Statistics and survey responses made clear that affordable housing is Lawrence’s most pressing need in order to alleviate and prevent homelessness, consultants told the city commission on Tuesday.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
The City of Lawrence is planning to raise modular shelters for people experiencing homelessness at a site near 18th Street and Haskell Avenue, sources say. In addition, the city plans to buy the old Veritas Christian School property on North Michigan Street, possibly for use as a family shelter.
Chansi Long/Lawrence Times
The city will install a bathroom and shower trailer at the North Lawrence campsite for people experiencing homelessness, despite the plan violating city code. The city recently brought an office trailer to the support site, sparking confusion and controversy.
Jared Wolsey / Contributed Photo
A bill that drew sharp opposition Thursday would let the Kansas AG penalize cities that don’t enforce no-camping rules and let the state deny non-compliant cities money to combat homelessness.
The Veterans Community Project, located at 89th and Troost, is dedicated to moving unhoused veterans off the streets. The organization owns a village of tiny homes that houses veterans free of charge and without a deadline to move out.
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
Two residents of the North Lawrence camp for people experiencing homelessness were charged with crimes after a fight Saturday, but other residents and an advocate say the alleged victim was not supposed to be at the support site at all.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
The city has thanked camp resident Jennifer Adams for managing the North Lawrence support site for people experiencing homelessness but says her services are no longer needed, and that moving forward, city staff will manage the site.
Chansi Long/Lawrence Times
The task of checking people in at the North Lawrence campsite for people experiencing homelessness falls on resident Jennifer Adams — along with other duties, such as de-escalating problems, distributing donations, and trespassing people when they violate the contracts secured in Adams’ tent.
A Douglas County program is switching to a lottery system to distribute funding for residents in need of rent and utility assistance sooner than planned. Applications are open now.
The Douglas County Housing Stabilization Collaborative is moving away from a first-come, first-served model to distribute funding for residents in need of rent and utility assistance. It will also lower the maximum total payment in order to serve more households.
