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Kansas lawmakers want to crack down on homeless crime. Law enforcement says it won’t help
Law enforcement officials say arresting people who are unhoused for minor crimes like trespassing and vandalism will not help reduce homelessness. Experts say it will cost a lot of tax dollars and actually makes homelessness worse.
Kansas lawmakers want to crack down on homeless crime. Law enforcement says it won’t help
Law enforcement officials say arresting people who are unhoused for minor crimes like trespassing and vandalism will not help reduce homelessness. Experts say it will cost a lot of tax dollars and actually makes homelessness worse.
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Lawrence, KS WeatherMORE
Tom Harper/Lawrence Times
Tom Harper: Don’t call it ‘flipping’ – Mike Randolph wants to revive old houses, create good homes (Column)
”Housing is a fundamental need, and Mike Randolph has been helping address that need in Lawrence for many years,” Tom Harper writes in this column.
Mackenzie Clark/Lawrence Times
Inside outreach: Visiting Lawrence camps with the city’s Homeless Response Team
“Hello! Outreach! Anybody here?”
Following Lawrence’s Homeless Response Team members on their visits to camps shed light on the issues both simple and complex that some folks living outside are facing.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence community members call for city to ‘stop the sweep’ of Amtrak camp
Several Lawrence community members, both housed and unhoused, pleaded with city commissioners Tuesday not to close the camp where people are living behind the Amtrak station in East Lawrence.
Lawrence Times file photo
‘We’re not just loading people on a bus,’ Lawrence’s homeless solutions director says
Questions have surfaced about the city’s policy to prioritize Douglas County residents with homelessness services — among them, how does someone without an address prove they live here? Here’s more about the policy, its purpose and how it’s played out over the last few months.
Maya Hodison/Lawrence Times
Event set to provide resources to folks living outside in Lawrence
Nearly two dozen service agencies and organizations will be present at an event Tuesday to provide services to people and pets who are living outside in Lawrence.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
‘Non-resident homeless’ people will be sent to their ‘place of origin’ under Lawrence policy
The City of Lawrence released new details Tuesday about its policy to serve primarily people who are from Douglas County with homelessness resources, and to send others elsewhere.
Lawrence’s emergency shelter spaces will rely on community organizations this winter
The local homeless response team is asking churches and organizations to offer people a warm place to sleep this winter, rather than opening community buildings that have been used in the past.
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
Mother, son to own new zero net energy Habitat for Humanity home in Eudora
A Eudora mother and son are set to become first-time homeowners as they prepare to move into their newly built zero net energy house.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Webinar to share how Lawrence community members, faith groups can help with emergency shelter efforts
Douglas County Emergency Management will host an informal webinar Monday for community members interested in learning about plans for extreme weather emergency shelter.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission agrees to put sales tax increase on ballot, continues discussion of 2025 budget
Lawrence city commissioners decided Tuesday that they will ask Lawrence residents to vote on whether to approve a sales tax increase to fund homelessness programs. Otherwise, much of the 2025 city budget is still up for discussion.
Mackenzie Clark / Lawrence Times
Some Amtrak camp residents not surprised by City of Lawrence plan to vacate area
Some of the people living at the campsite behind the Amtrak station said Friday that they knew the City of Lawrence would likely soon close the camp. “All communities come to an end,” one said.
Mackenzie Clark/Lawrence Times
City of Lawrence to close camp behind Amtrak Station
The City of Lawrence announced Friday that it is closing the camp where people are living behind the Amtrak Station in East Lawrence.
Mackenzie Clark/Lawrence Times
City of Lawrence on latest count of unhoused people: ‘City is focused on knowing each person by name’
In response to the latest point-in-time count of people experiencing homelessness in Douglas County, the City of Lawrence says employees are making individual connections with people, leading to “powerful milestones of impact.”
Annual count shows number of unhoused people up 6 from previous Douglas County record
The latest point-in-time count numbers of people experiencing homelessness in Douglas County show a count just slightly higher than 2020, the previous record year.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence Community Shelter board concerned about 2025 funding; city looking to limit services to locals
Lawrence Community Shelter board members shared concerns Thursday about the shelter’s funding, which could rely upon voters approving a sales tax increase. Meanwhile, the city is working on limiting homelessness services to people who have local ties.
A shelter for families experiencing homelessness is in the works in Lawrence
The City of Lawrence and Douglas County are looking to establish a shelter for families experiencing homelessness, and they’ll be one step closer to that goal if a $750,000 budget request gets approved.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
City budget would hike property taxes, seek to double .05% sales tax to support homelessness solutions
The Lawrence city manager’s proposed budget for 2025 would increase the property tax rate, and it proposes asking voters to double the .05% affordable housing sales tax to support homelessness initiatives. It would also cut some of Parks & Rec’s budget.
Homelessness is rising in Kansas and state lawmakers aren’t doing much to help
A bill in the Kansas Legislature would have provided millions of dollars to build homeless shelters across the state. But lawmakers let the bill stall in committee and left Topeka for the year without taking any meaningful action to address the growing problem.
Lawrence City Commission to hear report on funds for homeless outreach, land development code updates
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will hear a report on how Bert Nash has used city funding for its homeless outreach services. They’ll also hear an update on the land development code rewrite.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
New director opens Lawrence Community Shelter as weather emergency shelter during 100-degree days
As the season’s first heat advisory goes into effect Monday and temps hit 100°, people living outside will be able to seek refuge at the Lawrence Community Shelter. That’s one of many changes under the new director’s watch.
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