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Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
‘We’re regressing’: Douglas County commissioners again bump tenant right to counsel program to back burner
Although Douglas County has expressed commitment to tenant right to counsel and has engaged in implementation discussions for months, a majority of county commissioners Wednesday opted instead to have county staff do more research on mediation.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
‘We’re regressing’: Douglas County commissioners again bump tenant right to counsel program to back burner
Although Douglas County has expressed commitment to tenant right to counsel and has engaged in implementation discussions for months, a majority of county commissioners Wednesday opted instead to have county staff do more research on mediation.
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Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence city commissioners open to changes to balance power between tenants, landlords
Experiences of local tenants prompted Lawrence city commissioners to pursue creation of a tenant bill of rights, and to explore what it would take to ensure tenants can have legal counsel.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission opts for compromise on increased occupancy limits
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday voted to change occupancy limits to allow a maximum of four unrelated adults per household in the least dense areas of town, and a maximum of five in the rest of town.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Lawrence neighborhoods call for city commission to lower home occupancy limits
Some Lawrence neighborhoods are pushing back against plans to increase home occupancy limits to 5 unrelated adults, worried about increasing numbers of student rentals. But some advocates say the move will make housing more accessible to nontraditional families.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence City Commission to consider altering occupancy limits weeks before development code set to take effect
The Lawrence City Commission will soon consider a major change to the new land development code that could hinder the code’s intended goal of helping people find and afford housing, weeks before it’s set to go into effect.
A Kansas tax credit can help build thousands of affordable homes. Lawmakers want to cut it
Critics of the affordable housing tax credit argue it is costing Kansas too much. Supporters say it’s helping construct new homes amid a housing shortage that’s driving up costs of homes and contributing to homelessness.
City Commission approves contract with Lawrence Community Shelter, including goals to decrease future funding
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday approved a $3.5 million agreement with the Lawrence Community Shelter, with the understanding that LCS is expected to decrease its dependence on city funding.
Kansas has a housing shortage. One legislator is suggesting prison labor as a solution
A new bill in Topeka proposes legalizing the use of prison labor to address housing shortages while also providing inmates with job training, a proponent says.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
City Commission to consider $3.5M agreement with Lawrence Community Shelter
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday will consider approving a $3.5 million contract with the Lawrence Community Shelter. The agreement includes some big changes to services and goals.
With extreme cold looming, Lawrence’s Homeless Resource Center seeking help
Lawrence’s Homeless Resource Center is calling for some extra help from the community as snow is on the way and extreme cold is expected to stick around all week.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence’s unofficial point-in-time count numbers show more folks seeking shelter
Unofficial numbers released Thursday showed that more people experiencing homelessness in Douglas County were seeking shelter on the day of an annual count than last year, and fewer were unsheltered.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Amid illness and short staffing, City of Lawrence seeks volunteers for winter shelter
Cold temperatures and the possibility of snow are in the forecast in the coming days, and the city is seeking volunteers to open an extra shelter space to ensure folks have a warm place to sleep.
City drops discrimination lawsuit against west Lawrence apartment complex
The city has dismissed a lawsuit against a Lawrence apartment complex accused of refusing to rent to a woman who receives housing vouchers, though ultimately the woman was not able to move in.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Single-family home construction in Lawrence continues to decline as home prices rise
Construction of single-family homes in Lawrence continued to decline in 2024, reaching a new low with only 57 permits granted by the city. At the same time, sale prices have continued to rise.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence Community Shelter still battling issues from blizzard, extreme cold
The blizzard that hit Lawrence and the lingering cold have wreaked some havoc for the Lawrence Community Shelter, including causing some pipes to freeze and burst and slowing construction of 24 new Pallet shelters.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
City of Lawrence desperate for winter shelter volunteers
The city is in desperate need of help from volunteers to keep winter emergency shelters open amid extreme cold.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
First United Methodist Church opens to provide overnight shelter; University Community of Christ to open for day
Update: First United Methodist Church in downtown Lawrence opened its doors for overnight emergency shelter, and the University Community of Christ will open at 10 a.m. Sunday as a day shelter.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Lawrence Community Shelter, city prepare for winter weather; here’s where to go and how to help
With the possibility of severe weather looming, the Lawrence Community Shelter, city and volunteers are preparing to ensure everyone who needs a warm place to sleep will have one.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Tenant rights educator included in $1.2M the City of Lawrence will spend on housing initiatives in 2025
The City of Lawrence is doling out $1.2 million from its sales tax coffers for affordable housing and housing-adjacent projects. New this year will be a community educator to help renters learn their rights.
Low-income renters in Douglas County live in poor conditions because they fear landlord retaliation
Many low-income renters in Douglas County live in decaying homes with health hazards and believe there is little they can do to improve their situation, a new survey shows.
Housing prices in Kansas have exploded. Here are three ideas to make homes affordable
Home and rental prices have skyrocketed in recent years because of a housing shortage. That’s leading to a rise in homelessness and could be hurting the economy.
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