
• Apply for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program, LIEAP, at this link during colder months to help cover home energy costs.
• Find more resources to help with rent and utility payments on the Lawrence Public Library’s website.
News coverage:
• See the latest articles from The Lawrence Times on the following topics: homelessness and housing; renter rights; source of income discrimination; affordable housing; tenant right to counsel
