August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Planning commissioners on Wednesday voted in favor of plans to build 24 new cabin-like Pallet shelters behind the Lawrence Community Shelter building to provide up to 48 people overnight shelter through the winter.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
The Lawrence Community Shelter is planning to randomly assign two unhoused people night by night to sleep inside each of the 24 Pallet shelters — tiny cabins — to be built behind the main shelter.
August Rudisell / The Lawrence Times
An informational meeting Thursday afternoon is open to anyone who would like to learn more about providing shelter during extreme weather conditions.
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
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.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
With the worst of the extreme weather behind us — at least for now — Lawrence’s overflow winter emergency shelters will close for the time being, effective Wednesday morning.
The numbers of people seeking emergency winter shelter have “significantly increased” since extreme weather hit last week, and the City of Lawrence announced Tuesday plans for a third overflow shelter to open.
From grassroots organizations to the Lawrence Community Shelter, there are numerous ways to support those who need help as the area sees dangerously cold temperatures in the coming days.
The City of Lawrence plans to keep the Amtrak station in East Lawrence open 24 hours a day through the extreme cold temperatures and wind chills the area will see over the next few days.
Amid the heavy snowfall and more severe weather in the forecast for Lawrence, city commissioners on Tuesday discussed but took no action to expand emergency sheltering options for people experiencing homelessness.
